IT Contracts Lead

The IT Contracts Lead plays a critical role in guiding and optimizing the organization's technology-related contractual landscape. This position is responsible for developing and executing enterprise-wide contract strategies that align with business objectives while safeguarding financial, legal, and operational interests. Serving as a strategic partner to IT leadership, legal teams, business stakeholders, and vendors, the IT Contracts Lead ensures that all technology agreements - ranging from software and cloud services to hardware and telecommunications - are negotiated, structured, and managed to support the company's long-term goals. Through strong analytical, communication, and vendor management skills, this role drives consistency, compliance, and value across all IT contracting activities.

This position is not hybrid/remote and will be located at our Cleveland Headquarters office.

Strategy & Planning

• Develop, define, and implement company-wide IT contract strategies, policies and procedures.
• Accomplish business objectives while protecting SW's financial, legal, contractual and future business interest(s).
• Participate in the risk assessment process for business and legal issues.
• Manage vendor agreements and ensure consistency in costs and business processes across all vendors; establish/enforce company "ground rules" for all current and potential vendors.

Acquisition & Deployment

• Negotiate complex and strategic technology business contracts involving IT software licensing, hardware purchases, cloud service agreements, telecommunication agreements, maintenance/support agreements and professional services engagements.
• Lead end-to-end proposal project management for RFPs, which includes coordinating across functional teams, timelines, and deliverables to produce high-quality, compliant, and compelling proposal submissions
• Solicit feedback on improvement opportunities with regard to the contract process.
• Effectively communicate contract negotiation strategies to team members and stakeholders in a timely and clear fashion.
• Work closely with the business owners on contract renewals to ensure the renewals are optimized for the current business environment and processed timely.

Operational Management

• Gather and document business requirements.
• Review supplier compliance with established agreements.
• Work closely with IT management, legal, and business owners throughout the corporation.
• Establish and maintain written and in-person communication with IT management, legal, and business owners throughout the corporation.

This position is not eligible for sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, including conversion to H1-B visa.

Job duties include contact with other employees and access confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value, and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Company's staff, employees, and business relationships.

Must be eighteen years or older

EDUCATION

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in the field of Information Technology (IT) or business, or in lieu of a degree, at least 9 years of experience in the field of Information Technology or Business

Preferred:

• Certification or degree in law including Juris Doctor (JD) or Doctor of Juridical Science (JDSc)

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Required:

• 6+ years IT and/or Business experience
• 5+ years of experience with detailed contract negotiations in the IT field
• 5+ years of contract management experience
• Understanding of general contractual terms and conditions
• Understanding of IT technologies
• Understanding of business operations