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The differences between contract negotiators and operations specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a contract negotiator has an average salary of $59,212, which is higher than the $54,752 average annual salary of an operations specialist.
The top three skills for a contract negotiator include contract administration, contract performance and contract terms. The most important skills for an operations specialist are customer service, logistics, and basic math.
| Contract Negotiator | Operations Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $59,212 | $54,752 |
| Hourly rate | $28.47 | $26.32 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 10,831 | 109,181 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A contract negotiator is responsible for evaluating contract agreements and documents, negotiating terms with clients and customers, and resolving contract disputes. Contract negotiators manage parties' business deals and ensure that the conditions adhere to the company guidelines and state regulations. They also explain and discuss the contract to the representatives thoroughly and address any concerns and inquiries the parties may have. A contract negotiator must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in finalizing terms and revising statements as needed.
An operations specialist is responsible for optimizing the business' daily operations, ensuring smooth process flow to provide the best services to clients. Operations specialists' duties include analyzing business procedures, identifying opportunities for business improvement, tracking the department's metrics and activities, providing assistance to colleagues, suggesting strategies for operations efficiency, and managing customer's inquiries and complaints. An operations specialist must be an excellent team player and detail-oriented, as well as proven time-management and decision-making skills to meet clients' needs and support the business' objectives.
Contract negotiators and operations specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Negotiator | Operations Specialist | |
| Average salary | $59,212 | $54,752 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $87,000 | Between $35,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Cisco | Coatue Management |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Government |
There are a few differences between a contract negotiator and an operations specialist in terms of educational background:
| Contract Negotiator | Operations Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between contract negotiators' and operations specialists' demographics:
| Contract Negotiator | Operations Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% | Male, 50.6% Female, 49.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |