Are Your Contract Manager Job Descriptions Accurate?

Jim Bergman

During the past decade the role of Contract Manager has become crucial for organizations seeking contracting and commercial management excellence.  As a result, drafting accurate and comprehensive job descriptions for this role is essential for attracting the right talent and ensuring smooth contract management operations.

What does it take to ensure your Contract Manager job descriptions are accurate?

1. Understand the Role

Before you begin writing, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of what a Contract Manager does within your organization. Speak with current Contract Managers, HR personnel, and department heads to get a comprehensive view of the role’s responsibilities, challenges, and key skills.  Simply replicating job descriptions from other organizations is fraught with risk.

2. Define Key Responsibilities

List the primary duties and responsibilities associated with the role. This should include:

  • Contract Drafting and Review: Creating, reviewing, and negotiating contracts with vendors, clients, and partners.
  • Compliance: Ensuring all contracts comply with legal regulations and internal policies.
  • Risk Management: Identifying potential risks in contracts and developing mitigation strategies.
  • Communication: Acting as the point of contact for contract-related queries and issues.
  • Record Keeping: Maintaining a detailed and organized record of all contracts and related documents.

3. Highlight Necessary Skills and Qualifications

Specify the skills and qualifications needed for the role. This can include:

  • Educational Background: Degrees in law, business administration, or related fields.
  • Experience: Prior experience in contract management, legal affairs, or procurement.
  • Technical Skills: Proficiency in contract management software and legal databases.
  • Soft Skills: Strong negotiation, communication, and analytical skills.

4. Include Company-Specific Requirements

Tailor the job description to reflect the unique needs and culture of your company. This might include specific industry knowledge, familiarity with particular types of contracts, or alignment with company values and ethics.

5. Consult Legal and HR Experts

Ensure the job description is legally compliant and aligned with HR best practices. Consulting with legal and HR experts can help avoid potential pitfalls and ensure clarity and accuracy.

6. Review and Revise

Once drafted, review the job description with multiple stakeholders, including current Contract Managers, department heads, and HR personnel. Their feedback can provide valuable insights and help refine the description.

7. Update Regularly

The business environment and job roles evolve over time. Regularly updating the job description ensures it remains accurate and relevant. Schedule periodic reviews to make necessary adjustments.

Conclusion

Crafting an accurate and detailed Contract Manager job description is crucial for attracting the right candidates and ensuring efficient contract management processes. By understanding the role, key responsibilities, and necessary skills, and tailored to company objectives and strategies, one can create a comprehensive and accurate job description that meets the organization’s needs.

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Published by Jim Bergman

Jim Bergman is a commercial contract professional with global experience spanning the USA, Latin America, UK, Europe, China, South Korea, Japan, India, SE Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia. He has worked on a wide range of direct and indirect spend categories in numerous sectors, developing a deep knowledge of services, goods and technology procurement and sales. Across this wide array of commodity and services experience, Jim has found the keys to success in maximizing value for money through customer-supplier relationships founded on innovative category management and strategic sourcing practices, key performance metrics and measures, as well as Total Cost of Ownership principles and collaborative contracting tenets. He has shared his knowledge through advisory engagements, as well as in developing and delivering training programs both on-line and in classrooms, in both open-enrollment and internal environments. Jim has assisted his clients through all phases and steps of contracting, negotiation, strategic sourcing and bidding processes, demonstrating value generation in excess of $250 million. His audiences and clients have included over 7,000 attorneys and commercial professionals students from over 1,000 corporations and public-sector entities.

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