How to hire a contracts administrator

How to hire a contracts administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step contracts administrator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a contracts administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new contracts administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a contracts administrator do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the contracts administrator you need to hire. Certain contracts administrator roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A contracts administrator's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, contracts administrators from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of contracts administrators.

   Type of Contracts Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Contracts Administrator	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$16-37
   Purchasing Agent	A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection... Show more	$17-34
   Planner/Buyer	The role of buyers/planners is to ensure that office materials and equipment are well-supplied within their organization. They decide and purchase the materials needed for use or resale by their organization... Show more	$17-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Contract Administration
   • Customer Service
   • Contract Management
   • Proposal Preparation
   • Purchase Orders
   • Contract Terms
   • PowerPoint
   • Project Management
   • Non-Disclosure Agreements
   • Federal Acquisition
   • Data Entry
   • Delivery Schedules
   • Government Regulations
   • Contract Performance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage communication between both interviewees and candidates regarding interview logistics.
   • Coordinate requirements and interface with other division personnel to accomplish timely and cost effective procurement of assign commodities.
   • Optimize GPO department operating efficiency with cleanup, data analysis, and rebate reconciliation projects.
   • Ensure ERP data management for customer info and contract.
   • Mentor employees new to the duties and responsibilities of an SCA.
   • Utilize SQL queries, advance excel formulas, functions and project scheduling tools.

   More contracts administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your contracts administrator job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A contracts administrator can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, contracts administrators' average salary in maine is 53% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level contracts administrators 55% less than senior-level contracts administrators.
   • Certifications. A contracts administrator with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a contracts administrator's salary.

   Average contracts administrator salary

   $52,876yearly

   $25.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level contracts administrator salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average contracts administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$67,046	$32
   2	California	$66,379	$32
   3	Maryland	$64,477	$31
   4	Virginia	$60,181	$29
   5	Arizona	$58,356	$28
   6	Oregon	$58,190	$28
   7	Washington	$55,397	$27
   8	Texas	$52,693	$25
   9	Alabama	$51,342	$25
   10	New York	$50,872	$24
   11	Illinois	$50,108	$24
   12	Colorado	$49,797	$24
   13	Missouri	$49,768	$24
   14	North Carolina	$49,087	$24
   15	Florida	$48,631	$23
   16	Minnesota	$48,301	$23
   17	Oklahoma	$47,908	$23
   18	Utah	$46,142	$22
   19	Massachusetts	$44,800	$22
   20	Kansas	$44,107	$21

   Average contracts administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Ngam Advisors, L.P.	$105,784	$50.86	1
   2	Vista Equity Partners	$104,364	$50.17
   3	BP America Inc	$103,159	$49.60
   4	EquiLend	$101,982	$49.03
   5	Apple	$96,915	$46.59
   6	Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group	$96,444	$46.37
   7	Urban Institute	$96,311	$46.30
   8	Parsons	$94,197	$45.29	21
   9	REV Group	$93,168	$44.79	1
   10	Astronics	$92,925	$44.68	8
   11	HP	$92,662	$44.55	12
   12	Ncar - The National Center For Atmospheric Research	$91,329	$43.91	1
   13	Booz Allen Hamilton	$90,366	$43.45	42
   14	Dolby Laboratories	$89,659	$43.11
   15	Argonne National Laboratory	$89,508	$43.03	4
   16	Oracle	$87,113	$41.88	326
   17	Boston Scientific	$87,097	$41.87	2
   18	Maxim Healthcare Group	$84,124	$40.44	27
   19	BioMed Realty	$84,093	$40.43
   20	Analog Devices	$82,375	$39.60	5

4. Writing a contracts administrator job description

   A contracts administrator job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a contracts administrator job description:

   Contracts administrator job description example

   Recently Labcorp announced a strategic partnership with one of the leading nonprofit health systems in the United States. We will expand the reach of our clinical services in the Midwest, South and Northeast U.S. by assuming management of 95 hospital-based laboratories across 10 states once the transactions are completed. As we work to strengthen laboratory stewardship and provide high-quality, high-value, innovative and responsive laboratory services, we would like to announce an opening for a
   Contracts Administrator (Leasing) in Tampa, FL for a newly created Division. This new Division is part of Labcorp's Diagnostics business segment.
   
   Main responsibilities include:
   Negotiating lease terms for new and renewals of lease agreements Obtaining required documentation to support approval of lease agreements Submitting Lease Expenditure Proposals via Serena Business Management (SBM) Maintaining lease information in Corporate databases - Vision Preparing leases operating expenses and annual reconciliations Reviewing and responding to landlord inquires Preparing, editing and reviewing contracts and other documents related to Labcorp's business interests Maintaining files and databases for contracts and other legal documents Interacting with Labcorp clients and vendors as needed Coordinating with corporate legal, IT, pricing, finance departments and senior management to complete mutually acceptable contract language that satisfies the policy guidelines set forth by the company Coordinating with divisional operations and sales departments to obtain accurate and complete information related to completing requests for contracts/agreements in a timely and thorough manner
   License/Certification/Education: Requires a High School Diploma or equivalent, and prefer an Associate's Degree with 3-5 years of relevant experience.
   
   Skills Required:
   Attention to details Excellent communication skills, both written and oral Knowledge and understanding of legal/contract language Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs Good organizational skills Commercial real estate experience (preferred)
   Labcorp is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer:
   
   As an EOE/AA employer, the organization will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.
   
   For more information about how we collect and store your personal data, please see our Privacy Statement.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right contracts administrator for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with contracts administrators they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit contracts administrators who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your contracts administrator job on Zippia to find and recruit contracts administrator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with contracts administrator candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new contracts administrator

   Once you've decided on a perfect contracts administrator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a contracts administrator?