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Contract Administrator Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

A Contract Administrator evaluates, negotiates, and develops contracts on behalf of a firm for their services, products, or other contractual obligations. Their duties include drafting and editing contracts; ensuring the accuracy, efficiency, and relevance of all contracts; and working with all parties to ensure understanding and compliance with contracts.

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Contract Administrator duties and responsibilities

A Contract Administrator is responsible for establishing reliable relationships between your firm and others, through vetted and audited contracts. This position is found in a wide array of companies, including construction, education, insurance, finance, and healthcare. Noting this, duties and responsibilities may vary slightly between industries, but generally include:

  • Leading contract negotiations and terms agreements and working with parties to address concerns and resolve disputes
  • Developing conditions for bids, proposals, and contracts
  • Ensuring contracts and other documents comply with relevant regulations, laws, and industry standards
  • Monitoring a project’s budget, expenses, payment terms, and other financial obligations
  • Managing the bidding process between contractors and suppliers to secure the best offers
  • Coordinating contractual issues with a company’s procurement and legal teams
  • Ensuring contracts are reviewed and renewed before expiry dates
  • Maintaining records and filing systems for future reference on existing and new contracts, bids, and proposals
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What does a Contract Administrator do?

A Contract Administrator serves a very important role managing contracts, both new and existing. They audit proposals to ensure all terms are covered, payment conditions are explicit, laws and regulations are correctly interpreted, and the firm’s interests are protected.

A Contract Administrator is a professional position within a firm or department who is responsible for managing relationships between parties on a contract. They work directly with parties to prepare contracts and negotiate terms, using spreadsheets and electronic documentation management systems. They often report to a Contract Manager or other upper level professionals.

Contract Administrator skills and qualifications

A Contract Administrator is a professional role requiring someone with excellent leadership and organizational skills. They are also assertive and willing to take charge of managing bids, proposals, and contracts. Other skills and qualifications essential for a strong Contract Administrator candidate include:

  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Strong understanding of legal and contractual language
  • Able to work in a team and play a leadership role when needed
  • Attention to detail, especially with writing and editing
  • Able to work under pressure and tight deadlines while producing high quality, error-free content
  • Effective and clear communication, both written and spoken
  • Excellent knowledge of accounting and finance principles
  • Strong liaising and networking skills

Contract Administrator experience requirements

This is not generally an entry-level position. A strong candidate for Contract Administrator has demonstrated experience managing contracts and successfully negotiating beneficial terms for their previous firm(s). You may also prioritize candidates with advanced understanding of procurement and contract administration concepts applicable to your industry.

Contract Administrator education and training requirements

A strong Contract Administrator candidate generally has at minimum a bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, or related field, or a combination of education and work experience. Coursework in contract assessment, business law, contract management, or other related subjects, is preferred. There are no professional certification requirements for this position in Canada.

Contract Administrator salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average annual salary for a Contract Administrator in Canada is $62,763. As there are different levels of seniority for this position across firms, the salary may be dependent on experience, location and company.

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Contract Administrator job description FAQs

What qualities make a good Contract Administrator?

A Contract Administrator represents your firm in contract negotiations, so it’s essential to look for a candidate with excellent communication skills. Their role is also to represent your firm’s expectations and terms accurately and effectively. Prioritize candidates with demonstrated experience in these areas.

What is the difference between a Contract Administrator and a Contract Manager?

While there is some overlap between duties and responsibilities of these positions, a Contract Administrator ensures the language and terms of a contract are aligned with the goals of the signatories, before the contract is signed. A Contract Manager ensures that each party can carry out their contractual obligations once the contract has been signed.

Why are Contract Administrators so important?

Depending on the type of agreement your company is developing with another party, a contract may be a simple as a one page document, or may be thousands of pages long. The details, terms, and conditions laid out in a contract are essential to the running of your business. A Contract Administrator is therefore critical to the success of a project.

Do Contract Administrators have different responsibilities in different industries?

Duties and responsibilities for Contract Administrators may vary slightly between industry. For example, it is important for a Contract Administrator working for a hospital to understand healthcare principles and the extensive legal and regulatory framework that governs hospitals.

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