Contract Manager

The Strategic Insights Excellence & Operations Associate serves as the operational backbone of the Strategic Insights and Performance Excellence (SIPE) team, enabling efficient execution across contracting, procurement, market research operations, compliance, and process improvement while partnering cross-functionally to support evolving business priorities. " Researching vendors in systems to determine if vendors are active, prior to contracting new relationships; handle new supplier submissions or updating existing suppliers as necessary.

Strategic Insights Excellence and Operations Associate
Location: San Rafael, CA - Hybrid (Onsite Tuesday and Thursday)
Pay: $45.00 - $50.00/hr
Duration: 1 year+

Overview:
The Strategic Insights Excellence & Operations Associate serves as the operational backbone of the Strategic Insights and Performance Excellence (SIPE) team, enabling efficient execution across contracting, procurement, market research operations, compliance, and process improvement while partnering cross-functionally to support evolving business priorities.

Must Have:
1) At least 2 Years of SAP/Ariba (contracting & procurement platform) and Coupa/Spend Source
2) End-to-end contract management, including receiving and submitting, monitoring and tracking a large volume of contracts (At least 100+ contracts per month) from draft through final signatures.
3) Comfortability with ambiguity and navigating complex processes and systems. Ability to work autonomously and proactively, capable of troubleshooting and figuring things out. Must be able to explain previous experience with navigating complex processes and systems.
4) Exceptional attention to detail and strong interpersonal skills, with demonstrated experience building cross-functional relationships, managing complex operational processes, and maintaining high-quality deliverables in a fast-paced environment.

Duties
" End-to-end contract management, including receiving and submitting, monitoring and tracking a large volume of contracts from draft through final signatures
" Monitoring and tracking a large volume of requisition requests from submission to financial approval and PO creation
" Creating and submitting contract and financial requisition requests using SAP/Ariba (contracting & procurement platform) and Coupa/Spend Source (spend management tool)
" Researching vendors in systems to determine if vendors are active, prior to contracting new relationships; handle new supplier submissions or updating existing suppliers as necessary
" Drafting and routing multiple contract types for review/negotiation: Non-Disclosure Agreements, Scopes of Work, and Change Orders
" Acting as a liaison between client, internal business partners, and outside vendors to facilitate contract execution
" Building and maintaining relationships with internal business partners
" Engaging with other functional areas to assess and respond to contracting and requisition needs, obligations, and revisions
" Monitoring and coordinating complex workflows between the business, Procurement, Finance and Legal Departments to ensure tasks move forward in a timely manner
" Serve as the operational point of contact for SIPE processes, ensuring consistency, governance, and timely execution across contracting, procurement, market research, and vendor management activities.
" Lead Market Research (MRP) and Social Listening (SL) operational compliance and data quality processes, ensuring adherence to internal policies, governance requirements, documentation standards, and audit readiness.
" Partner with cross-functional stakeholders (e.g., Procurement, Legal, Compliance, Finance, etc) to strengthen operational processes, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and enhance organizational agility in responding to evolving business needs.
" Support continuous improvement initiatives by identifying process efficiencies, standardizing workflows, and helping optimize operational execution across SIPE activities.

Skills Needed:
" Prior experience in contract management required
" Strong acumen for SAP/Ariba and Coupa/Spend Source platforms
" Comfortable with ambiguity and navigating complex processes and systems
" Ability to work independently and proactively solve problems, and drive issues to resolution
" Detail-oriented: strong proofreading and editing skills, and the ability to consistently deliver accurate, high-quality work
" Strong computer skills in database management and document preparation (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
" Ability to manage multiple priorities and aggressive timelines while maintaining accuracy in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment
" Strong technology aptitude with the ability to quickly learn and leverage new systems, digital tools, and AI-enabled solutions to improve operational efficiency
" Strong written and verbal communication skills
" Customer service oriented: must be able to communicate effectively with internal business partners as well as external vendors/suppliers
" Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams and build productive partnerships with internal stakeholders and external vendors
" Demonstrated ability to identify operational risks, proactively resolve issues, and communicate effectively across cross-functional stakeholders.
" Continuous improvement mindset with the ability to identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve operational efficiency

Nice To Have Skills:
" Experience in contracts administration or other relevant experience is strongly preferred.
" Experience at a large law firm or within an in-house legal department of a public company a plus.
" Experience within biotech/pharma/medical device industry or other contract-intensive fields a plus.
" Familiarity with SpringCM is a plus.
" Experience supporting market research, compliance, or operational processes in a highly regulated industry is a plus.
" Science or technology background is a plus
" Experience using AI-enabled productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, or similar) to streamline workflows and improve operational effectiveness.
" Experience supporting digital transformation or process automation initiatives is a plus



Benefits (employee contribution):
Health insurance
Health savings account
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Flexible spending accounts
Life insurance
Retirement plan

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. Pursuant to applicable state and municipal Fair Chance Laws and Ordinances, we will consider for employment-qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. For Los Angeles, CA applicants: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act