Manager, Contract Excellence & AI Enablement

Manager, Contract Excellence & AI Enablement Description & Requirements Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate. The opportunity: Smurfit WestRock is seeking a Manager, Contract Excellence & AI Enablement to lead the evolution of our Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) capability into a best-in-class, data-driven, and AI-enabled operating model. This role will serve as a strategic partner to Procurement, Legal, Finance, Risk Management, and IT to drive contract governance, process excellence, AI adoption, commercial risk management, and capability development across the enterprise. The successful candidate will help transform contracting from a transactional support function into a scalable business capability that enables category managers to independently manage standard agreements, accelerate contract execution, improve compliance, and reduce dependency on legal review through standardized playbooks, automation, analytics, and AI-enabled tools. This role will be instrumental in advancing Smurfit WestRock’s CLM roadmap by integrating people, processes, systems, data, and technology into a cohesive contract management ecosystem. How you will impact Smurfit Westrock: Contract Excellence & Governance Lead the development, deployment, and continuous improvement of procurement contracting standards, policies, and governance frameworks. Establish and maintain contract lifecycle management playbooks, procedures, decision trees, and escalation protocols. Define and monitor contract performance metrics, compliance standards, and operational KPIs. Partner with Legal to establish risk-based contracting models and clearly defined escalation criteria. Drive consistency across contracting processes, templates, approvals, and documentation practices. Contract Operations & Commercial Risk Management Support drafting, review, negotiation, and execution of commercial agreements, including: Capital equipment Construction services Professional services General services Maintenance and operational support agreements Ensure contracts appropriately address: Performance guarantees Warranty protections Indemnification Liability allocation Insurance requirements Supplier performance expectations Develop frameworks that proactively mitigate supplier and commercial risk. Provide contracting guidance and commercial support to sourcing, category management, and business stakeholders. AI Enablement & Contract Automation Partner with Procurement, Legal, and IT to identify and implement AI-enabled contracting solutions. Support deployment of AI-assisted contract intake, clause analysis, redlining, risk detection, and contract intelligence capabilities. Drive adoption of AI-enabled workflows and ensure alignment with governance requirements. Monitor effectiveness, utilization, and business value generated from AI-enabled contracting solutions. Identify opportunities to automate low-risk and repetitive contracting activities. Establish and maintain contract intelligence reporting and dashboard capabilities. Analyze contract cycle times, approval bottlenecks, deviation trends, escalation patterns, and compliance metrics. Develop insights that improve contracting efficiency, risk management, and supplier performance outcomes. Support integration of contract data with supplier risk, procurement, and performance management programs. Utilize analytics to drive continuous improvement initiatives and strategic decision-making. Procurement Capability Development Lead development and maintenance of the Procurement Contracting Academy. Design and deliver training programs focused on: Contract fundamentals Commercial negotiations Risk identification Template utilization Contract ownership responsibilities AI-enabled contracting tools Coach category managers and sourcing professionals to increase contracting self-sufficiency and commercial acumen. Develop knowledge management resources, playbooks, and self-service guidance tools. Cross-Functional Leadership Partner closely with Procurement, Legal, Finance, Compliance, Internal Audit, and IT. Participate in CLM governance committees and transformation initiatives. Support enterprise-wide contract management, compliance, and digital transformation objectives. Serve as a trusted advisor on contracting strategy, commercial risk allocation, and process optimization. What you need to succeed: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Legal Studies, Engineering, or a related field. 7+ years of experience in commercial contract management, procurement contracting, sourcing, supplier risk management, or contract operations. Strong understanding of: Commercial contracting Risk allocation Indemnification Warranty and performance guarantees Supplier governance Experience supporting contract negotiations and cross-functional business stakeholders. Experience working with Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platforms such as Icertis, SAP Ariba, Coupa, or equivalent. Strong analytical, communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills. Demonstrated ability to lead process improvement and change management initiatives. Preferred Qualifications: Experience implementing or supporting AI-enabled contract management solutions. Experience developing contract playbooks, governance frameworks, and training programs. Knowledge of construction, engineering, industrial services, and capital equipment contracting. Experience with contract analytics, dashboard development, and business intelligence tools. Certification in Contract Management, Procurement, Supply Chain, or Project Management. Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Smurfit-Westrock