The Economist Group
Contracts Manager
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Who we are
Since 1843, The Economist Group has championed independence, excellence and openness, helping people understand and tackle the critical challenges shaping the world. Today, we are building on that legacy as a global media and information-services company powered by digital innovation, analytical rigour and evidence-based insight.
Across our three businesses - The Economist, Economist Enterprise and Economist Education - we deliver trusted analysis and insights to individuals and organisations in more than 170 countries. United by a shared purpose to drive progress, we empower decision-makers to make sense of change and chart a course through an increasingly complex world.
As a colleague, you will be part of a culture that values ideas, encourages ownership and holds itself to high standards. We invest in people who are curious, thoughtful and adaptable, whether they are launching new products, reporting on global events or harnessing emerging technologies such as AI to improve how we work. Here, fresh thinking is taken seriously, ambition is matched by integrity, and great work is recognised. Working across disciplines, geographies and perspectives, we are united by a commitment to innovation, excellence and creating meaningful impact.
The Role
The Legal Contracts Manager plays a pivotal role within the Legal Contracts team, acting as the first point of entry for all legal and contractual requests submitted to the Legal team. This role sits at the intersection of legal analysis and review, contract management, and legal operational administration. While the position involves a significant administrative component, it requires strong legal judgment, sound contractual knowledge, and the ability to triage, assess, and respond to a high volume of time-sensitive legal requests with confidence and professionalism.
The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the central legal contracts inbox, which functions as the primary gate for all requests into the legal team. This requires the ability to understand the substance and seriousness of incoming requests, identify the appropriate level of legal review required, and allocate or escalate matters efficiently within the team. The role demands legal acumen comparable to that of a junior lawyer or recently qualified professional, combined with exceptional organisational skills and the resilience to perform under sustained pressure.
Key Responsibilities
- Legal Contracts Inbox
- Manage and oversee the central legal contracts inbox, ensuring all incoming requests from sales, commercial, and internal stakeholders are acknowledged promptly, assessed accurately, and handled in line with internal processes and service expectations.
- Exercise judgment to determine the nature of each request, its urgency, legal complexity, and risk profile, and decide whether the matter can be addressed directly, requires negotiation, or how to be escalated to legal colleagues.
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Review and Negotiate Agreements
- Independently review, advise on, and negotiate a defined range of junior to mid-level complexity agreements. These include subscription order forms, standard template event sponsorship agreements, and service provider or vendor agreements.
- Provide clear, commercially aware responses to sales teams, explain legal positions succinctly, and engage in negotiations within approved parameters, escalating only where necessary.
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Excellent Communication Skills Demonstrating Professionalism Under Pressure
- Respond to urgent and sometimes pressurised communications with calm authority, professionalism, and efficiency, maintaining strong internal relationships while safeguarding legal standards and risk thresholds.
- Timeliness, accuracy, and tone are critical success factors.
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Legal Operations
- Manage and maintain the legal team’s central digital filing system, ensuring contracts and related documentation are accurately stored, indexed, and retrievable in accordance with internal governance standards.
- Oversee day-to-day legal administrative tasks and, under supervision, contribute to the ongoing maintenance and updating of the contracts manual and related guidance materials.
- Actively support sales and commercial stakeholders in the preparation and drafting of agreements at the point of intake.
- Work with sales to ensure that all commercial terms, pricing, scope of work, deliverables, timelines, and key assumptions are clearly articulated, internally aligned, and accurately reflected in the relevant contractual documentation before the matter is assigned for legal review.
- Identify gaps, inconsistencies, or unresolved commercial points at an early stage, and coordinate with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that agreements are commercially complete, coherent, and review-ready, thereby enabling efficient and focused legal review by the wider legal team.
Skills, Experience and Qualifications
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- This role is suited to a legally trained professional with equivalent practical exposure. Candidates may be recently qualified lawyers, law graduates with relevant in-house or commercial contracts experience, or contract professionals with demonstrable legal training and hands-on contract review experience.
- A strong understanding of commercial contracts, particularly subscription-based agreements, event sponsorship arrangements, and vendor or services agreements, is essential.
- The ideal candidate will demonstrate excellent legal comprehension, the ability to assess risk proportionately, and confidence in handling routine negotiations independently.
- Exceptional written communication skills are required, with the ability to respond clearly, politely, and decisively under tight deadlines.
- Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the capacity to manage competing priorities are critical.
- Candidates must be comfortable operating in a high-volume environment, show resilience under pressure, and exercise sound judgment when dealing with urgent or escalated matters.
- A proactive, solution-oriented mindset and a high degree of professionalism are essential.
Working Arrangements
- The majority of our roles operate on a hybrid working pattern, with 3+ days office attendance required.
- #LI-Hybrid
AI Usage for Your Application
We are an innovative organisation that encourages the use of technology. We recognise that candidates may utilise AI tools to support with their job application process. However, it is essential that all information you provide truthfully and accurately reflects your own experience, skills, and qualifications.
What We Offer
- Our benefits package is designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance. It includes a highly competitive pension or 401(k) plan, private health insurance, and 24/7 access to counselling and wellbeing resources through our Employee Assistance Program.
- We also offer a range of lifestyle benefits, including our Work From Anywhere program, which allows you to work from any location where you have the legal right to do so for up to 25 days per year.
- In addition, we provide generous annual and parental leave, as well as dedicated days off for volunteering and even for moving home.
- You will also be given free access to all The Economist content, including an online subscription, our range of apps, podcasts and more.
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