Manager, Contracting

Transamerica•Cedar Rapids, IA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Contracting leads end-to-end contracting execution, from contract-ready intake through negotiation, approvals, signature, and coordination of PR/PO/C-Term execution. The role is accountable for quality, cycle time, and workload management, and partners with Procurement Business Partners supporting Corporate Services and Revenue Enablement. It leads internal and outsourced contracting resources through consistent processes and controls, guides complex negotiations, develops team capabilities, and drives a scalable and effective contracting service. The position manages a centralized contracting queue and oversees a broad range of agreements, including technology and data, professional services, outsourcing, external workforce, market data, amendments, and renewals. It coordinates reviews with internal specialists, maintains governance and controls, and uses CLM workflows and data to monitor performance and improve processes. The role also partners with Operational Enablement and outsourced providers to strengthen technology, automation, analytics, and responsible AI adoption while maintaining quality, human oversight, and confidentiality. This is a hybrid role requiring three days per week in the office at a hub location in Philadelphia or Cedar Rapids. Relocation assistance is not provided. The salary generally ranges from $108,000 to $143,000 annually, and the role is typically eligible for an annual bonus at the company’s discretion. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without immigration-related sponsorship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant professional experience.
At least 7 years of experience drafting and negotiating commercial supplier agreements and managing contracting activity across varied levels of complexity; ability to explain commercial trade-offs and recommend workable solutions.
Experience leading and developing contracting or comparable professional-services teams, including prioritization, workload management, quality assurance, and performance coaching.
Experience managing a high-volume portfolio of concurrent matters while meeting deadlines, maintaining sound controls, and communicating clearly with stakeholders.
Ability to work effectively with Procurement, Legal, risk and control functions, Finance, and business stakeholders, with a clear understanding of decision rights and when to escalate.
Experience improving contracting operations through playbooks, templates, training, process discipline, metrics, and effective use of CLM or comparable workflow technology.
Strong written communication, negotiation, and analytical judgment, with the ability to provide concise, fact-based recommendations to leaders.
Legal authorization to work in the United States without immigration-related employment authorization sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Juris Doctor, MBA, or other relevant advanced education.
Experience leading a centralized contracting service or working with embedded outsourced/BPO contracting capacity.
Experience in insurance, financial services, a public company, or another regulated environment.
Experience with procurement-to-pay handoffs, including requisitions, purchase orders, and contract-term setup.
Experience implementing or improving CLM, automation, analytics, or responsible AI in contracting.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop contracting professionals by setting ownership, service expectations, quality standards, training, performance feedback, and escalation paths.
Manage a centralized contracting queue across internal and outsourced resources, triaging matters by contract type, complexity, and risk while balancing capacity, priorities, and service expectations.
Oversee end-to-end contracting from complete intake through negotiation, required reviews, approvals, signature, contract record, and coordinated PR/PO/C-Term completion; ensure clear status and handoffs with Procurement Business Partners.
Provide hands-on direction for complex and nonstandard agreements, including negotiation strategy, commercial terms, issue resolution, and practical alternatives for business decision makers.
Oversee contracting across technology and data, professional services, outsourcing, external workforce, market data, amendments, renewals, and other contract types while developing appropriate expertise and maintaining a consistent service model.
Partner with Procurement Business Partners to understand business objectives, deal context, and intended commercial outcomes and provide a coordinated Procurement experience.
Coordinate required reviews and approvals with Legal, Third Party Risk Management, Privacy, Information Security, Compliance, Finance, Technology, and other specialists; escalate exceptions and risk-acceptance decisions appropriately.
Maintain contracting governance and controls, including contracting entities, authorized approval and signature paths, documented decisions, accurate records, templates, playbooks, standard operating procedures, negotiation guidance, and quality standards.
Use CLM workflows and data to monitor throughput, cycle time, quality, rework, workload, and stakeholder experience, and turn trends and recurring issues into measurable process improvements.
Partner with Operational Enablement and outsourced contracting providers to strengthen processes, reporting, controls, technology, automation, analytics, and responsible AI adoption while maintaining quality, human oversight, confidentiality, and alignment with organizational priorities.

Benefits

Annual bonus for eligible employees, subject to the Company Bonus Plan/Individual Performance and company discretion.
Pension plan.
401(k) match.
Employee stock purchase plan.
Tuition reimbursement.
Disability insurance.
Medical insurance.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Employee discounts.
Career training and development opportunities.
Paid time off starting at 160 hours annually for employees in their first year of service.
Ten paid holidays per year.
Holistic wellness program, including Wellness Coaching and Reward Dollars.
Paid parental leave of 15 days per calendar year for eligible employees with at least one year of service at the time of birth or child placement.
Adoption assistance.
Employee Assistance Program.
Back-up care program.
Paid time off for volunteer hours.
Employee matching gifts program.
Employee Resource Groups.
Inclusion and diversity programs.
Employee recognition program.
Referral bonus programs.