Contract Manager

Contract Manager
Job ID
134935
Job Type
Contract
Industry
Manufacturing
Pay Rate
$100 an hour
Location
Lake Forest, Illinois, United States Talascend is currently seeking a Contract Manager for a contract opportunity with our client in Lake Forest, Illinois. Overview We are seeking a mid-level Contract Manager (Temporary) to support increased contract volume across government, customer commercial, and supplier agreements. This role focuses on execution, throughput, and workload relief supporting government, commercial, and supplier contracts. You will independently manage contract review and negotiations, helping reduce cycle times, clear backlog, and improve overall workflow efficiency. Responsibilities Own and manage contracts through the full lifecycle: intake, drafting, negotiation, execution, and close-out
Draft, review, and negotiate customer, supplier, and service agreements using standard templates and playbooks
Handle a high volume of medium-complexity contracts, ensuring timely turnaround and quality output
Proactively drive contracts forward by coordinating inputs, resolving comments, and managing timelines
Support government contracting workflows including solicitation responses, representations, and certifications
Review and apply standard terms
Identify risks and escalate appropriately
Help manage compliance-related documentation and contract requirements
Independently manage customer commercial and supplier agreements
Review contract terms, identify deviations from standards, and propose practical alternatives
Partner with supplier managers, sales, and legal to resolve issues and close contracts efficiently
Balance speed and risk to support business timelines
Identify contractual risks and apply pre-approved fallback positions and playbooks
Escalate non-standard or high-risk issues appropriately
Ensure alignment with company policies, legal requirements, and risk tolerance
Help reduce backlog and improve contract turnaround times
Support workload balancing across the team by taking ownership of assigned work
Maintain accurate contract records and ensure documentation is organized and audit-ready
Contribute to process improvements that increase efficiency and scalability
Act as a key liaison between legal, business stakeholders, procurement, and sales
Provide clear, practical communication on contract status, risks, and next steps
Work closely with team members to relieve bandwidth constraints and keep work progressing Qualifications Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
3-6 years of contract management experience in a corporate or in-house legal environment
Experience handling commercial and/or supplier contracts independently
Exposure to government contracting (FAR/DFARS familiarity helpful but not required)
Strong understanding of contract lifecycle management and risk assessment
Proven ability to manage high-volume, deadline-driven work Preferred Qualifications Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools
Contract management certification (CPCM, CCCM, etc.)
Background supporting both government and commercial contracting environments We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those qualified individuals who closely meet the qualifications of the position will be contacted. The details of the position are only a summary, other duties may be assigned as necessary. Background Check and Drug Screen may be required.