Sales Contract Manager - Publishing

APS•Washington, DC

5d•Remote

About The Position

The American Physical Society (APS) is seeking a Sales Contract Manager for Publishing to oversee the contract lifecycle for institutional sales and ensure licensing compliance. This role involves managing legal negotiations, renewals, third-party agreements, and compliance, acting as a liaison between Sales, Sales Operations, Finance, and Legal teams. The position utilizes Customer Relations Management (CRM) systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to manage deals from proposal to signature. APS operates with a "remote first" concept, promoting equal treatment and access within the United States, with most staff working remotely. The organization values diversity and offers a dynamic work environment with a comprehensive total compensation package, including salary, benefits, and paid time off.

Requirements

Associate degree required (Associated in business administration, finance, marketing, pre-law, LIS preferred).
Minimum of 5 years of experience in contract management, paralegal work, or related roles (publishing, contract or library administration).
Advanced knowledge of scholarly publishing contracts, licensing, & negotiation.
Proficient knowledge of Open Access knowledge & publishing trends.
Advanced data analysis & software proficiency (CRM, Salesforce, MS Office Suite, Google Suite).
Excellent customer service & communication skills.
Exceptional ability to problem-solve, be detail-oriented, independent & collaborative.
Adaptable to quickly changing schedules and Publishing landscape (licensing terms & deal type).
Leveraging CLM resources (AI-Assisted Review) to speed up legal reviews and highlight non-standard deviation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Paralegal certification.
Experience at a publishing firm or association is preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee contract lifecycle for institutional subscription and special deals.
Use manual and technical AI tools to review and revise contracts, amendments, and provisions to ensure licensing terms meet APS and industry standards.
Collaborate with the Sales Support Manager and Support team annually on reviewing and collecting licenses for single-site licenses.
Handle inquiries related to contract terms per APS policy and standards.
Ensure accurate contract data in CRM (Salesforce).
Monitor licensing workflow in CRM and ensure accuracy in data collection.
Act as a key expert on the Licensing AI tool, IVO, and ensure APS is updated on new releases and licensing SOPs.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to review and resolve licensing terms for special sales deals (Consortia, Open Access, etc.).
Serve as the primary point of contact for legal, finance, and sales teams seeking to retrieve agreements or analyze specific contract data.
Ensure all single-site user licenses are collected frequently (annually or bi-annually).
Draft complex license agreements for the Sales team.
Conduct licensing reviews, including review of Supplier and Purchase Order terms.
Review and ensure license modification inquiries, amendments, and additional provisions meet APS requirements and industry standards.
Track special licensing procurement process for consortia, corporate, and government sales.
Manage contract records and logistics in CRM database (institutional portal).
Utilize standardized legal playbooks and pre-approved clauses to draft licensing agreements.
Maintain an updated "clause library" with pre-approved, legally compliant templates and alternative language for standard negotiations on IVO (third-party AI licensing tool).
Track expiration dates and maintain automated alerts for renewals.
Perform standard administrative tasks (meetings, filing, scanning).
Perform other license-related duties as assigned.

Benefits

Flexible schedules
Ability to work remotely
8% employer-paid retirement contribution
Investment advisement services: 100% employer paid
Medical benefits: PPO or HDHP option
Employer contribution to FSA or HSA account, eligibility based on medical plan enrollment
Lifestyle Spending benefit up to $1,500.00 (USD) - 100% employer paid
Vision benefits: individual and dependent coverage 100% employer paid
Basic Life & Accident insurance: employee coverage 100% employer paid
Supplemental Life & Accident insurance, including spouse & dependent child(ren) coverage
Disability insurance: employee coverage 100% employer paid
Voluntary Accident & Critical Illness insurance
Healthcare, Commuter & Dependent care flexible spending accounts
Vacation: 15 days annually
Generous holiday leave: 17 paid office closures; includes one week closure at the end of December
Personal leave: 4 days annually
Volunteer leave: 1 day annually
Sick leave: 10 days annually
Bereavement & Compassion leave: 2 -15 days based on loss
12 weeks employer-paid family leave
College tuition reimbursement plan
Job related seminar & continuing education 100% employer paid
Professional Certification/Recertification 100% employer paid
Training and professional development; access to LinkedIn Learning on-demand courses
Employee Assistance Program
Mindfulness Meditation: live and on-demand classes