Senior Manager, Contracts

Who We Are:

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a 501(c)(4) organization, is the premier coalition of more than 230 organizations that promotes and protects civil and human rights in America. The Leadership Conference has coordinated national lobbying efforts on behalf of every major civil rights law since 1957. To learn more about The Leadership Conference, please visit www.civilrights.org.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect civil and human rights in the US. Founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference, the Education Fund’s campaigns empower advocates to push for progressive change in the US. To learn more about the Education Fund, please visit www.leadershipconferenceedfund.org.

About the Role:

We seek a Senior Manager, Contracts to join our Operations Team. The ideal candidate will have experience providing contract administration for various types of cost reimbursement and fixed price contracts, including RFP analysis, hands-on proposal development, coordination of relevant internal reviews, contract negotiation, and contract/task order administration and execution. Superb written and oral communication skills are a must, as fostering strong internal and external customer relationships will be essential to the candidate’s success.

This Manager is an individual contributor and will report to the EVP & Chief Operating Officer. This position is part of the collective bargaining unit.

What You Will Do:

• Draft, negotiate, and administer contracts, subcontracts, grants, memoranda of understanding (collectively, “agreements”), and private sector support requests from the proposal phase through close-out.
• Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert on contracting policy, compliance, and best practices matters, providing guidance and support as required.
• Independently manage a large number of simultaneous contract negotiations between our organization and external parties.
• Review contracts to identify potential compliance issues that may affect the opportunity and perform due diligence reviews of new funding entities and partnerships.
• Negotiate contract terms and conditions to advocate for The Leadership Conference’s best interests and stewardship over our funding principles.
• Ensure contract compliance with current laws/regulations of policies, procedures, and practices.
• Create and maintain relationships with suppliers and serve as the main contact for contract matters.
• Maintain records for correspondence and documentation about established contracts and those in progress via DocuSign Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM).
• Communicate and present information to stakeholders about all contract-related matters.
• Solve any contract-related challenges that may arise with other parties and offer alternatives internally to such risks.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives, special projects, and the development of educational resources.
• Collaborate with EVP/COO to update internal contract templates as needed.
• Serve as organizational administrator of DocuSign CLM.
• Other duties as necessary and related.

What You Will Bring:

• A minimum of 6 years of experience in grants/contracts administration, subcontracting/procurement, and/or proposal development.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Hands-on experience with and knowledge of US Federal requirements required (FAR, 2 CFR 200/Uniform Guidance); experience with foundation funding preferred.
• Familiarity with Federal tax laws regarding C3 and C4 contracting.
• Experience in DocuSign e-signature and DocuSign CLM.
• Exhibit proven negotiation skills, including making sound decisions and applying creative problem-solving.
• Exercise excellent communication skills, including written and oral communications, and the ability to make effective and persuasive presentations in small and large groups.
• Work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment, keeping multiple priorities moving while not losing track of details.
• Possess excellent organizational skills, strong analytical skills, and sound judgment.
• Use solid diplomatic skills, including being culturally sensitive and effectively managing varied internal and external relationships; maintain organizational confidentiality.
• Demonstrate strong computer skills; capable use of MS Office, particularly Excel and Word, as well as various funder databases such as grants.gov is preferred.

What We Offer:

The Leadership Conference offers its employees a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, and generous personal leave and vacation time. Staff can also take advantage of Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and a retirement savings account.

Salary Range – $92,823 – $113,097, dependent on years of related experience.

To apply, please visit our Career Center and submit your resume and cover letter. Cover letters are required and should be attached.

Office Re-opening Statement

Currently, staff has the option to work from the office or home while we determine our long-term policy on remote and hybrid work. Please note this position is not permanently remote and over time the person filling this role may be required to work on occasion or regularly from the Washington, DC-based office.

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Workplace

The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability.