A contract coordinator finds and negotiates contracts between companies for essential products or services, ensures contract terms are followed, and may terminate contracts if necessary. They work with managers across different companies and need good communication and analytical skills.
Many companies ask other companies to provide products or services that are essential to the running of the business. For example, a law firm may require the services of a photocopying company when they have high copy volumes. A contract coordinator helps find the right company to provide a product or service. It can also negotiate a contract between two or more companies. Additionally, a contract coordinator can ensure that the terms of the contract are followed and that neither party has breached the contract.
One of the contract coordinator’s first tasks may be to find a company that can supply the needed goods or services. For example, a law firm coordinator looking for a copy company might talk to several representatives of several copy companies to see if they can handle high volumes of copies and a quick turnaround. At this point, the contract coordinator can also start discussing pricing.
Once a company is selected, the contract coordinator can negotiate the contract; she can also define the terms of the contract, outline all expectations, and define the conditions that would lead to termination of the contract. In many cases, the contract will be reviewed by a lawyer or senior management person before it is finalized.
After the contract has been signed by both parties, the contract coordinator is usually responsible for maintaining the contract. It can verify that the services or products are of the expected quality. She can also see that the terms of the contract are upheld. If not, she may decide to terminate the contract, specifically if there are terms in the contract that allow her to do so. For example, if a law firm is consistently concerned about the qualities of the copies the contract copying service firm has made or if deadlines are frequently missed, the contract coordinator may have reason to terminate the contract.
Often, the contract coordinator works with managers across a wide range of companies. She may work with managers at her own company to sign the contracts she has established, as well as with managers at other companies when negotiating contract terms. Altogether, she must have good communication skills and be able to analyze a wide variety of business contracts.
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