Dentsu is a modern marketing solutions company. Our mission is to help clients navigate, progress and thrive in a world of change. Businesses rely on our integrated network of agencies and specialized practices to champion meaningful progress through creative, media, commerce, data and technology. Part of Dentsu Group, our global network comprises 66,000 diverse people in 143 countries, who are dedicated to teaming for growth and good. Some of our award-winning agencies include 360i, Carat, dentsumcgarrybowen, DEG, dentsuX, iProspect and Merkle. Follow us on Twitter @DentsuUSA and visit dentsu.com/us. 

Diversity is embedded in who we are and all that we do: our mindset, our solutions, and our teams to empower an inclusive, equitable environment. We put our people at the center, creating space for growth, understanding and learning so they can thrive. Our differences make us richer and enable stronger relationships with each other and foster greater impact for our clients. We engage with our communities to drive positive social impact by fostering equity and working to create a digital society that works for all.

Merkle is looking for looking for an enthusiastic self-motivated Commercial / Contract Manager who thrives in a fast-paced environment. The successful candidate is comfortable performing a wide range of tasks from administrative to strategic. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organizational skills, excellent grammar, and attention to detail along with the ability to manage multiple projects 

Our ideal candidate has previous experience with contracts administration, is familiar with legal requirements for contract drafting and contract reviews, ensures all contracts conform to company standards and requirements, and can manage the contract and commercial management aspects for the various responsibilities, skills, and experiences outlined below. 

Responsibilities include:

Contract Development and Authoring:

• Apply best practices to develop contracts (Statements of Work, Amendments, Letters of Authorization) for various types of service engagements in the marketing domain include strategy consulting, media buys, marketing campaigns, marketing database builds, marketing analytics, SEO, SEM, advertising, and web development. 
• Ensure the identification of opportunities to minimize contract risk and coordinate commercial risk mitigation measures.
• Draft and/or review contracts in compliance with company policy. As appropriate, contribute to or influence company policies.
• Prepare contract/commercial risk assessments and deliver contract briefings to business unit/service line leadership, as required.
• Coordinate the drafting, review and proper execution of all contracts with business units, service lines, IT,HR, Legal and Finance, as applicable.

Contract processing and Tracking: 

• Follow contract management process controls to verify contract documents are fully approved and vetted internally before presenting to the client. 
• Responsible for timely processing of contract activities against established service levels through Salesforce tool and manage dashboard metrics.
• Develop, implement, and ensure compliance with appropriate strategic commercial approach, based on contract type (i.e. Retainer, Deliverables, T&M).
• Support and become expert in Salesforce, the contract management system of record, for cataloguing and tracking all contracts, approvals, storage of fully executed contracts.

Negotiations:

• Assist in negotiating, structuring, and management of contractual documents that establish the business relationship with clients, subcontractors, vendors and/or partners, as applicable. 
• Provide on-demand contractual clarifications / position statements to project team members as required.
• Revise documents for adherence to company policy/position statements, and advise on contractual rights and obligations, and provide interpretation of terms and conditions.

Process and Template Development: 

• Collaborate with service lines to fully understand the products and/or services being provided and develop contract document templates. 
• Assist in maintaining a centralized repository of legal documents.
• Monitor and recommend adjustments to commercial strategies, position statements, and contractual terms based on audits, market conditions, and changes in law.

Other areas of responsibility: 

• Establish positive and productive relationships with contract requestor(s), service lines, and senior leadership involved in contract process.
• Provide a high-quality service level to all internal and external customers ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and interpretations of contract language, as needed.

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, IT, Paralegal, English, or related field.
• Experience preferred in Information Technology, Digital Agency, or similar professional services organization 
• 5+ years in Contracts development, Procurement, Risk management, Vendor oversight, Negotiation, Finance, Law, Business, or combination thereof.  Paralegal experience a plus.
• Advanced working knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word, Excel and PowerPoint, including PDF to Word conversions), and with contract management applications (i.e. Salesforce)
• Keen attention to detail, with an ability to spot errors and identify key risk areas in a contract
• Strong verbal and written communication skills including spelling, grammar, and distillation of RFP-like statements into contractual responsibilities/ legal requirements involved with a contract
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate in a professional and timely manner with varying seniority levels, including peers, managers/directors and VP/C-level both internal and external
• Strong ethics, integrity, and values including ability to maintain confidentiality with respect to agreement contents and other highly sensitive business matters and projects required
• Possess the ability to adapt to changes, delays, or unexpected shifts in priorities while maintaining focus and productivity in a high-volume environment required

Employees from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds encouraged to apply.
Dentsu (the "Company") is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee of the Company, on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, race, color, creed, religion, ethnicity, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, veteran or military status, genetic information, or any other legally-recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done that will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing an undue hardship on the Company. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process or to request or discuss an accommodation in connection with a job at the Company to which you are applying.