Manager, Contracts & Contract Lifecycle Management

Position Title: Manager, Contracts & Contract Lifecycle Management

Job Location: Hershey, PA or Deerfield, IL (Chicagoland area)

Note: This role can support a remote candidate.

Role Summary:

The Hershey Company is seeking an attorney or legal paraprofessional who is a self-starter, detail-oriented, and team player with 3-5 years of experience in broad commercial transaction matters at a law firm or in-house at a consumer-packaged goods company. The Manager, Contracts & Contract Lifecycle Mgmt. role will report to the Assistant General Counsel, U.S. Commercial & Contracts Platform and will be a key member of the Hershey legal team. This is a newly created position that will be responsible for supporting the Hershey Contracts Lifecycle Management Platform together with the Contracts Center of Excellence Team.

We are seeking a highly skilled Contracts Manager with a strong focus on continuous improvement processes. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing and optimizing contract lifecycle processes, ensuring compliance, and driving efficiency improvements across the organization. This role requires a strategic thinker with excellent analytical skills and a deep understanding of contract management and continuous improvement methodologies.

Some travel may be required to support local and out-of-state clients.

Role Responsibilities:

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  Contract Management:

  
  
  
  
  • Lead the oversight of the entire contract lifecycle, from negotiation and execution to renewal and termination.
  • Together with the Contracts Center of Excellence Team, maintain a centralized repository for all contracts and related documents.
  
  
  
  
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  Contract Review and Negotiation:

  
  
  
  
  • Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements and documents for the various Hershey functions such as U.S. manufacturing, procurement, logistics, supply chain, and IT/IS.
  • Ensure all contracts comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
  
  
  
  
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  Continuous Improvement:

  
  
  
  
  • Identify opportunities for process improvements within the contract management function.
  • Implement Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies to enhance efficiency and reduce waste.
  • Develop and execute improvement strategies, including change management activities.
  
  
  
  
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  Collaboration and Training:

  
  
  
  
  • Work closely with cross-functional teams to understand their contract needs and provide guidance.
  • Conduct training sessions for staff on contract management best practices and continuous improvement techniques.
  • Facilitate workshops and meetings to promote a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Develop and execute policies, training and capabilities that support the maturing of the contracting process
  • Identify emerging trends and developments in contracting and proactively develop strategies and tools that will help the business benefit from, and manage new risks associated with, these developments
  
  
  
  
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  Performance Monitoring:

  
  
  
  
  • Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to contract management and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Regularly report on the status of improvement projects and contract performance to senior management.
  • Use data analysis to identify trends and make data-driven decisions.
  
  
  
  
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  Risk Management:

  
  
  
  
  • Identify and mitigate risks associated with contracts and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Ensure that all contracts are reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in regulations and business needs.
    
    
  
  
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities Required:

• Experience within a consumer-packaged goods context is preferred
• Experience supporting food manufacturing operations is a plus
• Strong ability to effectively manage and prioritize a high-volume workload and work well under pressure in a fast-moving and often-changing environment
• Exercise excellent judgment and initiative, project management, and time management skills to successfully drive projects to completion
• Problem-solving skills that demonstrate ability to critically evaluate and analyze issues and recommend well thought-out and/or creative solutions
• Experience drafting and negotiating contracts in procurement and sales, including MSAs, commercial agreements, vendor agreements, NDAs, and other third-party agreements
• Strong writing skills to create work product that is clear, concise, and effective
• High degree of skill using information technology resources, including Microsoft Office 365 and Agiloft

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from accredited law school preferred
• Preference for candidate that is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania or the ability to obtain a limited corporate counsel license in Pennsylvania (or the state of the candidate's location)
• 3-5 years of relevant experience with a major law firm or corporation; minimum 2 years' experience in a corporate, in-house legal setting is strongly preferred
• Proven experience as a Contracts Manager or in a similar role, with a focus on continuous improvement
• Strong understanding of contract law and regulatory requirements
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills
• Proficiency in using contract management software and continuous improvement tools
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
  
  

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