The 5 best contract management courses in 2024

Contract management courses are a great way to discover new tips and tricks for effective contract management. But which courses combine value for money with actionable knowledge?

This post compares five of the best contract management courses in 2024. Read on to find one that’s right for you. 

What are the best contract management courses in 2024? 

1. Commercial & Contract Management Certification Program

The Commercial & Contract Management Certification Program is a course run by the World Commerce & Contracting association (WCC). It covers each stage of the contract lifecycle in detail and uses formal exams and presentations to assess participants. 

Unlike most other contract management courses, all participants are expected to complete the pre-assessment before they can begin. This is because there are various different levels in the course: 

• Practitioner level 
• Advanced practitioner level 
• Expert

This approach is designed to ensure that practitioners complete all of the modules required to get them to the expert level, and so that experts can avoid repetition. 

What does the course cover? 

This is a comprehensive contract management course, covering everything from contract administration to procurement processes, negotiation tactics, and managing contractual disputes. 

Who is it designed for? 

This course is best-suited to contract specialists and contract managers. However, it would likely be useful to anyone that manages contracts as part of their role. There is also a more advanced version of the course available for experts, which makes it a great option for experienced members of the team too.

Length 

The length of this contract management course depends on your chosen learning method. 

Some people choose to complete the self-paced online version of the course. Others choose blended learning which combines self-paced online work with facilitated workshops. Whichever you choose, you will have access to the resources for 12 months in total. 

Location 

This course is completed virtually, so it can be completed from anywhere in the world. This makes it a flexible option for those that don’t want to commute to training sessions.  

Cost

Like most contract management courses, the cost of the training depends on your learning approach. If you select the self-paced version of the course, prices start from $995. But if you wish to join facilitated workshops, the price of the course starts from $1,195. 

2. The knowledge academy contract management training 

The knowledge academy’s contract management course focuses on teaching participants how to manage procurement contracts and vendor relationships more effectively. This sets it apart from other contract management courses that cover the management of contracts broadly and cover more contract types. 

The knowledge academy also offers contract negotiation courses that explore the contract negotiation process in much more detail. 

What does the course cover? 

This contract management course focuses on how to manage procurement contracts in particular. It’s a detailed course covering everything from the purpose of a contract to what the contract creation process looks like and how to manage them. 

Who is it designed for? 

This course is comprehensive, making it suitable for anyone interested in learning how to better manage procurement contracts and relationships. It begins with the fundamentals of a contract, like contractual elements, and it doesn’t have any prerequisites. This makes it a great option for beginners too. 

Length 

Again, the length of this contract management training depends on how you choose to complete it. If you wish to complete the course in a classroom or with an online instructor, it will take you two days to complete. 

But if you want more flexibility and wish to complete the course online at your own pace, it will take roughly 16 hours.

Location 

Like most courses offered by the knowledge academy, this course can be completed both in-person and online. This means you can choose a learning environment that works best for you. 

If you do choose to complete the course in person, you can participate in a variety of locations across the UK. 

Cost

The cost of this contract management course varies depending on how you choose to complete it. Online instructor-led sessions start from £1295. However, in-person sessions cost roughly £3995, making it one of the more expensive contract management training courses available. 

3. Contract Management: Building Relationships in Business

The Contract Management: Building Relationships in Business course is one of the most affordable contract management courses available. However, it is an introductory course, so it may not be suitable if you’re looking for something more advanced. 

But it is still widely recognized. The contract management training is hosted on FutureLearn and runs through a partnership between the University of Southampton and the WCC. It is also endorsed by the Crown Commercial Service. 

What does the course cover?

This contract management training starts by covering the basics of commercial relationships, the rules and laws that govern transactions, and why contracts exist.

As the course progresses, you’ll be taught valuable contract negotiation strategies and given practical advice on how to manage contract risk. It also covers the benefits of simplifying your contracts and the basic principles of contract design. 

Who is it designed for? 

This contract management course is ideal for beginners. However, independent reviews suggest that it is often completed (and found useful) by business managers, procurement professionals, and contract managers. 

Length 

This contract management course is self-paced. However, the weekly study time expected is three hours, and the course lasts for three weeks. This means that it takes roughly nine hours to complete. This makes it one of the shorter training sessions available. 

Location 

Although this course is hosted by the University of Southampton, it is taught online. This means that you can complete it from anywhere in the world. 

Cost

This contract management course can actually be completed for free. However, if you want to receive a certificate of completion, you’ll need to pay a small fee of £72. Alternatively, you could subscribe to FutureLearn’s most advanced plan which costs £19.99 per month and gives you unlimited access to a variety of courses. 

Either way, this contract management training is one of the most affordable on the market and great for those seeking to learn on a budget. 

4. CIPFA diploma in contract management 

The CIPFA diploma in contract management is an accredited training course that teaches both theory and best practices. It’s also one of the most time-consuming courses to complete. 

What’s different about this contract management training is that it focuses on contracts created between public bodies and private organizations. This means it’s designed for staff in central government, local government, and other governmental departments. 

What does the course cover? 

This course is a comprehensive course on how to manage public sector contracts. It covers an introduction to contract management, common contract management mistakes, negotiation skills, and even how to approach contract termination. 

Who is it designed for? 

As we mentioned, this course is designed for government professionals since it goes into a lot of detail about the types of contracts they will manage.

But it is suitable for a variety of levels as it can be completed by new staff with contract management responsibilities or more experienced staff that want to brush up on their approach to managing contracts. 

Length 

The CIPFA contract management course is one of the longest courses available, and it is completed over a nine-month period. During this time, participants spend eight days in classroom learning sessions and will be tasked with roughly 80 hours of additional work to complete. 

Location 

This contract management training can be completed virtually or in person in sessions across the UK. The course can also be completed in-house if you’d like your team to complete it together. 

Cost

The price of this contract management course is £2,990 plus VAT. However, there is a 10% discount available for CIPFA members or those that are members of CIPFA’s Procurement and Commissioning Network. This makes it one of the more expensive courses available. 

5. The Role and Responsibilities of the Contracts Manager

The role and responsibilities of the contracts manager course is a two-day, interactive course that gives individuals the tools they need to read, review and implement a contract successfully. 

The course mostly focuses on managing contracts post-signature, rather than pre-signature. This means that it discusses how to manage executed contracts and ensure contract compliance. 

What does the course cover? 

As we just mentioned, this contract management course focuses mostly on post-signature contract processes. This includes understanding contractual obligations, communicating them to stakeholders, and monitoring compliance with contract terms. 

This is distinct from other contract management courses that cover negotiation and drafting, too. 

Who is it designed for? 

The course is designed for contract managers and contract administrators seeking to manage contracts and reduce risk more efficiently.

Length 

This contract management training takes two days to complete, with course dates every few months. This is similar to most other courses on the market. 

Location 

The course is delivered online, which means it can be completed from anywhere. This is great for individuals who need flexibility, but it may not be suitable for those that prefer in-person teaching and sessions. 

Cost

This course starts from £799 for the two days. This makes it one of the cheaper contract management courses on the market. 

How to choose a contract management course

There are too many contract management courses to cover them all in this guide. Luckily, that means there’s plenty to choose from. But which is right for you? 

When comparing the different courses, it’s worth considering the following things: 

• Budget. Contract management courses can vary significantly in price, so it’s important to find a course that fits your budget, or the budget set out by your employer if they’re expensing it. 

• Experience. It’s important to find a contract management course that is taught at the right level for you. If you’re an experienced contract manager looking to learn more, a beginner's course may not be right for you, for example. 

• Location. Some courses are taught in person, others are completed virtually. If you are choosing an in-person course, it’s important to check where that course is hosted and how convenient it is for you to get there. 

• Certification. There’s no universal certification needed to become a contract manager. However, certain employers may prefer for their employees to receive a certificate of some sort. This is something to consider when choosing a course since not all courses offer this. 

• Time commitment. Some courses take a few hours. Others take months. It’s worth considering how much time you’re willing to commit to a course when choosing one. 

• Specialism. Lots of contract management courses focus on procurement contracts. But these options might not be suitable if you’re managing a variety of contracts, not just procurement ones.

Need help managing contracts?

Taking a course isn’t the only way to make contract management more efficient for your business. You could also consider implementing contract management software. 

To find out how contract management software enables fast-growing businesses to reduce contract admin and manage contracts more effectively, check out our case studies. 

If you’d like to find out more about how contract management software could help your business, fill in the form below to talk to a specialist.