CONTRACTS MANAGER Location: Lenexa, KS
The Contracts Manager is responsible for drafting, negotiating, and managing the full lifecycle of contracts, subcontracts, leases, licenses, and related legal agreements in support of Mears and affiliated operating companies and divisions. This role serves as a strategic partner to executive leadership, operations, project teams, and legal counsel, ensuring that all contractual obligations align with business goals, mitigate risk, and support regulatory and client compliance. The Contracts Manager also plays a lead role in subcontractor and vendor onboarding, contract document control, and the design and rollout of the team's contracting processes and systems, including the Docket workflow, ISN integration, SharePoint migration, and CLM implementation.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES: - Draft, review, negotiate, and manage the full lifecycle of all company contracts, subcontracts, leases, licenses, purchase/rental agreements, and related documents
- Serve as the primary liaison to General Counsel and outside attorneys for review and negotiation of high-risk or high-value agreements
- Lead contract risk assessment efforts and provide authoritative interpretation of contract terms and requirements to senior leadership and project teams
- Coordinate internal approvals and stakeholder alignment on key contractual decisions, negotiation outcomes, and subcontractor agreements
- Support the company's responses to customer RFPs, RFIs, and compliance requests in coordination with business development and operations teams
- Manage subcontractor agreements to ensure flow-down compliance, insurance validation, and client requirements are met or exceeded
- Manage subcontractor and vendor onboarding through the Docket workflow, including intake of MSA and Work Order requests, drafting agreements from approved templates, processing Variance Requests, and coordinating with IT on form and workflow troubleshooting
- Monitor subcontractor insurance and prequalification compliance in ISN, including initial review of certificates of insurance and prequalification responses, deficiency communications to subcontractors, and participation in periodic ISN compliance calls
- Track execution status of open agreements, follow up on outstanding redlines, signatures, and documents, and redact executed customer contracts for subcontractor review
- Field and triage routine contract inquiries from project managers and operations, escalating issues that require legal or commercial judgment
- Maintain the contract repository across network folders, SharePoint, and Salesforce, including consistent filing, naming conventions, version control, and remediation of legacy folder structures
- Track contract expirations, renewals, notice obligations, and key deadlines, and prepare periodic status reports on the active contract portfolio
- Track and oversee customer bonding and security requirements across projects and geographies
- Oversee state and municipal licensing strategy, ensuring timely acquisition and renewal of required business licenses
- Ensure certificates of insurance are obtained, current, and compliant with relevant contracts, leases, and equipment rentals
- Support lien rights protection and lien waiver processes, including documentation and communication with internal and external stakeholders
- Assist with litigation and claims management, including tracking, reporting, organization of supporting documentation, and coordination with legal counsel
- Support internal and external audit requests, maintain process and controls documentation, and track regulatory requirements in contracts, including prevailing wage and DBE obligations
- Develop and implement scalable contract management systems, processes, and metrics, including the Salesforce CLM build, Docket workflow, ISN integration, SharePoint migration, and legal team AI initiatives
- Develop contract review playbooks, approval matrices, escalation guides, and internal contracting policies
- Travel as needed for contract negotiations, legal proceedings, or team meetings
- All other duties assigned
KEY QUALIFICATIONS: - Bachelor's degree in business administration, Construction Management, Legal Studies, or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in contract management
- Working knowledge of construction insurance requirements and certificates of insurance; CRIS or similar designation a plus
- Deep understanding of contract law, risk allocation, and negotiation principles, especially in construction, utility, or infrastructure sectors
- Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and contract management platforms; experience with Salesforce, SharePoint, and ISN preferred; experience with AI tools is preferred.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage a high volume of agreements, deadlines, and documentation
- Willingness to travel as needed
- The physical activity required for this role includes:
- Occasional travel as needed for client meetings and business operations
- Sitting, standing, walking for extended periods in an office environment
- Frequently standing, walking, stooping, reaching, climbing, bending and reaching
- Manual dexterity for computer use, files and office equipment
- Occasionally lifting objects weighing up to 50 pounds
- Pass pre-employment drug screen and background check
This role is accepting applications until filled.
