Contracts Management Leadership

• Lead the Great Plains Division contract management function, ensuring timely, consistent, and compliant delivery of contracts, and related agreement services across multiple business units.

• Establish priorities, service standards, workflows, tracking tools, and accountability mechanisms that support staff needs and organizational requirements.

• Monitor contract volume, complexity, timelines, risks, and service performance; recommend and implement improvements that strengthen contract quality and stakeholder experience.

Contract Process Ownership & Continuous Improvement

• Develop, document, implement, and maintain standardized contract processes, procedures, controls, and service models in collaboration with Legal, Divisional and organizational partners.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that simplify contract workflows, improve compliance, reduce risk, and increase organizational capacity.

• Identify opportunities to improve agreement intake, approvals, invoice and payment coordination, records retention, contract tracking, and staff guidance.

• Promote consistent adoption of relevant TNC processes and procedures and related best practices.

Agreement Review, Compliance & Risk Management

• Provide input on, review, and approve project packages as needed.

• Oversee the Contract team’s:

• Work with Project Managers, Award Managers, Grants Specialists, Finance staff, Philanthropy, Legal, Vendors, and other partners as relevant to develop contract drafts, budgets, deadlines, donor compliance considerations, payment schedules, and other agreement requirements.

• Guidance to division staff on TNC’s contract process, such as appropriate agreement type, template selection, pre-contract requirements, required approvals, vendor documentation, agreement risk factors, and when Legal review is required.

• Review of supporting documentation for completeness and accuracy, including independent contractor evaluations, sole source justifications, vendor insurance documentation, W-9 or payment information, flow-down language from funders, and other required materials.

• Guidance to division staff on drafting contract text, including deliverables, and review of draft agreements.

• Tracking of contractual performance, deadlines, deliverables, approvals, and issues; identify conflicts, changes, or risks requiring resolution.

Contracts Expertise & Stakeholder Partnership

• Serve as a divisional contracts subject matter expert and escalation point for complex contracting questions, process issues, agreement documentation, and compliance concerns.

• Build strong partnerships with Legal staff, Grants Specialists, Finance and Operations leaders, program staff, and external vendors to ensure contracts protect TNC’s reputation, financial commitments, and program outcomes.

• Develop training, guidance, templates, communications, and knowledge resources that build contract capability across the Great Plains Division.

• Participate in the Contracts Community of Practice and maintain current knowledge of contract-related policies, procedures, tools, and organizational updates.

Leadership, Training & Capacity Building

• Recruit, supervise, coach, develop, and manage staff and/or cross-functional contract resources, as assigned.

• Mentor, onboard, and coordinate with staff serving in contract-building, contract-review, or contract-support roles across the Division.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, customer service, continuous improvement, and equitable contracting practices.

• Leads a divisional contracts management function supporting contracts, procurement, purchasing, agreement workflows, documentation, and compliance across the Great Plains Division.

• Accountable for service quality, operational performance, process effectiveness, risk identification, records management, and stakeholder satisfaction.

• Influences contract practices, standards, and operational consistency across multiple business units and in partnership with Legal, Grants, Finance, Operations, and program teams.

• Exercises significant independent judgment in resolving complex contract process issues, prioritizing work, and recommending improvements.

• Operates with broad latitude to build contract capacity, manage changing priorities, and implement solutions that improve organizational effectiveness and reduce risk.

The preferred location for the Contracts Manager is within the Great Plains Division.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations, Finance, Law, Public Administration, or related field and 7 years related work experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Experience managing contracts, procurement, purchasing, grants agreements, vendor agreements, or other complex written agreements.

• Experience interpreting and applying policies, procedures, standard operating procedures, templates, approvals, and compliance requirements.

• Experience working with cross-functional teams, including Legal, Finance, Grants, Operations, and/or program staff.

• Experience recruiting, supervising, coaching, or coordinating staff, project teams, or cross-functional work groups.

• Experience leading process improvement, operational excellence, change management, or capacity-building initiatives.

• Experience handling confidential information and exercising independent judgment to resolve complex issues.

• Experience applying creative problem solving to address complex issues.

• Experience supporting multi-state, multi-business-unit, or matrixed organizations.

• Experience drafting, reviewing, approving, or negotiating contracts using standard templates and alternative clause resources.

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $83,000 - $121,000. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate’s actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

Do you have military experience? Visit our U.S. Military Skills Translator to match your military experience with our current job openings!

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.