Contracts Manager

About the Role

HKS Dallas is seeking a Contracts Manager to join our Legal team. This role assists with managing the firm’s contracts throughout the contract lifecycle, from drafting, review, and negotiation through administration, compliance, renewals, and closeout. The Contracts Manager supports risk identification and contract negotiations, maintains contract records and key milestones within CLM systems, and serves as a primary liaison. They ensure efficient, accurate, and compliant contract management while supporting claims and litigation-related processes.

Responsibilities

• Creates, reviews, and edits contracts, proposals, and other legal documents to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Identifies and escalates potential legal, financial, and operational risks before contract execution.
• Coordinates and supports contract reviews and negotiations by tracking redlines and assisting legal or senior management to ensure terms comply with company policies and risk management requirements.
• Administers and monitors contract lifecycles by managing intake and assignment processes, maintaining agreements within contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems and centralized digital repositories, and tracking key dates (deadlines, expirations, renewals, and milestones).
• Acts as the central point of contact for internal HKS contracts review, coordinating communication among legal, finance, and project management teams and external stakeholders, including clients and consultants.
• Assists with claims and litigation matters by facilitating internal processing, maintaining documentation, and liaising with outside counsel.

Qualifications

• Typically 15+ years of relevant legal experience in a law firm or in-house legal department handling contract review and litigation support.
• Experience working with architecture and/or engineering design professionals strongly preferred.
• Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) software, AI tools, and document repositories.
• Proficiency in MS Office and Adobe tools.
• Excellent work ethic with a commitment to producing high-quality, accurate results and a strong sense of ownership for projects and duties.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain contract terms and processes to diverse audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills, including the ability to escalate issues when appropriate.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with the highest level of integrity and professionalism.
• Ability to organize and adapt to changing priorities, manage competing demands, and meet deadlines, with high receptivity to feedback.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a team environment and work independently.
• Travel may be required.

If you currently work for HKS, please submit your application via the Internal Careers Portal.