Commercial Contract Manager

Holt Engineering; Old Holbrook; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable engineering firm in Horsham, West Sussex is seeking an experienced Commercial Contract Manager. This full-time, permanent role involves leading contract activities and advising various departments on commercial risks. The ideal candidate will have a proven background in negotiating contracts, particularly with government clients, and possess strong knowledge of the UK defence contracting environment. The position requires excellent stakeholder collaboration and a detail-oriented approach to ensure compliance throughout the contract lifecycle.

Benefits

Great Benefits

Qualifications

• Proven experience negotiating and managing contracts with government clients.
• Strong knowledge of UK defence contracting environments and contract law.
• Experience collaborating with international stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead contractual activities in the tender process.
• Advise departments on commercial risks.
• Review, negotiate, and approve various agreements.
• Draft and secure approval for agreements.
• Coordinate with legal counsel.
• Build relationships with stakeholders.
• Provide commercial guidance on tenders.
• Support the Supply Chain team.
• Advise on contract execution.
• Monitor contract progress and resolve disputes.
• Assess and mitigate contractual risks.

Skills

Negotiating and managing contracts

Knowledge of UK defence contracting

Stakeholder collaboration

Pragmatic risk mitigation

Attention to detail

Job description

Commercial Contract Manager

Horsham, West Sussex

£60,000 – £65,000

Great Benefits

An experienced Commercial Contract Manager is required to support the ongoing growth of a reputable business in Horsham, West Sussex. This is a full-time, permanent opportunity for a proven professional ready to work closely with major OEMs, government authorities, and internal teams to deliver robust commercial solutions and manage the full contract lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Lead contractual activities in the tender process, including preparing and negotiating contract responses.

Advise departments such as Sales, PMO, Supply Chain, and Engineering on commercial risks.

Review, negotiate, and approve various agreements (NDAs, Loan Agreements, MOUs, Supplier Declarations).

Draft and secure approval for agreements, ensuring compliance with due diligence policies.

Coordinate with legal counsel for non-standard clauses.

Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external customers.

Provide commercial guidance on tenders and contract terms.

Support the Supply Chain team in drafting and negotiating sub-contracts.

Advise Project Management on contract execution from order to closure.

Monitor contract progress and resolve potential disputes.

Assess and mitigate contractual risks, including enforcement of Variation of Price (VoP) clauses.

Drive continuous improvement and ensure compliance with processes and Distribution of Authority (DOA).

Support audit processes as required

Skills & Experience

Proven experience negotiating and managing contracts with major governmental or defence sector clients.

Strong knowledge of International and UK defence contracting environments, with a deep understanding of contract law, pricing, financing, and terms and conditions.

Experience collaborating with stakeholders across internal and external business boundaries, including international organisations.

Confident in communication and able to offer pragmatic risk mitigation strategies.

Highly motivated, with strong attention to detail and a team-oriented approach.

To find out more please reach out to Max Sinclair (url removed)