Contract Manager

Aston Carter; United States; Hybrid; USD 58,000 - 91,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) plan

Life Insurance

Disability benefits

PTO

Job summary

Aston Carter in Hopkins, MN is seeking a Contract Manager / Contract Negotiator to lead vendor negotiations and manage contract amendments and renewals. You will draft and refine contract language, collaborate with internal teams, and ensure terms align with organizational goals while maintaining clear stakeholder communications.

The role requires strong negotiation, drafting, and cross-functional collaboration skills, with experience in MS Office and DocuSign.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Proven understanding of contracts and negotiation principles.
• Experience drafting and editing contract documents.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks with independent judgment.
• Experience with MS Suite and electronic signature tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiations with vendors to secure favorable terms and pricing.
• Prepare and manage contract amendments and renewals.
• Develop, review, and edit contract documents for clarity and accuracy.
• Collaborate with internal teams to translate business needs into contract language.
• Manage multiple contracting tasks and prioritize by business impact.
• Report contract status and outcomes to stakeholders succinctly.
• Adapt communication style for staff to leadership levels.
• Identify risks and propose solutions during negotiation.
• Support contract lifecycle using procurement tools and e-sign platforms.

Skills

Negotiation

Contract drafting

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

35 years of related work experience

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Zip HQ

DocuSign

MS Office

Job description

Job Title: Contract Manager / Contract Negotiator

Job Description

The Contract Negotiator serves as a key partner to internal teams, leading the negotiation and management of contracts with existing vendors. This role focuses on supporting ongoing vendor relationships by handling contract amendments, renewals, and agreements for standard products and services. The Contract Negotiator ensures that contracts reflect preferred terms and pricing, while maintaining strong collaboration with stakeholders and upholding high standards of professionalism and communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiations with existing vendors to secure favorable contract terms, including pricing and preferred conditions.
• Support contracting efforts for established vendor relationships by preparing and managing contract amendments and renewals.
• Develop, review, and edit contract documents to ensure accuracy, clarity, and alignment with organizational requirements.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams to understand business needs and translate them into effective contract language and negotiation strategies.
• Manage multiple concurrent contracting tasks and projects, prioritizing work based on business impact and timelines.
• Exercise independent judgment when organizing workload, making decisions, and resolving contract-related issues.
• Communicate contract status, key terms, and negotiation outcomes to stakeholders in a succinct and timely manner.
• Adapt communication style to effectively engage with various levels of stakeholders, from operational staff to tenured leadership.
• Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to identify risks, address contract discrepancies, and recommend solutions.
• Utilize MS Suite, workflow-based procurement tools, and electronic signature platforms to support the contract lifecycle and documentation processes.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 35 years of related work experience beyond degree for high-level responsibilities, and 58 years for more complex contract work.
• Academic degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or Pre-Law is preferred.
• Proven understanding of contracts and negotiation principles.
• Demonstrated experience drafting and editing contract documents.
• Strong collaboration and teamwork skills, with a professional approach and positive interactions with others.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks in an organized and self-motivated manner.
• Capability to exercise independent judgment in managing workload and prioritizing assignments.
• Experience communicating information clearly, succinctly, and in a timely manner to stakeholders.
• Ability to flex communication style appropriately depending on the audience level.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with MS Suite (such as Word, Excel, and Outlook).
• Experience using workflow-based procurement tools such as Zip HQ or similar platforms.
• Experience with electronic signature tools such as DocuSign.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Healthcare industry experience is preferred and considered an asset.
• Experience in Business, Marketing, Finance, or Pre-Law enhances success in this role.
• Experience working in hybrid environments that require both in-office collaboration and remote communication.

Work Environment

This role operates in a hybrid work environment that combines in-office and remote work. Team members work on-site three days per week, typically Tuesday through Thursday, supporting collaboration and direct interaction with colleagues. Mondays and Fridays are remote workdays, allowing focused individual work from home. The position relies on standard office technologies, including MS Suite, workflow-based procurement tools such as Zip HQ or similar systems, and electronic signature platforms like DocuSign. The environment emphasizes professional communication, organized workflows, and effective coordination across both in-person and virtual settings.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Hopkins, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $41.87 - $65.78/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your jobclassification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:Medical, dental & visionCritical Illness, Accident, and Hospital401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions availableLife Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)Short and long-term disabilityHealth Spending Account (HSA)Transportation benefitsEmployee Assistance ProgramTime Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Hopkins, MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 31, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Hopkins,MN.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.