Contracts Manager

About JFF

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life our goal is to align education workforce and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.

To achieve that goal we design solutions scale best practices influence policy and action and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 200 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters) Washington DC and Oakland California we operate at the national state and local levels forging deep partnerships with employers investors entrepreneurs policymakers and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine whats possible.

Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF

Inclusion belonging and well-being are core to JFFs North Star and mission and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care well-being and success of the employee through flexible work hours balanced workloads professional development and career advancement opportunities for all.

JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star we hire based on qualifications and experience and we are committed to fair opportunity for all qualified candidates including those without a 4-year degree or with a conviction history.

About theposition:

The Contracts Manager reports to the Senior Director of Contracts and will be responsible for managing the contracts administration process across JFF. This person will work in strong collaboration with various JFF departments including Program Organizational Services the Finance Team and senior leadership to collaborate on the end-to-end vendor contracting process. This person will be the liaison between JFF and external vendors by providing top-notch contracts management organizational and administrative support.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on being organized & detail-oriented and is energized by managing mission-critical projects and working collaboratively with others. The Contracts Manager will be responsible for supporting on compliance and risk management; ensuring the progress of contracts through all stages including drafting negotiation review approval and addition they will provide coaching to JFF staff with drafting/editing forms templates and agreements as needed.

What youll do:

Contracts Management

• Draft negotiate and revise agreements using templates tools and guidelines
• Reinforce consistent use of contract templates including deference to policies on content
• Flag important issues and potential legal risk to the Senior Director
• Provide research and due diligence on vendors and vendor contracts as needed by Contract Administration team or other internal teams
• Run and disseminate periodic reports using tracking tools
• Translate JFFs business needs into contracts structure while managing stakeholders expectations
• Deliver great quality contract administration that is responsive to and manages internal deadlines
• Develop draft and review contract documents and track status of contracts from request to execution
• Manage full cycle of service requests for contracts subawards and related legal documents from internal teams
• Coordinate with relevant cross functional internal teams to identify issues and client requirements facilitate discussions about business terms timelines and deliverables.

Relationship Building and Management

• Serve as the subject matter expert on contract review inquiries and guidance and a liaison between JFF and external vendors
• Cultivate strong working relationships and partner with JFF Colleagues in service to facilitating program and business operations
• Collaborate with the Senior Director in processing incoming contract requests
• Support the Senior Director by referring questions and contracts as indicated as well as preparing document revisions informed by their feedback and guidance.
• Track the compliance of contract administration policies and processes while communicating trends to Senior Director

Growth and Learning Mindset

• Support cross-functional systems integration bringing contracts management process experience
• Support the Senior Director during the development and implementation of new contract administration platforms and new team initiatives as needed
• Adapt to changing demands and shifting priorities with a view to delivering high-quality service and product

Who you are:

• You bring a deep understanding ofcontracts administration processes where you have worked on supporting various types of agreements including Master Services Agreements (MSAs) Non-disclosure Agreements (NDAs) Firm-Fixed Price Time and Materials contracts Cost-reimbursable Subawards or domestic subgrants is a plus; New hires at the Manager level typically bring 3-5 years of professional experience across full-time part-time internship and/or freelance roles.
• You are comfortable editing contracts clauses in response to changing terms
• You are committed to client support and approach your work in the spirit of coaching and providing guidance while bringing excellent customer service skills and the ability to pull in others for their expertise
• You function effectively as a team player collaborating with colleagues at different levels of seniority within the department and organization while being able to work independently and prioritize with or without direction
• Your collaborative nature allows you the ability to manage up and across in order to complete projects
• You bring and demonstrate governance and compliance familiarity for Contracts in support of finance
• You possess an unflinching commitment to exceptional work production and you bring expertise in negotiating with strong personalities and interpreting both needs and legal limits while accurately tracking necessary details
• You are a self-starter who will make logical connections and apply knowledge from one contract to another and take ownership of the contract process
• You can perform to tight evolving deadlines manage expectations of multiple stakeholders prioritize multitask and adapt in a rapidly changing environment
• You possess strong communication skills and the ability to convey complex information in a way that others can readily follow including attention to detail to the particulars of professional contracts language
• You possess outstanding organizational skills and the ability to track numerous moving pieces while identifying ways to improve efficiency
• You are comfortable using multiple different software applications in your work including A.I. tools; you are highly proficient in MS Outlook Word Excel form creation (Word or Adobe) database management concepts; familiarity with technology-enabled or based process management systems is a plus
• You model inclusive leadership working effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds and building and stewarding an organizational culture that embraces fairness connectedness and inclusion
• You are a curious and adaptive learner with a willingness to take in new information perspectives and data to inform your work
• You demonstrate a growth mindset and a desire to continuously improve in your work
• You are willing to commit to 10% of travel time (around 6 times per year). This includes traveling to the Boston office to meet with the Contract Administration Team and participating in both team and organizational retreats as needed.
• You possess high energy and passion for JFFs mission and the ability to apply JFFs corevalues to all areas of your work

What We Offer

At JFF were fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible and in return we provide a gratifying work experience competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits program designed to support employees wherever they are in their lives and careers. Our benefits program includes medical dental and vision insurance; retirement benefits through a 403(b) plan including employer contributions for eligible employees; paid time off and paid leave benefits; and professional development opportunities.

JFF has offices in Boston Oakland and Washington DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid or completely addition new employees receive office equipment as needed.

The hiring range for this role is $68000 - $80000 annually in alignment to JFFs Manager salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hires relevant experience and market demands.

To apply:

As part of your application please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter addressed to Stephanie Hawkins Senior Director Contracts outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.

We are accepting applications through Monday November 23 2026 at 8pm ET. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of November 20th and Dec 7th.

At JFF were also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone including people with disabilities can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process please contact us at .

Positions at JFF are not eligible for employer-visa sponsorship or open to F-1 student visa holders.