Commercial Contracts Manager - Armed Forces Recruitment (AFR) Contract

Serco Group plc; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading public services provider in Bristol is seeking an experienced Commercial Contracts Manager for the Armed Forces Recruitment contract. This pivotal role involves managing partner relationships, negotiating contracts, and ensuring compliance. The ideal candidate should have substantial experience in commercial contracts, excellent negotiation skills, and a background in public sector or defence contracts. This role offers a hybrid working model, competitive benefits, and a chance to make a significant impact.

Benefits

Company car / £4200 cash alternative

Private healthcare

Bonus scheme of up to 20%

Flexible working considered

Pension - 6%

Career development training

Employee Assistance Programme

Discounts on various services

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in a commercial contracts role within a large organisation.
• Proven experience managing complex subcontracts or partner relationships.
• Experience working with public sector or defence contracts is desirable.
• Integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to ethical business conduct.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted commercial advisor to the AFR team.
• Lead negotiations and resolve key contractual issues.
• Manage and review partner contracts.
• Support contract change management.
• Collaborate with MoD customer representatives.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve contract performance.

Skills

Commercial contract management

Negotiation skills

Analytical mindset

Risk management

Communication skills

Job description

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Commercial Contracts Manager - Armed Forces Recruitment (AFR) Contract
Hybrid - MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol

Full Time, Permanent
Band 2

At Serco, we're trusted to deliver critical public services - supporting governments and defence partners around the world. Our work on the Armed Forces Recruitment (AFR) contract represents one of the largest mobilisations of its kind across the UK and Europe - the first time the Ministry of Defence has outsourced recruitment for the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force. It's a complex, high-impact programme that depends on strong commercial leadership, collaboration, and innovative thinking.

We're now looking for an experienced Commercial Contracts Manager to join our UK Defence Business Unit and play a pivotal role in ensuring the successful delivery of this groundbreaking contract.

You’ll provide expert commercial and contractual support to the AFR contract team, with a particular focus on managing Serco's relationships and contracts with six key delivery partners. Your insight and expertise will help balance performance, compliance, and risk - enabling successful outcomes for Serco, the MoD, and our delivery partners.

As part of this you'll:

• Act as a trusted commercial advisor to the AFR team, providing proactive, high-quality commercial contracts expertise.
• Lead negotiations and resolve key contractual issues with Serco's delivery partners - ensuring value creation and risk management.
• Manage and review partner contracts, including interpretation, risk assessment, and compliance with prime contract flow‑downs.
• Support contract change management - preparing documentation, ensuring appropriate governance, and liaising with legal, finance, and insurance teams.
• Collaborate with MoD customer representatives on contractual matters to maintain strong, transparent relationships.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve contract performance and drive continuous improvement.
• Escalate and coordinate resolution of disputes in partnership with the Legal team where required.
• Contribute to assurance, review, and governance processes across the AFR Contract and the wider Defence Business Unit.

What you'll need to do the role:

• Substantial experience in a commercial contracts role within a large organisation.
• Proven experience managing complex subcontracts or partner relationships.
• Strong understanding of commercial contract management and risk allocation, particularly in a prime contractor environment.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills - able to maintain firm, fair and trusted relationships.
• Strategic and analytical mindset, balancing commercial, technical and legal considerations.
• A collaborative, inclusive, and pragmatic approach - capable of thriving in a fast‑paced and evolving environment.
• Integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to ethical business conduct.
• Experience working with public sector or defence contracts (particularly with the UK MoD) is desirable.
• SC clearance or the ability to achieve it.

What we offer:

• Company car / £4200 cash alternative
• Private healthcare
• Bonus scheme of up to 20%
• Flexible working considered
• Pension - 6%
• Chance to contribute to innovation in the public services
• A company passionate about diversity and inclusion
• Serco discounts which include cinema, merlin entertainment and online shopping discounts, and discounts on mobile phone plans and leisure centre memberships.
• A range of benefits to support the health and wellbeing of you and your family such as Employee Assistance Programme, Simply Health Cash Plans, and more.
• A wealth of career development training to suit your future aspirations. These range from role specific training, leadership coaching, formal study and much more to support you to build your career with Serco.
• A safe and supportive culture.

All Serco employees must ensure that their current line manager is aware of their application. For confidential enquiries please contact MyHR. Serco are Disability Confident Leader employers and are committed to employing and retaining people with disabilities. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview. For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.