CONTRACT/TEMPORARY CONTRACTING SPECIALIST… at American… · Schaumburg

· Manages assigned contracts throughout the contracting lifecycle, including intake, drafting, review, negotiation, approval, signature, filing, renewal, amendment, termination, and closeout.

· Evaluates ASA’s existing contracting processes and technologies and recommends practical improvements to streamline contract intake, drafting, negotiation, approvals, execution, tracking, and recordkeeping; reduce unnecessary administrative work and attorney touchpoints; and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the contracting function. Develops prioritized recommendations and assists with implementing approved improvements, including workflows, intake and triage processes, templates, playbooks, negotiation parameters, approval processes, checklists, contract repositories, reporting, and appropriate technology solutions.

· Drafts and revises contracts, amendments, statements of work, licenses, nondisclosure agreements, and other documents using ASA-approved templates, playbooks, and attorney direction.

· Reviews and negotiates standard business and contractual terms with vendors, customers, partners, and other counterparties within established parameters and promptly escalates legal, financial, operational, or non-standard issues to ASA legal staff.

· Coordinates with business owners, Finance, Information Technology, Privacy and Security, and other stakeholders to gather requirements, identify dependencies, obtain approvals, and move agreements efficiently through review and execution.

· Serves as a knowledgeable point of contact for internal clients regarding contracting status, process requirements, documentation, approvals, and next steps, without providing legal advice.

· Maintains a complete and accurate central repository and inventory of ASA and related-organization contracts, including amendments, statements of work, exhibits, certificates, approvals, correspondence, and related documentation.

· Tracks key terms and deadlines, including renewal and termination dates, notice periods, deliverables, pricing changes, insurance requirements, and other contractual obligations, and provides timely reminders to attorneys and business owners.

· Prepares contract summaries, comparison charts, issue lists, risk escalations, status reports, and other work products to support attorney review and organizational decision-making.

· Coordinates contract execution in accordance with ASA’s signature authority requirements and confirms that required approvals and supporting documents are complete before signature.

· Develops, documents, and maintains contracting procedures, intake tools, templates, clause libraries, checklists, and service standards in collaboration with ASA attorneys.

· Uses contract-management and other technology to improve workflow visibility, record accuracy, reporting, productivity, and turnaround time.

· Conducts factual and procedural research and organizes information requested by ASA attorneys, including contract histories, prior language, approvals, correspondence, and supporting records. Handles confidential and privileged information with discretion and follows Legal Department practices for document management, retention, and communications.

· Provides project-management and administrative support related to assigned contracting matters and projects, including document preparation, proofreading, signature coordination, deadline tracking, and related follow-up.

· Builds effective working relationships with internal clients, counterparties, vendors, and outside counsel and communicates professionally regarding contract requirements, open issues, and required actions.

· At the direction of ASA attorney, assists with addressing contract disputes, performance concerns, alleged breaches, payment issues, termination matters, and other contract-related disagreements by organizing facts and documents, preparing correspondence and draft resolutions, tracking commitments, and coordinating follow-up.

· Performs services in a manner consistent with ASA core values: Dedication, Collaboration, Commitment to Excellence, and Continuous Improvement.

· Other contracting or legal operations projects may be assigned by mutual agreement within the scope of the engagement.

· Bachelor’s degree in business, legal studies, paralegal studies, contract management, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

· Minimum 3 years of substantive experience in contract administration, contract specialist, paralegal, legal operations, procurement contracting, or comparable experience required.

· Demonstrated ability to identify inefficiencies in contracting processes and recommend and implement practical improvements to workflows, templates, playbooks, tracking, technology, and allocation of work, with the goal of reducing administrative burden and making more effective use of attorney time.

· Experience developing or improving contract templates, playbooks, intake processes, approval workflows, contract repositories, reporting tools, or other legal operations resources preferred.

· Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating contracts and supporting the resolution of contract disputes or performance issues within established contracting parameters, with appropriate escalation of matters requiring legal advice or attorney judgment.

· Experience supporting in-house attorneys or a corporate, nonprofit, healthcare, association, law-firm, or government legal team strongly preferred.

· Excellent organizational and project-management skills, with demonstrated ability to manage a high volume of matters, competing priorities, detailed records, and time-sensitive deadlines with limited oversight.

· Strong contract drafting, proofreading, written communication, and negotiation skills, with exceptional attention to accuracy, consistency, and detail.

· Ability to recognize legal, financial, privacy, security, intellectual property, insurance, and operational issues that require escalation to an attorney or other subject-matter expert.

· Sound judgment, discretion, professionalism, and demonstrated ability to handle confidential and privileged information appropriately.

· Proficiency with Microsoft 365 Office and CoPilot, and experience using contract-lifecycle-management, document-management, electronic-signature, customer-relationship-management, or comparable workflow systems preferred.

· Ability to develop positive working relationships, communicate diplomatically with internal and external stakeholders, and provide responsive, service-oriented support to attorneys and business teams.