A Key Distinction The contract administrator will supervise the efforts before a contract is signed. The contract manager will manage the process after a contract is signed, ensuring all regulations and terms are properly followed ing to the contract agreement contents (ProcurePort, 2021).
To state it as simply as possible, contract administration is the work done before a contract is signed into effect and contract management covers everything done after signing to ensure that deliverables and deadlines are adhered to as outlined in the agreement.
Contract Management is the process of managing contracts, deliverables, deadlines, contract terms and conditions while ensuring customer satisfaction. Public and private organizations know that purchasing does not end when the contract is awarded.
While contract administration focuses on setting up a contract correctly, contract management involves the broader spectrum of managing the contract throughout every stage of its lifecycle. This includes creation, negotiation, review, execution, ongoing management, and renewal.
It is also commonly referred to as Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM). Examples of contract lifecycle management processes include generating contract terms, redlining, approval of any modifications to the contract terms, and e-signature capabilities.
Some examples of Contract Management activities are: Phone calls with suppliers; Meetings with suppliers; Score carding of suppliers; Site visits; Analysing performance information; Problem solving; Benchmarking against other similar contracts/suppliers; Analysing management information.
Your finance team plays a crucial role in contract management, as they manage all the financial aspects of your company's contracts. From budgeting to invoicing, they're focused on avoiding financial risk and dips in revenue.
A contract owner is the primary person responsible for overseeing the lifecycle of a contract within an organization. The role entails managing every aspect of the contract's execution, ensuring everyone upholds the terms and that the agreement aligns with organizational goals and compliance standards.
The legal team at your company may include a wide range of roles, such as attorneys, paralegals, contract managers and legal operators. Whether your company has a small or large legal team, they're involved in creating, reviewing and managing every contract detail.
Regardless of organization type, one consistency is that contract managers are the primary individuals responsible for the creation and management of all contracts those organizations use. To successfully oversee contracts from drafting all the way to execution, contract managers need to be skilled in numerous areas.