Contract Manager

At Emprise Bank, everything we do is focused on empowering people to thrive. We proudly work to provide an extraordinary customer experience to help our customers achieve their goals. The Contract Manager position plays a pivotal role in managing high-value, complex contracts and ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory frameworks, and risk management protocols. This position serves as a primary liaison between internal stakeholders and external parties to facilitate negotiation, execution, administration, renewal, and ongoing management of contracts. A successful candidate will have: A strong sense of organization and attention to detail Problem-solving skills and a proven ability to navigate difficult relationships The desire to identify opportunities for process improvement Drive to readily take action on challenges An understanding of and commitment to our values Essential functions of the role: Manage assigned contracts through the full contract lifecycle, including drafting, reviewing, negotiating, executing, amending, renewing, and terminating third-party agreements. Maintains contract repository and ensures version control, compliance tracking, and audit readiness. Serves as a primary point of contact for contractual matters with external vendors and partners. Coordinates contract negotiations between external parties and internal stakeholders and recommends appropriate actions to support timely execution of agreements. Acts as a strategic partner to legal, procurement, technology, finance, and business teams to support contract needs. Evaluates contractual risks and provides recommendations to stakeholders regarding contract structure, terms, negotiation strategies and appropriate courses of action. Independently resolve routine and moderately complex contractual issues within established policies, procedures, and risk parameters Recommends and implements improvements to enhance functional standards and processes related to the contracting lifecycle and drives continuous improvement of contract templates, workflows, and governance frameworks. Escalate material, high-risk, or highly complex contractual matters appropriately and provide recommendations to support resolution. Other duties as assigned within the scope and responsibility of the job. Requirements 5+ years of experience in contract administration, contract management, or a related function within banking, financial services, or another highly regulated industry. Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or related field, or equivalent professional experience. Legal or commercial certifications (e.g., IACCM, CIPS) are a plus. In-depth knowledge of commercial, technology, and vendor contracts. Proven track record of managing high-value and complex agreements. Experience working with cross-functional teams in fast-paced, regulated environments. Benefits In addition to a competitive salary and benefits, Emprise offers professional growth, a rewarding and challenging environment, opportunities to be involved in our communities, and a culture of integrity, passion, and success. At Emprise Bank, empowering people to thrive means having an all-inclusive culture that honors our commitment to all dimensions of diversity in our workforce and embraces inclusion of all people. People of color, women, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. To learn more, please visit our website at www.emprisebank.com . Emprise Bank is an EEO/AA/ADA/Veteran Employer/Member FDIC/Drug Free Workplace. Emprise Bank participates in E-Verify and will provide your Form-I 9 to the federal government to confirm authorization to work in the United States.