Position Descriptions
If you are interested in pursuing a career in contract management but aren’t sure what to expect, don’t worry. We’ve broken it down to help you understand the career path:
Position Descriptions for The Contract Management Professional
To give you a common starting point for discussions about the professional grade and salary levels, performance expectations, and expected (or required) skills and experience needed for professional advancement, we’ve developed general position descriptions for various roles within the contract management field.
Contract activity has been divided into 5 levels:
- Beginner
- Journeyman
- Expert Practitioner
- Manager
- Executive
Certain skills and experience are required in order to accomplish complex and/or strategic contract objectives–at both mid and senior levels–whether or not the contract professional who possesses those skills and experience manages professionals at lower levels.
Please note:
- No distinction has been made between public (federal, state, and/or local government) and commercial roles
- No distinction has been made between activity conducted directly with the ultimate (prime) customer or with third parties (subcontractors) in fulfillment of prime contracts
- Because of wide variations, no specific job titles are included
Overview
- Contract activity with low-to-moderate risk to the department per standard policy
- Executes low- to mid-dollar, routine contracts and places orders against existing contracts. Includes defined, repetitive functions
- Typically handles routine or standard form contracts and related documentation in accordance with established policies and procedures
- Requires a minimum of independent business judgment and a high degree of management attention
Responsibilities
- Reviews requests and prepares routine responses to proposals, bids, and contract modifications; may also prepare simple requests for proposals (RFPs)
- Analyzes contract requirements, special provisions, terms, and conditions to make sure they comply with relevant laws, regulations, corporate policies, and department procedures
- Drafts and negotiates simple contractual instruments commensurate with skills and grade level
- Communicates contract policy and practice to internal business teams.
- Reviews, approves and executes contracts in accordance with corporate and/or department guidelines
- Prepares and administers routine correspondence, negotiation memos, and contract documentation to ensure timely and coordinated submittal
- Prepares, organizes and maintains records and files documenting contract performance and compliance
- May conduct research to support contract audit and or facilitate department contracting trends
- Performs contract closeout activities
- Assists mid- to high-level contract professionals when working with internal or external business teams on issues and developments related to assigned contracts
Skills/Abilities
- Basic knowledge of corporate policies and procedures
- Basic knowledge of contracting concepts, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), applicable international contract law, or public contract acquisition law and regulations
- Good to strong analytical and communication skills
- Ability to draft simple contractual documents in accordance with prescribed templates and guidelines
Interface
Other contract professionals and business unit staff; cross-functional project teams; entry to mid-level customer and supplier associates.
Education/Experience
- A bachelor’s degree with business emphasis or other concentration plus 24 semester hours of business-related courses
- Fewer than 3 years of general business or contract-related experience is typical
Certification
None
Complexity
- Contract activity with moderate to high risk to the department
- Contract activity may vary and require the development of specialized contract methods and techniques to accomplish business goals and objectives
- Generally involves independent judgment and analysis of significant issue identification and resolution
- May require the development of new contract policies and procedures or the assessment of required deviations from the established norm
- Requires a lower degree of management attention
Responsibilities
- Reviews complex solicitations and prepares a specialized and/or non-routine response for proposals, bids, and contract modifications
- May also prepare complex requests for proposals (RFPs). Analyzes significant and/or unique contract requirements, special provisions, terms, and conditions to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and corporate policies and department procedures
- Provides contractual guidance to business team members for appropriate Statement of Work. Manages contract change control process
- Develops negotiation strategy and leads negotiation team on complex contractual issues
- Analyzes new law, regulation and contract trends for potential impact on business unit goals and objectives
- Functions as a subject matter expert on selected areas and issues
- Provides authoritative guidance to internal business teams on corporate goals and objectives related to contract activity
- The focal point for all communication with law, finance and business team disciplines for resolution of contract issues and disputes
- May assist in new business pursuit and associated contract strategy
- Assists in identification, development, and implementation of new contract policies and procedures
- May mentor and train less-experienced professionals
- May participate in the development of less complex business alliances and partnership agreements
- Possesses a general understanding of the business case and an appreciation of financial/analytical issues and profit and loss implications
Skills/Abilities
- Ability to draft moderate to complex, non-routine contract documents
- Working to excellent knowledge of corporate policies and procedures coupled with the ability to identify required improvement to established policies
- Working to expert knowledge of contracting concepts, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), applicable public contract acquisition law and regulations, and applicable international contract law
- Strong to excellent analytical and communication skills
- Good presentation, leadership and team-building skills
- Use of independent judgment and creativity applied to the resolution of contract issues
- Excellent internal and external negotiation skills
- Evidence of the ability to excel in the upper-level management environment
Interface
Business unit management teams, senior project or product managers, customer/supplier law department, outside counsel, mid-to-senior level corporate management.
Education/Experience
- A bachelor's degree in business or other concentration and 24 semester hours of business
- Three or more years of business or related experience
- Masters degree in business degree highly desirable
Certification
Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) or Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM).
Complexity
- Very high strategic impact on a corporation or business unit
- Responsible for critical contractual formation and management, obligations of high risk and visibility
- Requires a high degree of independent and creative judgment applied to high-level goals and objectives of the corporation
- Responsibilities
- Establishes high-level contract strategy and drives implementation of strategic contract opportunities with the most significant impact on the corporation
- Provides contractual domain expertise in implementation, execution, and administration
- Participates in the development of business alliance and partnering, acquisitions and divestitures, source selection procedures and process, and make or buy determinations
- May act as a senior program or project manager
- When required, performs in a cross-functional role for other business areas, e.g. finance, law, operations
- Provides guidance and leadership to cross-functional business team members
- May mentor less-experienced contract professionals. May provide formal training in contract domain expertise
- Champions the revision and improvement of contract policy and procedure
- Lead negotiation responsibilities
- Understands the business case and has an appreciation of financial/analytical issues and profit and loss implications
Skills/Abilities
- Considerable ability to influence senior management
- Excellent presentation, teambuilding, and leadership skills
- Ability to effect change
- Ability to perform in a complex cross-functional business environment
- Proven program management ability
- A global perspective of the business environment and technology
- Motivational and visionary leadership skills
- Interface
- Senior corporate management, customer/supplier executive management, public agency executives
Education/Experience
- Masters degree in business and 8+ years of business experience
- Experience generally includes significant technical knowledge and/or experience in international contracting, joint venture formation, strategic partnering, or other highly complex contractual arrangements.
Certification
Complexity
- Contract activity with moderate to high risk to the department
- Contract activity may vary and require the development of specialized contract vehicles and techniques to accomplish business goals and objectives
- Generally involves independent judgment and analysis of significant issue identification and resolution
- May require the development of new contract policies and procedures or the assessment of required deviations from the established norm
- Requires a lower degree of management attention.
Responsibilities
- Supervises the activity of entry- to mid-level contract professionals in the review and preparation of routine contract documents in accordance with corporate policy
- Reviews complex solicitations and prepares a specialized and/or non-routine response for proposals, bids, and contract modifications
- Trains and develops subordinate contract professionals to assume more complex contract activity
- Analyzes significant and/or unique contract requirements, special provisions, terms, and conditions to ensure compliance with appropriate laws, regulations, and corporate policies and business unit procedure and communicates results to subordinates
- Develops negotiation strategy and leads negotiation team on complex contractual issues
- Analyzes new law, regulation and contract trends for potential impact on business unit goals and objectives
- Provides authoritative guidance to internal business teams and contract subordinates on corporate goals and objectives relating to contract activity
- The focal point for all communications with law, finance and business team disciplines for resolution of contract issues and disputes
- Assists in identification, development, and implementation of new contract policy and processes
- A general understanding of the business case and an appreciation of financial/analytical issues and profit and loss implications.
Skills/Abilities
- Ability to supervise and train less-experienced contract professionals and to identify and develop contract skills in assigned role
- Ability to draft moderate to complex, non-routine contractual instruments
- Working to excellent knowledge of corporate policies and procedures, coupled with the ability to identify required improvement to established policies and to communicate implementation procedures to others
- Working to expert knowledge of contracting concepts, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), applicable public contract acquisition law and regulations, and applicable international contract law
- Strong to excellent analytical and communication skills. Good presentation, leadership and management skills
- Use of independent judgment and creativity applied to the resolution of contract issues
- Excellent internal and external negotiation skills. Emerging ability to excel in an upper-level management environment
Interface
Contract subordinates, business unit management teams, senior project or product managers, customer/supplier law department, outside counsel, mid-to-senior level corporate management
Education/Experience
A bachelor's degree plus 8+ years business or related experience
Masters degree in business highly desirable.
Certification
Complexity
- Responsible for managing contract professionals at the highest levels
- Directs the activities of contract professionals including highly complex contractual arrangements of strategic importance to the company or department
- Directs identification, development and implementation of entire range of contract formation, negotiation and administration policies and processes in accordance with customer expectations and corporate objectives
Responsibilities
- Communicates corporate and business unit objectives to contract department
- Establishes highest-level contract policies and processes to ensure achievement of corporate expectations
- Drives implementation of strategic contract opportunities with the most significant impact on the corporation
- Approves and implements new and revised contract policy and process
- Participates in the development of business alliances, acquisitions and divestitures, source selection procedures and process, make or buy determinations, and risk management directives
- Provides career development and training opportunities for contract professionals
- Performs in a cross-functional role for other business areas, e.g. finance, law, operations
- Provides guidance and leadership to cross-functional business team members
- Ensures appropriate contract staffing and budget levels
- Have mentoring and training responsibilities
- May occasionally lead complex negotiations
- Understands the business case and has an appreciation of financial/analytical issues and profit and loss implications
- Skills/Abilities
- A key member of senior corporate management
- Ability to establish and implement departmental goals and objectives
- Excellent presentation, teambuilding, and leadership skills
- Ability to effect and manage change agents
- Ability to perform in a complex cross-functional business environment
- Proven management and delegation ability
- A global perspective of the business environment and technology
- Motivational and visionary leadership skills, including the ability to recognize and develop emerging leadership talent
- Interface
- Cross-functional departmental directors, senior corporate management, customer/supplier executive management, public agency executives.
Education/Experience
- Advanced degree in business and 12+ years of business experience is typical, generally including supervisory/mentoring responsibility
- Advanced contract and technical knowledge, and/or experience in international contracting, joint venture formation, strategic partnering, or other highly-complex contractual arrangements.
Certification
Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM)