Assistant Director, Contracts

Tulane University; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Tulane University is seeking an experienced Assistant Director of Contract Services to lead Contract Management Services, overseeing review, negotiation, and execution of university contracts. The role requires clear guidance to stakeholders and collaboration with procurement, sourcing, and legal teams.

You will manage templates, performance metrics, and ensure alignment of terms with Tulane’s policies while mitigating risk. Strong leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school.
• At least 7 years of contract management and/or negotiation experience.
• Ability to review, draft, and negotiate complex contracts with stakeholders and legal team.
• Proven ability to manage and lead contract-related projects and teams.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft, and negotiate complex contracts with stakeholders, legal, and procurement teams.
• Explain contractual terms and rights to internal partners.
• Provide leadership guidance on contractual issues and risk mitigation.
• Drive negotiations to closure and track key metrics for contracts.
• Collaborate with cross-functional leaders across Tulane’s divisions.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Contract drafting

Contract analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Contracts+

Arriba

Meditract

Job description

Job Description

The Assistant Director of Contract Services manages activities within Contract Management Services, which include contract review, negotiating, accepting, tracking, monitoring, and facilitating execution of contracts between Tulane and third parties for all of Tulane’s various business units when requested. The Assistant Director of Contract Services collaborates with the leadership of Tulane’s business units, Procurement Services, Strategic Sourcing, and the Office of the General Counsel. In this capacity, the Assistant Director and team will provide clear and concise guidance to university stakeholders, including Procurement Services Staff and other internal client groups regarding contract terms and conditions. The position will also work within the Oracle Fusion Cloud Contract Module to create contract templates and manage the repository for Procurement and Sourcing Contracts. The Assistant Director will also be responsible for ensuring that the content for the Contract Management Services webpage is current and responsible for collecting various metrics data from their team and reporting these metrics to leadership. The position will also be responsible for ensuring that the current Procurement Services Terms and Conditions are aligned with Tulane’s business model and provide leadership with potential updates that may help mitigate risk to Tulane. This position will manage other Contract Management Services Staff.

• Ability to review, draft, and negotiate complex contracts and contract related documents in coordination with the business stakeholders, the legal department, and procurement.
• Ability to understand, interpret, and explain contractual terms, conditions, rights, and obligations to internal business partners.
• Provide advice, insight, recommendations, and support to leadership regarding contractual and business issues, ensuring that negotiated terms and conditions comply with university policies.
• Knowledge of project management skills and practices to drive contract negotiations to a close and meet deadlines.
• Ability to manage, track, and report out key metrics relating to contracts reviewed, negotiated, and/or processed through the Department of Contract Management Services.
• Knowledge of supply chain practices and procedures to enable being a member of a procurement sourcing teams when selecting suppliers to provide capabilities to Tulane.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with leaders and direct reports in each division of the university.
• Ability to manage and lead direct reports.
• Good communication skills and people skills.

Job Description

The Assistant Director of Contract Services manages activities within Contract Management Services, which include contract review, negotiating, accepting, tracking, monitoring, and facilitating execution of contracts between Tulane and third parties for all of Tulane’s various business units when requested. The Assistant Director of Contract Services collaborates with the leadership of Tulane’s business units, Procurement Services, Strategic Sourcing, and the Office of the General Counsel. In this capacity, the Assistant Director and team will provide clear and concise guidance to university stakeholders, including Procurement Services Staff and other internal client groups regarding contract terms and conditions. The position will also work within the Oracle Fusion Cloud Contract Module to create contract templates and manage the repository for Procurement and Sourcing Contracts. The Assistant Director will also be responsible for ensuring that the content for the Contract Management Services webpage is current and responsible for collecting various metrics data from their team and reporting these metrics to leadership. The position will also be responsible for ensuring that the current Procurement Services Terms and Conditions are aligned with Tulane’s business model and provide leadership with potential updates that may help mitigate risk to Tulane. This position will manage other Contract Management Services Staff.

Responsibilities

• Ability to review, draft, and negotiate complex contracts and contract related documents in coordination with the business stakeholders, the legal department, and procurement.
• Ability to understand, interpret, and explain contractual terms, conditions, rights, and obligations to internal business partners.
• Provide advice, insight, recommendations, and support to leadership regarding contractual and business issues, ensuring that negotiated terms and conditions comply with university policies.
• Knowledge of project management skills and practices to drive contract negotiations to a close and meet deadlines.
• Ability to manage, track, and report out key metrics relating to contracts reviewed, negotiated, and/or processed through the Department of Contract Management Services.
• Knowledge of supply chain practices and procedures to enable being a member of a procurement sourcing teams when selecting suppliers to provide capabilities to Tulane.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with leaders and direct reports in each division of the university.
• Ability to manage and lead direct reports.
• Good communication skills and people skills.

Qualifications

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• At least 7 years of contract management and/or negotiation experience. Any appropriate combination of relevant education, experience and/or certifications may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Contracts+ or other contract management software such as Arriba, Meditract, etc.
• Knowledge of specialized contract terms in a category such as IT, Facilities, Human Resources, etc.
• Candidate should possess and be able to demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Advanced knowledge of Word, Excel and Microsoft Office Suite Products.
• Higher Education work experience.

About Us

Tulane University is an equal opportunity educator and employer committed to providing an education and employment environment free of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Legally protected demographic classifications (such as a person’s race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, shared ancestry, disability, genetics, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws) are not relied upon as an eligibility, selection or participation criteria for Tulane’s employment or educational programs or activities.

Tulane University is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing an application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact the Office of Human Resources by phone at 504-865-4748 or by email at [e-mail] .