Interview Guide for

Contracts Manager

Contracts Manager Interview Guide

This comprehensive interview guide is designed to help you effectively assess candidates for the Contracts Manager role. It provides a structured approach to evaluating candidates' skills, experience, and cultural fit through a series of targeted interviews and exercises. By following this guide, you'll be able to make more informed hiring decisions and identify the best candidate for your organization.

How to Use This Guide

Familiarize yourself with the entire guide before beginning the interview process.
Use each section of the guide in the order presented, starting with the Screening Interview and progressing through the Work Sample, Hiring Manager Interview, and Behavioral Competency Interviews.
Ask all candidates the same core questions to ensure fair comparisons, but feel free to ask follow-up questions as needed to gather more detailed information.
Use the provided scorecards to objectively evaluate candidates after each interview or exercise.
Conduct a thorough debrief meeting with all interviewers before making a final decision.
If you need additional ideas for interview questions specific to the Contracts Manager role, you can find more at Yardstick's Contracts Manager Interview Questions.

Remember that this guide is a framework, and you should adapt it as needed to fit your organization's specific needs and culture. The goal is to create a consistent, fair, and effective hiring process that helps you identify the best Contracts Manager for your team.

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Job Description

📋 Role Overview

[Company] is seeking a strategic and detail-oriented Contracts Manager to support our commercial and technology transactions. In this role, you'll review, draft, and negotiate complex agreements while building scalable contracting processes to support our rapid growth.

🔑 Key Responsibilities

Draft, analyze, and negotiate commercial agreements, including enterprise customer contracts, vendor agreements, and strategic partnerships
Develop and implement scalable solutions to improve contracting efficiency
Manage the full contract lifecycle, from intake to execution
Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Sales, Finance, and other teams to achieve key business objectives
Provide strategic, business-minded counsel on contractual matters

🌟 What Success Looks Like

Efficiently closing complex deals while mitigating legal and business risks
Implementing processes that measurably improve contracting speed and quality
Building strong partnerships across the organization
Balancing legal requirements with business needs to drive growth

📊 Qualifications

Must-Have

5+ years of contract management experience, with 3+ years supporting technology transactions
Strong knowledge of software agreements, IP licensing, and commercial contracts
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities

Nice-to-Have

Experience at a high-growth technology company
Familiarity with AI/ML industry and related legal considerations
Process improvement and project management skills

💪 Core Competencies

Strategic thinking
Attention to detail
Adaptability
Cross-functional collaboration
Business acumen

📍 Location & Travel

[Location details]Some travel may be required

💰 Compensation

[Salary range and benefits information]

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

This position requires a highly adaptable individual who can balance legal rigor with business pragmatism. The ideal candidate will be comfortable operating in ambiguity and able to make sound judgments in novel situations.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Strategic problem-solving
Relationship building
Adaptability
Attention to detail
Business acumen

Example Goals for Role

Reduce average contract negotiation time by 25% within first 6 months
Implement new contract management system, achieving 90% adoption across relevant teams
Develop and roll out new contract templates for top 3 most common agreement types
Achieve 95% stakeholder satisfaction rating in internal survey

Ideal Candidate Profile

Proven track record of successfully managing complex technology transactions
Demonstrated ability to build and improve contracting processes
Experience supporting rapid-growth environments
Strong analytical skills with ability to distill complex issues into actionable insights
Proactive problem-solver who can anticipate and address potential issues
Excellent communicator able to effectively collaborate with both technical and business stakeholders
Located in or willing to relocate to [location]
Passion for technology and interest in AI/ML industry
Mindset of continuous improvement and learning

‍

Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening is crucial for quickly assessing if a candidate should move forward in the process. Focus on work eligibility, cultural fit, performance history, and key skills. Getting details on past performance early is essential. Ask all candidates the same questions to ensure fair comparisons.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you some initial questions about your background and experience to determine fit for our Contracts Manager role. Please provide concise but thorough answers. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

Interview Questions

Are you legally authorized to work in [country] without sponsorship?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Confirm work eligibility status
Any visa or work permit requirements

Possible Follow-up Questions:

When does your current work authorization expire?
Are there any restrictions on your ability to work?

Can you briefly describe your experience in contract management, particularly in technology transactions?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Years of relevant experience
Types of contracts handled
Industries worked in

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What types of technology transactions have you worked on?
How many years of experience do you have specifically in software agreements and IP licensing?

Tell me about a time when you improved a contracting process. What was the impact?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Specific process improved
Methodology used
Measurable results

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you measure the success of this improvement?
What challenges did you face in implementing this change?

How do you balance legal requirements with business needs when negotiating contracts?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Approach to risk management
Collaboration with business stakeholders
Examples of trade-offs made

Possible Follow-up Questions:

Can you give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult trade-off?
How do you educate business stakeholders on legal risks?

What interests you most about this Contracts Manager role at our company?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Knowledge of company/industry
Alignment with role expectations
Career motivations

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What do you know about our company and the AI/ML industry?
How does this role fit into your long-term career goals?

How do you stay current on legal trends and developments in technology transactions?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Continuous learning methods
Relevant publications or associations
Recent learnings

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What's a recent development in technology law that you find interesting?
How have you applied recent learnings to your work?

What questions do you have about the role or our company?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Depth of candidate research
Genuine interest in role
Thoughtfulness of questions

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What excites you most about potentially joining our team?
Is there anything that gives you hesitation about the role?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Less than 3 years of relevant contract management experience
2: 3-5 years of relevant experience, limited technology transactions
3: 5+ years of relevant experience, including technology transactions
4: 7+ years of highly relevant experience, deep expertise in technology transactions

Process Improvement Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No evidence of process improvement experience
2: Some experience with process improvement, limited impact
3: Clear experience improving contracting processes with measurable results
4: Extensive experience leading significant process improvements with substantial impact

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of business needs in contracting
2: Basic understanding of balancing legal and business needs
3: Strong ability to balance legal requirements with business objectives
4: Exceptional business acumen, consistently aligns legal strategy with business goals

Continuous Learning

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No evidence of staying current on legal trends
2: Some effort to stay informed, but limited application
3: Consistently stays current and applies new knowledge
4: Proactively seeks out and shares new legal developments, thought leader in the field

Interest and Culture Fit

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited interest or knowledge about the role/company
2: Basic interest and knowledge, some alignment with company culture
3: Strong interest and knowledge, good alignment with company culture
4: Exceptional enthusiasm, deep knowledge, excellent cultural fit

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Work Sample: Contract Review and Negotiation Exercise

Directions for the Interviewer

This exercise assesses the candidate's ability to review, analyze, and negotiate a complex technology agreement. Provide the candidate with a sample software license agreement and a list of key business priorities. Evaluate their legal analysis, risk assessment, negotiation strategy, and ability to balance legal and business needs.

Best practices:

Give the candidate 30-45 minutes to review the agreement and prepare
Allow 30 minutes for a mock negotiation session
Provide a brief opportunity for the candidate to self-reflect after the exercise

Directions to Share with Candidate

"For this exercise, you'll review a sample software license agreement and prepare a negotiation strategy. We'll provide you with key business priorities to consider. After your review, we'll conduct a mock negotiation session where you'll present your proposed changes and rationale. You'll have 30-45 minutes to prepare, followed by a 30-minute negotiation session. Do you have any questions?"

Provide the candidate with:

Sample software license agreement (with some intentional issues)
List of key business priorities
Any other relevant background information

Interview Scorecard

Legal Analysis

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Misses major legal issues, poor understanding of contract terms
2: Identifies some key legal issues, basic understanding of terms
3: Thorough analysis of legal issues, strong understanding of terms
4: Exceptional analysis, identifies nuanced legal issues and creative solutions

Risk Assessment

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Fails to identify significant risks or overreacts to minor issues
2: Identifies some key risks, but assessment lacks depth
3: Thorough risk assessment with clear prioritization
4: Comprehensive risk assessment with innovative mitigation strategies

Negotiation Strategy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Lacks clear strategy or fails to address business priorities
2: Basic strategy that addresses some business priorities
3: Well-developed strategy aligned with business priorities
4: Sophisticated strategy that balances legal, business, and relationship considerations

Communication Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to articulate positions clearly
2: Communicates positions adequately
3: Clearly and persuasively communicates positions
4: Exceptionally articulate, adapts communication style effectively

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses solely on legal issues, ignores business context
2: Considers business context but struggles to balance with legal concerns
3: Effectively balances legal and business considerations
4: Demonstrates deep understanding of business implications, proposes creative solutions

Goal: Reduce average contract negotiation time by 25% within first 6 months

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Implement new contract management system, achieving 90% adoption across relevant teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and roll out new contract templates for top 3 most common agreement types

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve 95% stakeholder satisfaction rating in internal survey

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Hiring Manager Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview focuses on the candidate's relevant work history and performance. Ask the following questions for each relevant previous role, adapting as needed for time and the number of relevant roles. Ask all questions on the most recent or most relevant role. Probe for specific examples and quantifiable results. Pay attention to the progression of responsibilities and achievements across roles.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'd like to discuss your relevant work experience in more detail. We'll go through each of your previous roles, focusing on your responsibilities, achievements, and lessons learned. Please provide specific examples and metrics where possible."

Interview Questions

What were your main responsibilities in this role?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Types of contracts managed
Industries or business units supported
Team structure and interactions

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did your responsibilities evolve over time?
What was the most challenging aspect of the role?
How did this role prepare you for your next career step?

What were your key performance metrics and how did you perform against them?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Specific targets (e.g., contract turnaround time, process improvements)
Performance relative to peers
Consistency of achievement

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What strategies did you use to consistently meet/exceed your targets?
How did you recover from any periods of underperformance?
What tools or resources were most helpful in tracking and improving your performance?

Tell me about your most significant achievement in improving contracting processes.

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Problem identified
Solution developed and implemented
Measurable impact

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you gain buy-in from stakeholders for this change?
What challenges did you face in implementation and how did you overcome them?
How have you applied lessons from this achievement to subsequent roles?

Describe a time when you had to balance conflicting priorities between legal requirements and business needs. How did you handle it?

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Specific situation and stakeholders involved
Approach to risk assessment and management
Outcome and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you communicate the trade-offs to different stakeholders?
What principles guide your decision-making in these situations?
How has this experience influenced your approach to similar situations?

Interview Scorecard

Relevant Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited relevant contract management experience
2: Some relevant experience but gaps in key areas
3: Strong relevant experience aligned with role requirements
4: Extensive highly relevant experience exceeding role requirements

Performance History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Consistently underperformed against targets
2: Occasionally met targets with inconsistent performance
3: Consistently met or exceeded targets
4: Consistently top performer, significantly exceeding targets

Process Improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No significant process improvements implemented
2: Minor process improvements with limited impact
3: Successful implementation of meaningful process improvements
4: Transformative process improvements with substantial, measurable impact

Balancing Legal and Business Needs

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to balance legal and business priorities
2: Can balance priorities in straightforward situations
3: Effectively balances legal and business needs in complex situations
4: Exceptional ability to align legal strategy with business objectives, driving growth

Goal: Reduce average contract negotiation time by 25% within first 6 months

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Implement new contract management system, achieving 90% adoption across relevant teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and roll out new contract templates for top 3 most common agreement types

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve 95% stakeholder satisfaction rating in internal survey

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Behavioral Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies critical for success in the Contracts Manager role. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"I'll be asking you about specific experiences from your past that relate to key competencies for this role. Please provide detailed examples, including the situation, your actions, the outcomes, and what you learned. Take a moment to think before answering if needed."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to quickly adapt your approach to contract negotiations due to unexpected changes in business priorities or market conditions. (Adaptability, Strategic Thinking)

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Nature of the change and its impact
Process for reassessing the situation
Specific adjustments made to strategy
Outcome and lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you communicate the change in strategy to stakeholders?
What resources or support did you leverage to adapt quickly?
How has this experience influenced your approach to future negotiations?

Describe a situation where you identified a potential legal risk that others had overlooked. How did you address it? (Attention to Detail, Strategic Problem-solving)

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Context of the situation
Process for identifying the risk
Approach to communicating and addressing the risk
Outcome and impact on the business

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you balance addressing this risk with other priorities?
What tools or techniques do you use to ensure thorough risk assessment?
How did this experience change your approach to risk management?

Give me an example of how you've built strong relationships with business stakeholders to improve contract management processes. (Relationship Building, Business Acumen)

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Stakeholders involved and their initial perspectives
Strategies for building trust and understanding
Specific improvements implemented
Results achieved through collaboration

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you navigate conflicting priorities among stakeholders?
What techniques do you use to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders?
How have you maintained these relationships over time?

Interview Scorecard

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to adapt to changing circumstances
2: Can adapt when given clear direction
3: Proactively adjusts approach based on new information
4: Thrives in dynamic environments, driving positive change

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses solely on immediate legal issues
2: Demonstrates basic strategic planning
3: Develops comprehensive, effective legal strategies
4: Creates innovative, business-aligned legal approaches

Attention to Detail

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Often misses important details
2: Catches most important details with some oversight
3: Consistently thorough and accurate in work
4: Exceptional attention to detail, anticipates potential issues

Strategic Problem-solving

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to solve complex problems
2: Can solve straightforward problems effectively
3: Consistently solves complex problems with solid reasoning
4: Innovative problem-solver, creating elegant solutions to challenging issues

Relationship Building

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty forming strong stakeholder relationships
2: Builds adequate relationships with some stakeholders
3: Consistently develops strong, collaborative relationships
4: Masterfully cultivates deep, lasting partnerships across the organization

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of business context
2: Basic understanding of business needs
3: Strong grasp of business objectives, aligns legal work accordingly
4: Exceptional business insight, proactively drives business strategy through legal work

Goal: Reduce average contract negotiation time by 25% within first 6 months

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Implement new contract management system, achieving 90% adoption across relevant teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and roll out new contract templates for top 3 most common agreement types

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve 95% stakeholder satisfaction rating in internal survey

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Skip Level Behavioral Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview further assesses the candidate's behavioral competencies from a different perspective. Ask all candidates the same questions, probing for specific examples and details about the situation, actions taken, results achieved, and lessons learned. Avoid hypothetical scenarios and focus on past experiences.

Directions to Share with Candidate

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to influence a senior executive to change their approach to a contract negotiation. How did you handle this? (Influence, Communication Skills)

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Initial situation and executive's perspective
Research and preparation
Tailoring of message and approach
Outcome and follow-up

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you identify the executive's key priorities and concerns?
What resources or evidence did you leverage to build your case?
How has this experience shaped your approach to influencing senior stakeholders?

Describe a situation where you had to balance multiple high-priority contract negotiations simultaneously. How did you manage your time and priorities? (Adaptability, Organization and Planning)

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Scope and complexity of competing priorities
Strategies for time management and organization
Communication with stakeholders
Results achieved across multiple negotiations

Possible Follow-up Questions:

What tools or systems do you use to stay organized?
How do you decide when to delegate or seek support?
Can you give an example of a time when you had to make a difficult prioritization decision?

Give me an example of how you've contributed to improving your organization's overall approach to contract management. (Strategic Thinking, Business Acumen)

Guidance for Interviewer:Areas to Cover:

Identification of improvement opportunity
Development of solution or new approach
Implementation and change management
Measurable impact on organization

Possible Follow-up Questions:

How did you gain buy-in from leadership and team members?
What challenges did you encounter during implementation and how did you overcome them?
How have you continued to iterate on this improvement over time?

Interview Scorecard

Influence

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to persuade or influence others
2: Can influence others in straightforward situations
3: Consistently persuades and gains buy-in from stakeholders
4: Masterfully influences at all levels, driving consensus and action

Communication Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Difficulty expressing ideas clearly or tailoring message
2: Communicates adequately in most situations
3: Articulates ideas clearly and adapts style effectively
4: Exceptional communicator, inspiring and engaging all audiences

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to adapt to changing priorities
2: Can adapt when given clear direction
3: Proactively adjusts approach based on new information
4: Thrives in dynamic environments, driving positive change

Organization and Planning

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Often disorganized or reactive in approach
2: Basic organization with some proactive planning
3: Well-organized with effective prioritization and planning
4: Exceptionally organized, optimizing processes for maximum efficiency

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Focuses primarily on short-term, tactical execution
2: Demonstrates some longer-term planning
3: Develops comprehensive strategies aligned with business goals
4: Creates innovative, market-leading strategic approaches

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of business context
2: Basic understanding of business needs
3: Strong grasp of business objectives, aligns legal work accordingly
4: Exceptional business insight, proactively drives business strategy through legal work

Goal: Reduce average contract negotiation time by 25% within first 6 months

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Implement new contract management system, achieving 90% adoption across relevant teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Develop and roll out new contract templates for top 3 most common agreement types

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Goal: Achieve 95% stakeholder satisfaction rating in internal survey

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to Achieve Goal
2: Likely to Partially Achieve Goal
3: Likely to Achieve Goal
4: Likely to Exceed Goal

Overall Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the Contracts Manager role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.
The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or the leadership's opinions.
Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.
Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Debrief Meeting Questions

Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

How well do you think the candidate's experience aligns with our need for improving contract management processes?

Guidance: Discuss specific examples from the candidate's background that demonstrate their ability to implement and improve contracting processes.

What are your thoughts on the candidate's ability to balance legal requirements with business needs?

Guidance: Reflect on examples shared during interviews that showcase the candidate's business acumen and strategic thinking.

Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Checks

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

Ask the candidate to provide 3-5 professional references, including at least 2 former managers.
Request that the candidate inform the references that you'll be contacting them.
Prepare by reviewing the candidate's resume and interview notes.
Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the call.
Ask open-ended questions and listen for specifics.
Pay attention to tone and enthusiasm in addition to content.

Reference Check Questions

In what capacity did you work with [Candidate], and for how long?

Guidance: Establish the context of the relationship and the reference's ability to evaluate the candidate's work.

Follow-up: How would you describe your working relationship?

What were [Candidate]'s primary responsibilities in their role?

Guidance: Verify the candidate's claimed experience and responsibilities.

Follow-up: How did their role evolve over time?

How would you rate [Candidate]'s performance in contract management and negotiation on a scale of 1-10? Can you provide specific examples to support your rating?

Guidance: Look for concrete examples that demonstrate the candidate's skills and impact.

Follow-up: How did their performance compare to others in similar roles?

Can you describe a time when [Candidate] improved a contract management process? What was the impact?

Guidance: Assess the candidate's ability to drive process improvements and measure results.

Follow-up: How did they handle any resistance to change?

How would you describe [Candidate]'s ability to balance legal requirements with business needs?

Guidance: Evaluate the candidate's business acumen and strategic thinking.

Follow-up: Can you give an example of a particularly challenging situation they navigated successfully?

What would you say are [Candidate]'s greatest strengths? Areas for improvement?

Guidance: Look for alignment between strengths and job requirements, and assess self-awareness in areas for improvement.

Follow-up: How did they work on improving in these areas?

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate] again if you had an appropriate role available? Why?

Guidance: This question often elicits more candid feedback about the candidate's overall performance and fit.

Follow-up: What type of role or environment do you think [Candidate] would thrive in?

Reference Check Scorecard

Overall Performance

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Performance described as below expectations
2: Performance described as meeting some expectations
3: Performance described as consistently meeting expectations
4: Performance described as consistently exceeding expectations

Contract Management Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited or ineffective contract management skills described
2: Basic contract management skills, with some areas for improvement
3: Strong contract management skills across various contract types
4: Exceptional contract management skills, recognized as an expert

Process Improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: No significant process improvements mentioned
2: Made some minor process improvements
3: Successfully implemented meaningful process improvements
4: Drove transformative process improvements with substantial impact

Business Acumen

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Described as focusing solely on legal issues without business context
2: Basic understanding of business needs in contracting
3: Strong ability to balance legal requirements with business objectives
4: Exceptional business acumen, aligns legal strategy with business goals

Likelihood of Rehire

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Would not rehire (1-3 on scale)
2: Might rehire with reservations (4-6 on scale)
3: Would likely rehire (7-8 on scale)
4: Would enthusiastically rehire (9-10 on scale)

Overall Reference Strength

1: Weak Reference (Multiple concerns raised or lack of enthusiasm)
2: Mixed Reference (Some positive feedback with notable concerns)
3: Positive Reference (Consistently positive feedback)
4: Exceptionally Strong Reference (Enthusiastic endorsement across all areas)

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FAQ: Using This Interview Guide

Q: How should I prepare to use this interview guide?

A: Before conducting interviews, thoroughly review the entire guide, including the job description, ideal candidate profile, and all interview sections. Familiarize yourself with the questions, scoring criteria, and best practices for each interview type. Consider practicing with a colleague to become comfortable with the flow and follow-up questions.

Q: Can I modify the questions in this guide?

A: While it's best to use the core questions as provided to ensure consistency across candidates, you can adapt follow-up questions based on the candidate's responses. If you need to change a core question, ensure it still aligns with the competencies being assessed. For alternative question ideas, you might find Yardstick's Contracts Manager Interview Questions helpful.

Q: How long should each interview take?

A: The duration can vary, but aim for:

Screening Interview: 20-30 minutes
Work Sample: 60-75 minutes (including preparation time)
Hiring Manager Interview: 45-60 minutes
Behavioral Competency Interviews: 45-60 minutes each

Allow extra time for candidate questions at the end of each session.

Q: What if a candidate doesn't have direct experience in contract management?

A: Focus on transferable skills and experiences. Look for candidates who have dealt with complex agreements, stakeholder management, or process improvement in other contexts. Use behavioral questions to assess their potential ability to handle contract management tasks.

Q: How should I use the scorecards?

A: Complete the scorecard immediately after each interview while your impressions are fresh. Be as objective as possible, using specific examples from the interview to justify your ratings. Avoid letting a strong impression in one area unduly influence your scoring in others.

Q: What if a candidate scores poorly in one area but excels in others?

A: Consider the relative importance of each competency to the role. A candidate might compensate for a weakness in one area with exceptional strength in others. Discuss these trade-offs during the debrief meeting to make a balanced decision.

Q: How can I ensure I'm giving all candidates a fair chance?

A: Stick to the structured interview format, asking all candidates the same core questions. Be aware of potential biases and focus on evaluating the candidate's responses and abilities rather than personal characteristics. Consider using a diverse interview panel to provide multiple perspectives.

Q: What should I do if I'm unsure about a candidate after the interviews?

A: Discuss your concerns during the debrief meeting. If needed, consider arranging an additional interview focused on specific areas of uncertainty. The reference checks can also be tailored to address any lingering questions about the candidate's abilities or fit.

Q: How can I make the work sample exercise most effective?

A: Ensure the candidate has clear instructions and adequate time to prepare. During the exercise, pay attention not just to the end result, but also to the candidate's thought process, communication skills, and how they handle feedback or unexpected challenges.

Q: What if a candidate asks for feedback during the interview process?

A: While it's generally best to avoid giving immediate feedback during the interview process, you can provide general information about next steps. If pressed, you might share high-level impressions, such as areas where their experience aligns well with the role, but avoid making commitments or sharing detailed evaluations.

For more guidance on conducting effective interviews, you might find these resources helpful:

Remember, this guide is a framework. As you become more comfortable with the process, you'll develop your own style while maintaining the structure that ensures fair and effective evaluations of all candidates.

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