Contract administration is the work done before a contract is signed into effect and contract management covers everything done after signing. Primarily, an administrator does most of their work before the contract is signed while a manager does most of their work on existing contracts.There may be no difference, it depends on how the job description is written. Contract management focuses on contract implementation once it has been executed. A contract manager keeps an eye on key deadlines and deliverables. The main difference between these two roles lies in the timeline. The contract administrator will supervise the efforts before a contract is signed. There is a very relevant question about ownership of the entire demand and supply cycle. Successful contract management relies on clear ownership. This creates accountability and helps to drive action to keep the contract moving forward.