Contract Administrator

About the role

The Contract Administrator oversees the full lifecycle of commercial contracts from intake and drafting through execution and repository management in partnership with the Legal team. This role combines contract review and limited negotiation responsibilities with operational ownership of the company’s Legal-controlled contract workflow and lifecycle management system.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and conduct limited negotiation of commercial agreements (e.g., NDAs, MSAs, DPAs, licenses, amendments, and related documents).
• Identify and assess legal, financial, operational, and compliance risks; escalate complex or high-risk matters to Legal leadership as appropriate.
• Ensure alignment with approved standards, policies, and organizational risk tolerances.
• Serve as the central intake and control point for all contracts submitted to Legal.
• Manage contracts from initiation through execution in accordance with established procedures.
• Apply risk-based review tiers and ensure required approvals are obtained prior to execution.
• Maintain and enhance contract templates, clause libraries, and fallback language.
• Enforce use of approved forms and flag non-standard or materially modified provisions.
• Recommend updates to templates, policies, and processes based on trends, risk patterns, and business needs.
• Oversee contract execution processes, including e-signature workflows and signer authority validation.
• Ensure all agreements are properly executed, stored, and maintained within the designated CLM system as the system of record.
• Maintain accurate contract metadata and monitor key performance indicators (e.g., cycle time, renewal tracking, workflow efficiency).
• Collaborate with Procurement, Finance, Compliance, and business stakeholders to support contract processing and execution requirements.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for contract process inquiries and workflow guidance.
• Coordinate documentation and approvals required prior to execution.
• Ensure adherence to Legal workflows, internal controls, and compliance standards.
• Support internal audits and reporting related to contract volume, cycle times, and risk trends.
• Maintain confidentiality, exercise sound judgment, and perform additional responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies, or related field or equivalent combination of education and 3–5 years of directly related contract administration or transactional experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience reviewing, drafting, and administering commercial agreements in a corporate legal department, law firm, or comparable business environment.
• Working knowledge of core contract law principles and their application in a commercial setting.
• Demonstrated understanding of common commercial contract provisions, including indemnification, limitation of liability, intellectual property ownership, confidentiality, termination, and governing law.
• Experience using a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system or comparable contract repository platform.
• Experience using electronic signature platforms.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or comparable productivity tools, including strong Word document redlining and formatting skills.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify legal, operational, and financial risk in contract language.
• Excellent written communication skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to summarize and explain contractual concepts clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to manage multiple contracts simultaneously within defined workflows.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and escalate complex or high-risk matters appropriately.

Preferred Qualifications

• Paralegal certificate or contract management certification (e.g., NCMA or similar).
• Experience supporting multi-entity or multi-jurisdictional organizations.
• Familiarity with data privacy agreements (DPAs), SaaS agreements, or technology licensing.
• Experience supporting audits or regulatory compliance reviews.
• Exposure to process improvement, legal operations metrics, or workflow optimization initiatives.
• Familiarity with basic financial terms such as payment structures, budgeting controls, and revenue recognition concepts.