What does a Contracts Director do?

A contract director is primarily in charge of developing and negotiating contracts with clients and partners, ensuring adherence to the company's policies and regulations. Their responsibilities typically revolve around performing extensive research and analysis to foresee potential advantages and disadvantages, coordinating with analysts and other experts, monitoring the progress of operations to ensure contract compliance of both parties, and overseeing the development of proposals within the organization. Furthermore, as a contract director, it is essential to lead and encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the mission and vision of the company.
Contracts director responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real contracts director resumes:
- Manage client audits (EPA, DCAA, local and state agencies) to resolve audit and rate variances.
- Prepare and execute contractual documents: contracts, NDAs, consulting agreements, and subcontracts to achieve best value for company.
- Establish managed care Medicaid funding models with several major integrate medical delivery systems.
- Manage administrative support, handle payroll, develop company policies and procedures manual.
- Target negotiations for development areas including Medicaid and Medicare products.
- Review and sign off on final documents for the issuance of RFP solicitations and the execution of contracts and supplemental agreements.
- Direct company through Medicare demonstration project during company transition.
- Conduct RFP reviews and analyses for require business proposal components.
- Identify and receive $725k overcharge credit from primary logistics provider through self-direct invoice audit initiative.
- Coordinate with plant personnel in compliance and improvements of security practices and logistics policies throughout the organization.
- Provide technical support to all principal investigators and program managers on possible grant opportunities, program management and financial oversight.
- Work with DCAA and DCMA in support of audits requests.
- Represent company as point of contact for DCMA and DCAA audits.
- Provide status reports on all subcontracting activity to senior management and GSA senior management bi-annually
- Reconcile pricing and terms which ensure compliance with establish company guidelines while eliminating GSA contract violations.
Contracts director skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Contracts Directors are proficient in Contract Management, Oversight, and Contract Terms. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Math skills, and Negotiating skills.
We break down the percentage of Contracts Directors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Contract Management, 8%
Coordinated activities and mentored a team of contract managers and administrators in cradle to grave contract management activities.
- Oversight, 6%
Provided technical support to all principal investigators and program managers on possible grant opportunities, program management and financial oversight.
- Contract Terms, 6%
Assigned to negotiate contract terms for several acute care facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, hospital-based providers and professional provider groups.
- Strong Analytical, 6%
Demonstrate strong analytical skills that monitor the quantitative and qualitative impact of provider contracts.
- Contract Administration, 6%
Maintain formal contract records and correspondence file involving proposal submission, contract and subcontract negotiations, and subcontract and contract administration.
- Project Management, 4%
Conducted support and guidance to Project Management and Supply Chain Department including Contract and Commercial awareness training.
"contract management," "oversight," and "contract terms" are among the most common skills that contracts directors use at work. You can find even more contracts director responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a contracts director to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "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." Additionally, a contracts director resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "provided contractual analysis and support following the $40 million due diligence effort for the purchase of kadix. "
Math skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling contracts director duties is math skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents must possess math skills." According to a contracts director resume, here's how contracts directors can utilize math skills in their job responsibilities: "demonstrate strong analytical skills that monitor the quantitative and qualitative impact of provider contracts. "
Negotiating skills. This is an important skill for contracts directors to perform their duties. For an example of how contracts director responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "purchasing managers and buyers and purchasing agents often must negotiate the terms of a contract with a supplier." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a contracts director: "broaden company revenue by effectively drafting/negotiating contract terms/conditions with clients and vendors and managing overall contract process. ".
The three companies that hire the most contracts directors are:
- Centene16 contracts directors jobs
- Molina Healthcare10 contracts directors jobs
- QuTech9 contracts directors jobs
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Contracts director vs. Supply officer
A purchasing manager is responsible for organizing and managing products to order or sell. Purchasing managers review product specifications, negotiate pricing details with the vendors, evaluate and choose the best suppliers, and assist purchasing agents. Purchase managers are also responsible for resolving order processing issues and analyzing current market trends to determine which products to purchase. A purchasing manager must have excellent decision-making and strategical skills to examine effects, inspect defective items, and create an in-depth analysis of customers' needs to improve their performance and sales.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a contracts director are more likely to require skills like "contract management," "oversight," "contract terms," and "strong analytical." On the other hand, a job as a supply officer requires skills like "logistics support," "financial management," "food service," and "inventory control." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Supply officers tend to reach lower levels of education than contracts directors. In fact, supply officers are 9.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 3.9% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Contracts director vs. Purchasing manager
A material manager is responsible for monitoring inventories and stock supplies, ensuring the adequacy of materials needed for manufacturing or other operations, depending on the organization's industry. Material managers meet with suppliers and third-party vendors, negotiating contracts that would fit the budget goals of the company without compromising quality. They manage the distribution of resources throughout the organizations' department and provide purchase reports for the management. A material manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills to address the needs of an organization for smooth operations.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real contracts director resumes. While contracts director responsibilities can utilize skills like "contract management," "oversight," "contract administration," and "risk management," purchasing managers use skills like "supply chain," "supplier performance," "continuous improvement," and "purchase orders."
Purchasing managers may earn a higher salary than contracts directors, but purchasing managers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $108,598. On the other hand, contracts directors receive higher pay in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $87,719.In general, purchasing managers achieve lower levels of education than contracts directors. They're 7.5% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 3.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Contracts director vs. Material manager
A supply manager or supply chain manager is an individual who supervises the import or creation of raw materials that are to be used by the company to form new products. Supply managers are required to coordinate all aspects of the supply chain to ensure that they are efficient and cost-effective. They must maintain low costs and high efficiency by building and maintaining relationships with the company's partners. Supply managers should also recruit staff members and provide training to help them learn and master their jobs.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, contracts directors are more likely to have skills like "contract management," "oversight," "contract terms," and "strong analytical." But a material manager is more likely to have skills like "supply chain," "customer service," "inventory control," and "materials management."
Material managers make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $97,765. On the other hand, contracts directors are paid the highest salary in the manufacturing industry, with average annual pay of $87,719.When it comes to education, material managers tend to earn lower degree levels compared to contracts directors. In fact, they're 9.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 4.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Contracts director vs. Supply manager
Types of contracts director
Updated January 8, 2025