Contract Specialist Job Description

The Contract Specialist is responsible for all contracts and credentialing of contracted business.

Primary Responsibilities:

• The Contract Specialist reviews contract terms and conditions making sure that they comply with federal and state laws and company policies.
• The Contract Specialist assists clients and head personnel in interpreting contract terms and conditions.
• The Contract Specialist must maintain and manage the database.

The Contract Specialist is in charge of all contracts made by a company to insure that no one makes a contract or signs a contract that does not comply with the company’s policies along with any government rules that might apply. The Contract Specialist must maintain a governmental website with location updates of any products that the company has contracted out to government facilities. The location of these products must be kept up-to-date along with the contract required to keep the products under maintenance. The Contract Specialist is required to do training of the contract requirements to various personnel. The Contract Specialist may get involved with marketing materials working with the Advertising Manager. The Contract Specialist does have other administrative and analytical duties as required.

The Contract Specialist must be responsible for drafting, analyzing and negotiating contracts. The Contract Specialist must have full knowledge of the terminology related to the Trade of the corporation. Terminology is very important in any written contract because it can make a difference on how the contract is upheld. The company that the Contract Specialist works for and the clients both depend on the Contract Specialists capability to write a proper contract. Often the Contract Specialist is required to write amendments to contracts in order to improve on service or change policy procedures that meet the need of the customer and the company. The Contract Specialist may put together an E-book that will be used by the corporation requiring that contracts be put in place when it comes to editorial acquisition. The Contract Specialist is required to get permission on third party materials that are being used in the E-Book editions.
The Contract Specialist must be held accountable to draft Trade & Reference editorial acquisition E-Book amendments that are consistent with corporate and divisional standards. The Contract Specialist needs to ensure maintenance of accurate, thorough contract records and help to facilitate efficient interdepartmental communications related to assigned areas. It is essential that third party content for electric content be under contract giving authorization to the corporation to use all materials in their E-Books.

The Contract Specialist must show proficiency with contract language, copyright principles and computer systems. The Contract Specialist must have excellent writing skills in order to write contracts but also to do communication with clients and office personnel. When a Contract Specialist plans on setting forth a new contract and they contact the client the message must be precise letting the client know about any changes in a summary format. The client must also understand that this is just a memo not the contract. Then the Contract Specialist must convey to the proper parties in the corporation about any new changes to a contract and what they mean. The Contract Specialist is often called upon to hold meetings explaining to the executives verbally about a contract or contract changes. The Contract Specialist must have great computer skills knowing many different programs and how they can help create contracts, find information on the internet, and keeping a data base of all negotiated and approved contracts. Contract Specialists are expected to have excellent analytical ability.

Companies expect a Contract Specialist to have a B.A. or equivalent experience in the field of contracts and legal experience. Three to five years of professional-level contract experience is a defiant plus to obtain a position as a Contract Specialist with any corporation. Often a person who has trained as a paralegal is ideal for this position. The corporation wants to make sure that their Contract Specialist knows and understands all the laws governing contracts. The Contract Specialist can easily learn the company requirements but the federal, state and local laws are taught in a major college or university. This is why a legal assistant or a paralegal is often considered for this position. The Contract Specialist must have knowledge in the legal field to fulfill their job requirements.