What does a contracts administration manager do?
Contracts administration managers are responsible for negotiating and administering government and commercial contracts, preparing proposals, and ensuring that they comply with all company policies and legal requirements. These managers report the progress of their projects to top management during meetings. They manage the performance of their staff daily. Their job involves participating in developing, formulating, and revising policies, procedures, and templates. They also support their finance and program teams in communicating with their clients to ensure that invoices are made timely and accurately.
Contracts administration manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real contracts administration manager resumes:
- Operate and manage a DOD government facility.
- Manage all initiatives with all GSA regions such as including security clearances, and training.
- Formulate organizational and operational plans, grants, contracts and procedures for achieving Medicaid program goals.
- Provide proposal support in response to government and commercial RFP (s).
- Develop contract templates; establish RFP processes; negotiate supplier contracts/cost savings; expedite projects and mitigate risks.
- Provide technical support to all principal investigators and program managers on possible grant opportunities, program management and financial oversight.
- Support and coordinate export requirements for ITAR contractual requirements.
- Prepare ITAR registrations for multiple subsidiaries and strategic business units.
- Provide solutions to problems of unusual complexity which require a high degree of ingenuity creativity and innovation to support customer missions.
Contracts administration manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Contracts Administration Managers are proficient in Contract Administration, Proposal Preparation, and Contract Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Math skills, and Negotiating skills.
We break down the percentage of Contracts Administration Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Contract Administration, 17%
Promoted to Senior Project Manager, responsible for project management and contract administration departments for the New Jersey and California divisions.
- Proposal Preparation, 8%
Perform complex solicitation analysis, proposal preparation, and ensure compliance with all applicable policies and procedures.
- Contract Management, 7%
Ensured that proper documentation was attained for all areas within contract management in compliance with accounting controls and regulatory compliance.
- Delivery Schedules, 5%
Reviewed requisitions with vendors/suppliers to obtain product or service information, such as price, availability and delivery schedule.
- PowerPoint, 5%
Prepared and presented various PowerPoint presentations to the Gas Operation staff and SeniorManagement.
- Contract Terms, 5%
Reviewed contract terms, and determined revenue recognition; Calculated & paid commissions accurately based on validated data.
Common skills that a contracts administration manager uses to do their job include "contract administration," "proposal preparation," and "contract management." You can find details on the most important contracts administration manager responsibilities below.
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a contracts administration manager to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "when evaluating suppliers, purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents must analyze their options and choose a supplier with the best combination of price, quality, delivery, or service." Contracts administration managers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "preformed project cost overrun analysis and financial reports. "
Math skills. Many contracts administration manager duties rely on math skills. "purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents must possess math skills," so a contracts administration manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways contracts administration manager responsibilities rely on math skills: "collaborated with pricing analysts and accounting team members to apply algebraic formula pricing and contract terms as outlined by the negotiator. "
Negotiating skills. contracts administration managers are also known for negotiating skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to contracts administration manager responsibilities, because "purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents often must negotiate the terms of a contract with a supplier." A contracts administration manager resume example shows how negotiating skills is used in the workplace: "assisted in negotiating commercial contracts and monitoring contract compliance. "
See the full list of contracts administration manager skills
The three companies that hire the most contracts administration managers are:
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Compare different contracts administration managers
Contracts administration manager vs. Director, procurement
The responsibilities of a procurement director revolve around ensuring the efficient and smooth flow of supplies within the company, developing procurement strategies for optimal services and operations, assessing risks, and overseeing the implementation of new policies and regulations in the company. It is essential to coordinate with analysts to identify areas with potential opportunities or those needing improvements. Moreover, a director, procurement may directly communicate with stakeholders or higher-ranking officials, participate in recruiting new members of the workforce, and create programs for profit growth and significant results.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, contracts administration manager responsibilities require skills like "contract administration," "proposal preparation," "delivery schedules," and "powerpoint." Meanwhile a typical director, procurement has skills in areas such as "supplier performance," "continuous improvement," "logistics," and "customer service." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Directors, procurement really shine in the technology industry with an average salary of $148,169. Comparatively, contracts administration managers tend to make the most money in the utilities industry with an average salary of $109,617.On average, directors, procurement reach higher levels of education than contracts administration managers. Directors, procurement are 5.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 2.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Contracts administration manager vs. Supply officer
A procurement officer is primarily in charge of overseeing the procurement of supplies and equipment for an organization, prioritizing cost-efficiency and quality. It is their duty to manage the company's supply inventory, compile and analyze procurement requests, develop purchase plans, handle purchase procedures, and maintain records of all transactions, producing reports regularly. They must also liaise and negotiate with vendors and suppliers, building positive relationships with them. Furthermore, as a procurement officer, it is essential to lead the procurement team, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, contracts administration manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "contract administration," "proposal preparation," "contract management," and "delivery schedules." Meanwhile, a supply officer has duties that require skills in areas such as "logistics support," "financial management," "food service," and "inventory control." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
In general, supply officers achieve similar levels of education than contracts administration managers. They're 4.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 2.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Contracts administration manager vs. Manager of purchasing & materials
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, contracts administration managers are more likely to have skills like "contract administration," "proposal preparation," "contract management," and "powerpoint." But a manager of purchasing & materials is more likely to have skills like "supplier performance," "inventory control," "logistics," and "r."
When it comes to education, managers of purchasing & materials tend to earn similar degree levels compared to contracts administration managers. In fact, they're 3.4% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 3.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Contracts administration manager vs. Procurement officer
Types of contracts administration manager
Updated January 8, 2025
