Senior Contract Manager

Court Services Victoria; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Hybrid/Remote work options

Parental leave

Job summary

Court Services Victoria is seeking a Senior Contract Manager to lead the strategic management of a portfolio of high-value contracts, ensuring delivery of outcomes and value for money. You will advise senior leaders on complex commercial matters and guide negotiations and governance across the contract lifecycle.

The role focuses on managing risks, driving supplier performance, and building collaborative relationships with key stakeholders to support Court Services Victoria’s objectives within

Qualifications

• Experience managing high-value, high-risk contracts.
• Strong understanding of Victorian Government procurement principles.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders to achieve organisational objectives.
• Public sector environment experience highly regarded.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic management of a high-value, high-risk contract portfolio and ensure obligations are met.
• Develop and implement contract management strategies with authoritative commercial advice.
• Lead complex negotiations, variations, disputes and supplier performance initiatives.
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities with mitigation strategies.
• Establish and maintain strategic supplier relationships and governance.
• Partner on category strategies, procurement planning and sourcing for significant contracts.

Skills

Contract management

Commercial negotiations

Supplier relationship management

Risk assessment

Stakeholder influencing

Education

Tertiary qualification in Business Management

Technical qualification

Extensive equivalent experience

Job description

Court Services Victoria provides corporate services and facilities to support the performance of the judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative functions of Victoria's courts and tribunal, Judicial College and Judicial Commission.

Collectively, Victoria's Supreme, County, Magistrates', Children's, and Coroners courts, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), the Judicial College of Victoria, the Judicial Commission of Victoria, and Court Services Victoria (CSV) are referred to as the ‘Courts Group'.

Our people enable the Courts Group to deliver on each jurisdiction's own strategic priorities while also pursuing strategic opportunities that are interconnected and deliver benefits more broadly.

CSV Corporate

CSV Corporate Court Services Victoria provides corporate services and facilities to support the performance of the judicial, quasi-judicial and administrative functions of Victoria's courts and tribunal, Judicial College and Judicial Commission. This includes finance, people and culture, procurement, communications, and strategy services. CSV Corporate also manages buildings, security, and infrastructure for court locations across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Our people enable the Courts Group to deliver on each jurisdiction's own strategic priorities while also pursuing strategic opportunities that are interconnected and deliver benefits more broadly.

About the role

The Senior Contract Manager is responsible for leading the strategic management of a portfolio of high-value, high-risk and business-critical contracts, ensuring suppliers deliver agreed outcomes, commercial risks are effectively managed, and contracts continue to provide value for money and support organisational objectives.

Working in partnership with business owners, contract users and suppliers, the role provides expert commercial and contract management advice across the contract lifecycle. The role leads complex commercial negotiations, resolves contractual issues and disputes, and identifies opportunities to improve supplier performance, governance and service delivery.

Key accountabilities include:

• Leading the strategic management of a high-value and high-risk portfolio, including managing business-critical contracts throughout the contract lifecycle, ensuring contractual obligations are met, commercial risks are managed, suppliers deliver agreed outcomes and organisational objectives are achieved.
• Developing and implementing contract management strategies and providing authoritative commercial advice to senior leaders, business owners and stakeholders on complex contractual, commercial, supplier performance and risk matters, supporting informed decision-making.
• Leading complex commercial negotiations, contract variations, dispute resolution and supplier performance initiatives, protecting organisational interests and achieving sustainable commercial and operational outcomes.
• Identifying emerging commercial or service risks and opportunities, developing mitigation strategies and recommendations to support effective risk management and organisational outcomes.
• Establishing and maintaining strategic relationships with key suppliers and stakeholders, leading executive‑level governance and performance reviews, fostering collaborative partnerships and ensuring appropriate governance, accountability and performance.
• Partnering with the Senior Commercial Manager on category strategies, procurement planning and sourcing activities for strategically significant contracts, providing expert commercial, market and risk insights and overseeing contract transition, implementation and mobilisation.

Please refer to the attached position description for further details.

About you

You will have proven expertise in managing high-value, high-risk contracts, leading strategic supplier relationships, and delivering commercial outcomes within complex organisations.

You will hold strong commercial acumen with the ability to assess contractual risks, resolve complex performance and contract issues, lead significant procurement activities, and influence senior stakeholders to achieve organisational objectives.

Pre-requisites:

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Business Management, technical qualification or extensive equivalent experience.
• 7-10 years' experience in contract management, with strong working knowledge of Victorian Government procurement principles, policies and practices and management of contract frameworks preferably developed within a public‑sector environment is highly regarded.

Why work at Court Services Victoria

• Purpose & Public Impact
• Work that contributes to the wellbeing of Victorians and the public good
• Strong alignment with public service motivation and meaningful work
• Flexible & Modern Work
• Flexible hours, hybrid and remote work options
• Leave provisions (including purchased leave and generous parental leave)
• Access to learning, leadership development, and internal mobility across the VPS
• Opportunities to build broad, transferable public sector capability
• Strong commitment to VPS values, integrity, and accountability
• Emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion, and psychological safety

Other information

CSV is the employer of staff at Courts Group. CSV has a firm commitment through its Koori Employment Plan to increase participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across our workforce.

We value the unique backgrounds, experiences, and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity. Those from the LGBTQIA+ community, women, people of all ages, with disabilities, culturally and linguistically diverse people, and those who are neurodiverse, are encouraged to apply.

We aim to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to email the contact person listed in the advertisement.

As part of our commitment to a safe and respectful workplace, CSV conduct pre‑employment checks, including reference checks, police checks and misconduct screening. These checks are handled confidentially, with care and are a standard part of our hiring process to ensure the right fit for both candidates and Court Services Victoria.