Summary
Description
Role Introduction and Team Explanation
The Contracts Manager will be a member of the Core team and support the organization-wide client and vendor management process as well as have other general administrative responsibilities. The Core team includes finance, operations, and human resources, and its purpose is to support program teams in driving impact for students.
We are a remote-first organization and our work is national in scope, which means this role can be based anywhere in the United States. This enables us to hire the best person for the role, regardless of geography. We also offer a co-working space in Washington, D.C., for employees interested in a hybrid work arrangement. Up to approximately 15% travel may be required for this role.
About Bellwether
We are a national nonprofit that exists to transform education to ensure systemically marginalized young people achieve outcomes that lead to fulfilling lives and flourishing communities. We work hand in hand with education leaders and organizations to accelerate their impact, inform and influence policy and program design, and share what we learn along the way.
Our Core team ensures that Bellwether is a sustainable, inclusive organization where staff members are supported to do their best and most impactful work.
Our External Relations team develops and implements strategies for Bellwether’s fundraising and communications and leads Bellwether’s external relations work.
Our Policy and Evaluation practice conducts analyses that inform leaders, organizations, and the broader field on ways to improve their work for America’s underserved students. We produce quantitative and qualitative analyses of contemporary education issues, conduct traditional and innovative evaluations, and generate new ideas and solutions for the sector. We offer recommendations to improve outcomes for underserved youth across the P-20 landscape that are informed by rigorous analytical methods; an extensive understanding of the local, state, and federal policy landscape; and experience working with a wide range of educational and early childhood systems, leaders, and practitioners.
Our Strategic Advising practice is deeply experienced in supporting educational organizations — districts, states, charters, nonprofits, and foundations — to develop ambitious but achievable plans to increase their impact for underserved students. We advise leaders and organizations on their most pressing strategic and operational issues. Our work ranges from supporting entrepreneurs in business plan development to partnering with established organizations on growth and performance improvement to assessing new opportunities for impact as the field evolves. We develop highly actionable plans that leadership teams own and run with.
About the Position
Bellwether has an opening for a Contracts Manager. The person in this exciting position will be a member of our Finance team and will be responsible for ensuring the seamless execution of contracts and grants with a wide variety of clients and funders. These are critical facets of our financial infrastructure that enable us to sustainably manage our growth and financial obligations in support of accelerating impact on behalf of young people. The Contracts Manager will report to the Director of Finance.
In that context, the Contracts Manager’s primary responsibilities and duties will be to:
- Own the contract management process, from executing contracts with clients and funders at the beginning of an engagement to closing out the process when the engagement is complete.
- Draft, evaluate, negotiate, and approve and/or execute various contracts for a range of transactions related, but not limited, to fee-for-service and grant-funded work in coordination with project leadership.
- Consult external legal counsel when necessary to address contract issues.
- Maintain an accurate, up-to-date system to track invoicing for fee-for-service work and receipt of grant funds.
- Track and manage grant budgets and drawdowns in coordination with project leadership.
- Meet weekly with the Bookkeeper and Director of Finance to facilitate client invoicing and monitor and follow up on outstanding contracts.
- Keep leaders informed with detailed and accurate updates on the contract and payment status of fee-for-service and grant-funded work.
- Maintain correspondence, documentation, and filing standards for all contracts.
- Support the development and maintenance of clear, transparent, efficient, and effective internal best practices around grant and fee-for-service contract management.
- Support the Director of Finance in all aspects of fiscal sponsorship, including orienting sponsored individuals or entities to Bellwether systems, policies, and procedures.
- Support the Director of Finance in designing and executing financial systems and processes that will allow the organization to grow and scale.
- Develop and maintain documentation of the contract management and finance processes.
- Coordinate complex processes across teams and departments, ensuring efficiency and accuracy.
- Carry out other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Excited? We are, too. You should apply if you have:
- A passion for and commitment to improving education and life outcomes for underserved young people in the United States.
- An understanding of and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Three to five years of relevant experience, e.g., contract and/or grant budget management (legal, accounting, or nonprofit experience preferred).
- Proven knowledge and a deep understanding of contracts, contract governance, contractual language, and the contract lifecycle.
- Proven knowledge and a deep understanding of grant management and grant accounting.
- The ability to work on many projects simultaneously and to manage up and across an organization.
- Critical thinking skills and the ability to research and understand legal and financial implications.
- A well-rounded interpersonal skill set with the capacity to collaborate with many diverse stakeholders within the organization, work effectively and collaboratively in a team environment, and facilitate joint problem-solving with the team.
- A highly self-motivated work style and the willingness to proactively take on roles within project teams and the organization.
- The ability to give and receive feedback thoughtfully, and experience doing so.
Compensation
The base salary range for this role for incoming team members is $72,375 to $78,763 annually. While the final offer amount will be determined by multiple factors — including previous experience and content knowledge — and may vary from the listed range, Bellwether is committed to transparency, and all offers are aligned with our compensation philosophy.
Bellwether provides an attractive benefits package that includes a performance bonus based on individual and organizational success, health care coverage, and a 401(k) plan with an employer-matching contribution policy.
