Lead Contracts Specialist

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt • Full-time • Remote (United States) • 1m ago

HMH is a learning technology company committed to delivering connected solutions that engage learners, empower educators and improve student outcomes. As a leading provider of K–12 core curriculum, supplemental and intervention solutions, and professional learning services, HMH partners with educators and school districts to uncover solutions that unlock students’ potential and extend teachers’ capabilities.

HMH serves more than 50 million students and 4 million educators in 150 countries. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com

The Lead Contract Specialist is responsible for preparing, negotiating and recording customer contracts, including Student Data Privacy and Data Sharing agreements, Service Agreements, State Adoption and Local District Agreements for HMH, including NWEA, K-12 and Heinemann business units.

This includes drafting contracts using HMH templates and reviewing third-party contracts with red-lining and negotiation of language as appropriate to achieve minimal risk to HMH, as well as reviewing and redlining RFP General Terms and Conditions and Data Privacy language. This role develops and provides best practices and training to the RFP and Bids teams for the initial review of General Terms and Conditions included in bid and RFP packages.

PRIMARY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Lead Contract Specialist serves as a project manager to receive, draft and/or review contracts with input from Sales regarding the purpose of the agreement, as well as Contracts team members, Legal, Information Security and others to ensure that the HMH obligations and risks identified in contracts are acceptable
The Lead Contracts Specialist will be responsible for each contract assigned from intake through signature, execution and repose in corporate database management system, Conga
The Lead Contracts Specialist will attend and participate in scheduled meetings with Legal and Information Security stakeholders to review issues, trends and to share information as needed on an ongoing and as necessary basis
The Lead Contracts Specialist will collaborate with the Contracts team members and Sr. Director, Bids and Contracts, and others to strategize and enact best practices for recording and archiving contracts in corporate contracts database, Conga, as well as provide reporting as requested and required
Establish and maintain positive working relationships with internal stakeholders, including Revenue Operations, Sales, Legal, Information Security, and others as required
Other projects as assigned

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

The Lead Contract Specialist must have an advanced knowledge of contract law. This includes the ability to understand contract terms and conditions, and their legal implications for creating HMH contracts and reviewing third-party contract
This role acts as a role model to other team members
The Lead Contract Specialist must possess knowledge with student data privacy, operations supply chain and sales operations for the purpose of researching product issues or queries relating to customer contracts
The Lead Contracts Specialist must be conversant in regulatory requirements for state and/or local district accounts
Ability to develop workflows to meet deadlines, flexibility, ability to organize and shift priorities as necessary
Strong project management skills to develop schedules and project plans to meet in-hand dates
SAP, Microsoft Word, Excel, Sales Force

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Required:

BA/BS degree with 5-7 years of experience in Bids and Contracts or legal environment
Knowledge and expertise on law governing contract drafting and management is necessary and should be equipped to converse in the legislative and industrial aspect of contracts in a timely and professional fashion. A Lead Contracts Specialist should have excellent project management and interpersonal skills, with an ability to work as an individual contributor and team player

Preferred:

Paralegal certification, preferred
APMP or PMP certification, helpful

HMH is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, pregnancy, gender identity, ethnic/national origin, ancestry, age, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, citizenship status, status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, Armed Forces service medal veteran, other covered veteran, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment, and where employees are treated with respect and dignity. We actively participate in E-Verify.