Contracts Manager

Economist-Group-; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Private health insurance

Work From Anywhere (up to 25 days/yr)

Parental leave

Generous annual leave

Job summary

The Economist Group in London is seeking a Legal Contracts Manager to join the Legal Contracts team. You will act as the first point of entry for all contractual requests, triage inquiries, and coordinate with stakeholders to determine appropriate legal review.

You will review, advise on, and negotiate junior to mid-level agreements such as subscription orders, sponsorships, and vendor contracts, while maintaining the central contracts inbox and ensuring accurate filing and governance.

Qualifications

• Legally trained with practical exposure to commercial contracts.
• Understanding of subscription-based agreements, event sponsorships and vendor contracts.
• Ability to assess risk and respond under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Triage and respond to incoming legal requests via the central contracts inbox.
• Independently review, advise on, and negotiate junior to mid-level agreements within approved parameters.
• Maintain and improve the central digital filing system and contracts manual.

Skills

Legal analysis

Contract management

Negotiation

Time management

Communication skills

Education

Law degree or legal qualification

Tools

Legal research tools

Job description

Since 1843, The Economist Group has championed independence, excellence and openness, helping people understand and tackle the critical challenges shaping the world. Today, we are building on that legacy as a global media and information-services company powered by digital innovation, analytical rigour and evidence-based insight.

Across our three businesses -The Economist, Economist Enterprise and Economist Education- we deliver trusted analysis and insights to individuals and organisations in more than 170 countries. United by a shared purpose to drive progress, we empower decision-makers to make sense of change and chart a course through an increasingly complex world.

As a colleague, you will be part of a culture that values ideas, encourages ownership and holds itself to high standards. We invest in people who are curious, thoughtful and adaptable, whether they are launching new products, reporting on global events or harnessing emerging technologies such as AI to improve how we work. Here, fresh thinking is taken seriously, ambition is matched by integrity, and great work is recognised. Working across disciplines, geographies and perspectives, we are united by a commitment to innovation, excellence and creating meaningful impact.

The Legal Contracts Manager plays a pivotal role within the Legal Contracts team, acting as the first point of entry for all legal and contractual requests submitted to the Legal team. This role sits at the intersection of legal analysis and review, contract management, and legal operational administration. While the position involves a significant administrative component, it requires strong legal judgment, sound contractual knowledge, and the ability to triage, assess, and respond to a high volume of time sensitive legal requests with confidence and professionalism.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the central legal contracts inbox, which functions as the primary gate for all requests into the legal team. This requires the ability to understand the substance and seriousness of incoming requests, identify the appropriate level of legal review required, and allocate or elevate matters efficiently within the team. The role demands legal acumen comparable to that of a junior lawyer or recently qualified professional, combined with exceptional organisational skills and the resilience to perform under sustained pressure.

Key Responsibilities:

Legal Contracts Inbox

The role holder will manage and oversee the central legal contracts inbox, ensuring all incoming requests from sales, commercial, and internal stakeholders are acknowledged promptly, assessed accurately, and handled in line with internal processes and service expectations. This includes exercising judgment to determine the nature of each request, its urgency, legal complexity, and risk profile, and deciding whether the matter can be addressed directly, requires negotiation, or how to be escalated to legal colleagues.

Review and negotiate agreements

In addition to triage and intake management, the Legal Contracts Manager will independently review, advise on, and negotiate a defined range of junior to mid level complexity agreements. These include subscription order forms, standard template event sponsorship agreements, and service provider or vendor agreements. The role requires the ability to provide clear, commercially aware responses to sales teams, explain legal positions succinctly, and engage in negotiations within approved parameters, escalating only where necessary.

The position operates in a fast paced, high pressure environment. The Legal Contracts Manager must respond to urgent and sometimes pressurised communications with calm authority, professionalism, and efficiency, maintaining strong internal relationships while safeguarding legal standards and risk thresholds. Timeliness, accuracy, and tone are critical success factors.

Legal operations

Legal drive: The role also carries responsibility for managing and maintaining the legal team’s central digital filing system, ensuring contracts and related documentation are accurately stored, indexed, and retrievable in accordance with internal governance standards. The Legal Contracts Manager will oversee day to day legal administrative tasks and, under supervision, contribute to the ongoing maintenance and updating of the contracts manual and related guidance materials.

Sales support in submitting contracts before legal review: In addition, the Legal Contracts Manager will actively support sales and commercial stakeholders in the preparation and drafting of agreements at the point of intake. This includes working with sales to ensure that all commercial terms, pricing, scope of work, deliverables, timelines, and key assumptions are clearly articulated, internally aligned, and accurately reflected in the relevant contractual documentation before the matter is assigned for legal review. The role is responsible for identifying gaps, inconsistencies, and unresolved commercial points at an early stage, and coordinating with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that agreements are commercially complete, coherent, and review-ready, thereby enabling efficient and focused legal review by the wider legal team.

Skills, Experience and Qualifications

This role is suited to a legally trained professional with equivalent practical exposure. Candidates may be recently qualified lawyers, law graduates with relevant in house or commercial contracts experience, or contract professionals with demonstrable legal training and hands on contract review experience. A strong understanding of commercial contracts, particularly subscription based agreements, event sponsorship arrangements, and vendor or services agreements, is essential.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate excellent legal comprehension, the ability to assess risk proportionately, and confidence in handling routine negotiations independently. Exceptional written communication skills are required, with the ability to respond clearly, politely, and decisively under tight deadlines. Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the capacity to manage competing priorities are critical.

Candidates must be comfortable operating in a high volume environment, show resilience under pressure, and exercise sound judgment when dealing with urgent or escalated matters. A proactive, solution-oriented mindset and a high degree of professionalism are essential.

#LI-Hybrid

Working Arrangements

The majority of our roles operate on a hybrid working pattern, with 3+ days office attendance required.

AI usage for your application

We are an innovative organisation that encourages the use of technology. We recognise that candidates may utilise AI tools to support with their job application process. However, it is essential that all information you provide truthfully and accurately reflects your own experience, skills, and qualifications.

What we offer

Our benefits package is designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance. It includes a highly competitive pension or 401(k) plan, private health insurance, and 24/ 7 access to counselling and wellbeing resources through our Employee Assistance Program.

We also offer a range of lifestyle benefits, including our Work From Anywhere program, which allows you to work from any location where you have the legal right to do so for up to 25 days per year. In addition, we provide generous annual and parental leave, as well as dedicated days off for volunteering and even for moving home.

You will also be given free access to all The Economist content, including an online subscription, our range of apps, podcasts and more.