Contract Manager

Client of Talentmate

Job Description The role requires strong commercial acumen, legal awareness, and problem-solving skills to mitigate risks, resolve disputes, and maximise value.

This position is ideally suited for a detail-oriented, commercially minded professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is committed to strengthening contractual governance, building robust supplier relationships, and supporting long-term business resilience.

Key Accountabilities

• Contract Lifecycle Management
• Lead the drafting, review, negotiation, execution, and administration of supplier contracts and T&C s across all phases of the lifecycle.
• Ensure that contracts and T&C s are clear, enforceable, and aligned with company policies, compliance requirements, and strategic objectives.
• Maintain accurate records of contract documents, amendments, and correspondence to support governance and audit readiness.
• Proactively manage contract renewals, expirations, and terminations to avoid commercial or operational risk.
• Supplier Contract Governance
• Act as the primary point of contact for supplier-facing contractual matters within Supply Chain Management.
• Ensure suppliers understand and adhere to contractual obligations, including delivery, quality, compliance, and performance commitments.
• Monitor and manage supplier performance against contractual terms, escalating issues where required.
• Support Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) activities by ensuring contractual frameworks underpin effective performance monitoring and collaboration.
• Stakeholder Collaboration
• Partner closely with the Legal team to ensure contracts are compliant with applicable law and company risk management standards.
• Work with Supply Chain colleagues, Program teams, Finance, and Engineering to ensure contract terms and/or T&C s reflect business needs and deliver operational value.
• Provide contract-related guidance, training, and support to stakeholders across the organisation.
• Act as a trusted advisor, helping stakeholders balance risk, cost, and operational priorities through effective contractual solutions.
• Risk Management and Compliance
• Identify, assess, and mitigate commercial, operational, and legal risks within supplier contracts and T&C s.
• Ensure adherence to Export Control, ITAR/EAR, anti-bribery, data protection, and other relevant regulatory requirements.
• Support audits, compliance checks, and reporting requirements related to supplier contracts and T&C s.
• Develop and maintain risk registers and ensure high-risk suppliers are subject to enhanced monitoring and controls.
• Continuous Improvement and Reporting
• Contribute to the development of standardised contract templates, playbooks, and best practices for the SCM function.
• Drive process efficiency and governance improvements in contract management activities and provide training and support where required.
• Provide regular updates and reporting to SCM leadership on contract status, supplier compliance, risks, and opportunities.
• Support strategic initiatives (e.g., in-country value, localisation, or supplier development programmes) through contract design and execution.
  
  

Experience / Knowledge / Qualification

Qualifications:

Essential:

• Bachelor s degree in Law, Business, Supply Chain or related field.
• Professional contract management qualification (e.g. WorldCC/IACCM Contract & Commercial Management, Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) with contract modules, or similar recognised UK/International certification).
• Strong grounding in contract law, with knowledge of English law and international contracting standards
• Minimum of 5 8 years experience in contract negotiation and management within a complex organisation.
  
  

Preferred:

• Bachelor s or Master s degree in Law (LLB/LLM) with focus on commercial/contracts.
• Legal practice background with exposure to drafting and reviewing supplier-facing contracts.
• Advanced certifications in commercial/contract law (e.g. UK PGCert in Commercial & Contract Law, Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx), or similar).
  
  

Knowledge

• 7+ years experience in contract management, with a strong focus on drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and terms & conditions in a supply chain/procurement, supplier-facing environment.
• Proven ability to manage the full contract lifecycle, from negotiation and execution through to performance management, compliance, and renewal/close-out.
• Strong understanding of commercial and legal principles, including risk allocation, indemnities, warranties, liability, and remedies.
• Demonstrated experience in contract negotiation with suppliers, securing favourable commercial and operational outcomes.
• Familiarity with working in complex, regulated industries (Defence, Aerospace, Engineering, or similar).
• Knowledge of export control regulations, compliance requirements, and governance frameworks is highly desirable.
• Experience collaborating with Legal teams and other internal stakeholders to resolve contractual issues and ensure alignment with company policy.
• Proficiency in ERP systems (e.g. SAP) and contract management tools (e.g. SAP Ariba).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear and enforceable contractual language.
• Experience in fast-paced or start-up environments desirable, with the ability to establish structure and governance where required.
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills.