Senior Contract Manager

ABOUT SLATE At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them. WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR As a Senior Contract Manager, you will play a critical role reporting to Slate’s Associate General Counsel, Commercial, by managing end-to-end pre-signature contracting process across a diverse portfolio of commercial agreements. This role supports both buy-side and sell-side contracting in a fast-paced automotive startup environment. The Contract Manager operates at the intersection of Legal, Sales, Procurement, Engineering, Supply Chain, Service, and Accessories team, helping stakeholders navigate contracting requirements, apply approved templates and playbooks, and move agreements efficiently through contract workflows. The role emphasizes process discipline, risk consistency, and excellent decision-making judgment. You will identify and mitigate business and legal risks, escalate issues for legal review when necessary, and deliver solutions-oriented support that represents Slate’s interests professionally to internal teams and external partners. WHAT YOU GET TO DO Contract Intake, Workflow & Stakeholder Enablement Manage pre-signature workflow from intake originating across multiple organizational functions Participate in evaluation, implementation, change management, and use of CLM tools, ensuring clear visibility into status, approvals, and next actions Coordinate effectively with Legal counsel and business stakeholders, balancing responsiveness with legal risk standards Maintain organized contract records, version control, and audit-ready documentation throughout the review and negotiation process Contract Review & Negotiation Support (pre-signature) Draft, review, and redline contracts using approved templates, clause libraries, and standard fallback positions Coordinate negotiation input across Legal, Finance, Tax, Compliance, IT, Engineering, and Service stakeholders Identify deviations from standard terms and escalate per defined playbooks and approval matrices Templates, Playbooks & Knowledge Management Maintain and continuously improve contract templates and clause libraries to support consistent risk management Develop, update, and operationalize contracting and negotiation playbooks reflecting standard positions and escalation rules Ensure playbooks are written for practical use by non-lawyers in Slate, Procurement, and Service teams Maintain the Legal contracting SharePoint site or knowledge hub as a self-service resource for templates, guidance, FAQs, and intake instructions Process Improvement & Operational Excellence Identify, design, and implement process improvements across contracting workflows, including intake, triage, review, negotiation, execution, and repository management Drive standardization of intake, review, and execution process Support change management initiative to improve adoption of contracting processes, templates, and tools across Legal and business teams Partner cross-functionally to eliminate contracting inefficiencies WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM Bachelor’s degree in Business, Legal Studies, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent experience) 3-6 years of contract management, contract administration, legal operations, or commercial contracting Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple complex agreements concurrently Clear written and verbal communication and relationship-building skills Familiarity with automotive or manufacturing industry a plus Adept proficiency in MS365 suite, SmartSheets, and CLM tools Core Competencies Contract process discipline and attention to detail Practical understanding of commercial and operation risk in an automotive startup Data literacy and ability to translate contracting metrics into actionable operational insights Comfort working with legal technology and workflow systems Ability to guide non-lawyers through structured contracting processes Continuous improvement mindset WHY JOIN TEAM SLATE? At Slate, we’re fueled by grit, determination, and attention to detail. The start-up spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness move our business forward. Team Slate fosters a culture of excellence, innovation, and mutual respect, and is motivated by shared principles. Safety First Delight Customers One Team Relentless Improvement Fast, Frugal, and Scrappy Respectful Collaboration Positive Legacy WE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE. Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason. Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at slate-talent_acquisition@slate.auto.