Job Details

This role is primarily remote, but the successful candidate will need to reside in the state of Colorado.

Role Overview

The Contract Manager plays a central role in implementing CAA Colorado's Program Plan by drafting, negotiating, executing, and managing serviceagreements with haulers, local government fleets, material recovery facilities (MRFs), transfer stations, drop-off facilities, compost facilities, and other service providers.

This position is accountable for ensuring that all service agreements comply with CAA Colorado's reimbursement, reporting, quality, compliance, and performance standards. The Contract Manager collaborates closely with Operations Managers and Legal Counsel to support negotiations with service providers. Responsibilities encompass the entire contract lifecycle, including template refinement, execution, coordination, compliance monitoring, performance management, renewals, and amendments.

While familiarity with recycling and / or composting systems is advantageous, the essential qualification for this role is extensive experience in contract management, encompassing negotiation, risk assessment, documentation, and vendor relationship management.

Key Responsibilities

Contract Drafting, Development, and Template Management

• Act as the principal custodian of service agreement templates for collection, post-collection, MRFs, transfer, compost, drop-off, and non-residential expansion.
• Convert Program Plan and statutory requirements into precise, enforceable contractual language.
• Collaborate with the Legal team to manage contract templates, standard terms, exhibits, pricing sheets, and schedules.
• Coordinate annual revisions to templates to ensure alignment with reimbursement rate adjustments and Program Plan updates.

Contract Negotiation and Service Provider Engagement

• Partner with Operations Managers to support negotiations with service providers, while CAA's legal team supports with redlines, risk assessment, and compliance matters.
• Develop negotiation materials, assess provider responses, and contribute to forming negotiation strategies.
• Coordinate the resolution of contract challenges, including handling exceptions and redlines.
• Offer clear, organized direction to service providers regarding contract terms, expected deliverables, and reimbursement procedures.

Contract Lifecycle Management

• Manage the complete contract lifecycle: drafting, internal review, negotiation, approval, execution, onboarding, amendments, and renewal.
• In collaboration with CAA national teams and resources, maintain a centralized contract repository with full documentation and audit trails.
• Track key dates, renewal cycles, reporting deadlines, and compliance checkpoints.
• Develop and implement contract workflows, approval matrices, and internal controls.

Compliance, Monitoring, and Risk Management

• Identify and assess potential contractual risks, including financial, operational, regulatory, and performance-related issues, while contributing to the development of appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Monitor contract deliverables, obligations, and overall performance to ensure compliance and effectiveness.
• Collaborate with CAA's Data & Analytics, Operations, and Audit teams to verify claims, validate costs, resolve discrepancies, and facilitate support for audits.

Service Provider Relationship and Performance Management

• Act as the primary liaison for escalated contract inquiries from service providers.
• Support Operations Managers in monitoring performance metrics stipulated in agreements, including material quality, contamination rates, and reporting deadlines.
• Coordinate effective resolution of issues between CAA Colorado and service providers.
• Ensure that contracts enable scalable and consistent service delivery statewide.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work alongside Legal Counsel to shape contract structures, address risk mitigation, and maintain compliance.
• Collaborate with Finance to confirm that reimbursement schedules and cost calculations are correctly reflected within all agreements.
• Partner with Procurement to ensure finalized agreements are integrated into the purchase order and financial workflows.
• Assist Operations Managers in synchronizing contract requirements with system growth and performance objectives.
• Contribute to reporting efforts for both the state regulator and CAA leadership about contract outcomes and the progress of statewide implementation.
• The Contract Manager may be required to perform other related duties as assigned to support the effective operation and mission of CAA Colorado.

Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex agreements.
• Strong understanding of contractual terms related to pricing, performance standards, indemnification, insurance, data/reporting, and compliance.
• Proven ability to work across internal functions (legal, finance, operations, leadership).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational, documentation control, and contract-tracking capabilities.
• Experience with contract portfolios involving large numbers of vendors or decentralized service providers preferred.
• Experience with local government contracts, public-sector procurement, or utility-style rate-based agreements preferred.
• Familiarity with reimbursement-based contracts or performance-based contracting preferred.
• Experience managing contracts with regulated reporting requirements preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, law, supply chain, finance, or a related field, or 7+ years relevant experience.
• 5+ years of experience in contract management, contract administration, vendor management, procurement, or risk/compliance functions.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 (including SharePoint, Teams, Excel), Copilot, WorkDay, Salesforce, and contract management lifecycle software.
• Must possess or be able to obtain a valid Driver's License with clean driving history.

Compensation & Other Information

• Location: Initially fully remote within Colorado.
• Pay Rate: Based on a variety of factors in accordance with applicable law including the successful candidate's relevant experience, skills, knowledge and experience.
• Reports To: CAA Colorado Director of Operations

Circular Action Alliance is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you require accommodation as part of the application process, please contact ...@circularaction.org listed below.