Contracts Specialist – Supply Chain and Logistics

Description

Facilitate all Supply Chain and Logistics contracting needs, from drafting and negotiating to closing and pushing contracts through approvals. This includes advising all members of the team on what the contracts say and what rights & obligations Client has. Invoice and SLA validation is also a regular function because many of these contracts are difficult to read and understand (especially the frequently amended ones).

Key differentiator is serving as the interface between Supply Chain and Logistics Ops and Legal. Day-to-day work can be grouped into 3 broad buckets.

Executing Contracts/Agreements

• Coordinate with Supply Chain team members to see if current contracts support a specific type of service/process (e.g. harvesting functional parts from used phones, or recouping overpaid amounts via credits rather than refunds).
• If an amendment (or a new contract) is needed, collaborate with the team to gather requirements, draft the contract from scratch, and get Legal approval.
• Drive contracts to completion through a series of negotiated offers and counter-offers.
• After both sides are aligned, Partners align, then push the contract through Client's approval and signature routing process (anywhere from 5-7 approvers). This also requires creating lots of supporting documentation (executive summaries, scorecards, risk assessments) and sending lots of email follow ups.
• After the contract is signed (as well as throughout the process), advise the relevant RL stakeholders what their new rights and responsibilities will be (contract compliance).
• In addition to executing signed contracts:
• Work with Legal to create templates for standardized activities (software licenses, early access agreements, etc.).
• Draft and negotiate term sheets during RFPs.

Advising On Contractual Rights

• Daily task: field requests from the Supply Chain team on how to interpret various contracts. This ranges from one-off issues (“Does it violate a warranty to send the customer a different color product?”) to major escalations (“Can this Partner buy spare parts for Client repairs and then flip them for profit to a 3rd party?”).
• Provide answers to these “General Inquiries”, attend strategy meetings to advise on major issues, and work with additional specialists when niche knowledge is needed (Tax, Trade Compliance, Antitrust, etc.).
• Provide answer to questions from the Invoice Validation team about what pricing is then in effect, and whether specific invoices are correct.
• Advise the team on whether specific reports have been generated correctly, and whether contractual Service Levels have been met.

General Contract Management

• Name, store, and track all contracts in a central Client Drive folder that serves as contract database/universal source of truth. Manage the folder to prevent unauthorized access, and grant access as needed to ensure the correct contract terms are being enforced
• Keep track of all contracts that are in effect, between what entities, and when they terminate. This includes knowing what sections have been expanded, deleted, and/or amended (or re-amended).
• Ensure ongoing contracts are renewed, and that nothing is terminated or amended without team’s knowledge.
• Track all additional contract-related materials (pricing tables, RFPs, email notices, official name change/corporate restructuring letters, etc.).

Qualifications

• 2+ years of legal or paralegal experience, preferably working directly with contract law
• Knowledge of current and legally-binding contractual language and terminology
• Willingness to work virtually or in an office setting
• Ability to identify, analyze, and suggest solutions for problems, customer complaints, and client concerns
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Clear adherence to company policies and procurement rules and regulations
• Good organization skills and the ability to multitask on several projects simultaneously
• Knowledge of negotiation best practices, both in-person and in written form, that considers cultural norms and the client's best interests