Contract Manager

Computacenter; Hatfield; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Computacenter in Hatfield, UK, seeks a Contract Manager to own in-life contracts for key accounts within the group legal and compliance function, ensuring changes to service requirements, SLAs, and charges are managed to mitigate risk and protect profitability.

You will interpret contracts, support project contracting, and act as a trusted adviser to Service & Account Management teams. The role covers dispute handling, negotiations and client-facing activities, with travel as required.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing large and complex contracts.
• Good drafting capability and attention to detail.
• Ability to operate with senior management and escalate as needed.
• Understanding of managed service commercials and related finance concepts.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain contractual and commercial control documentation (e.g. Contract Calendar; Change Control Log; W@R Register).
• Obligations management: track key customer and supplier obligations.
• Ensure charging, relief and change control are operated per contract and policy.
• Draft complex CCNs and updated conformed contracts and financial models as required.
• Be the principal contact for sales and operational teams on contract issues; escalate to legal advisers.
• Interface with customers and internal departments to understand changes and negotiate terms.

Skills

Contract management experience

Drafting contracts

Negotiation

IT services knowledge

Stakeholder communication

Travel willingness

Job description

Placed within our contract management team (as part of our group legal and compliance function), a Contract Manager will be responsible for the in-life contract management of one or more key accounts for Computacenter; ensuring any change to service requirements, service levels, charges, and other contractual parameters are managed effectively to mitigate risk, and to maintain / grow account profitability.

Working as a Contract Manager you will be involved in matters of contract interpretation, assurance of project contracting and will be seen as a trusted advisor, working in collaboration with the Service & Account Management functions.

In this capacity a Contract Manager will become heavily involved in managing and handling disputes and negotiations, with the intent of ensuring a positive outcome for Computacenter.

You will need to bring problem solving skills, knowledge of contracts and the ability to draft and review contractual terms, knowledge of IT services and proven relevant experience in previous roles to succeed in this role.

Contract Managers are a key conduit for the Service & Account Management teams into the legal function and are therefore also client facing, and there will be a requirement for travel as a result (which is client dependent).

What you’ll do

• Create and maintain relevant contractual and commercial control documentation (e.g. Contract Calendar; Change Control Log, W@R Register etc); with the assistance of the assigned Legal Adviser as appropriate
• Obligations Management: tracking of key customer and supplier obligations required to be fulfilled
• Ensure Charging, Relief and Change Control and other key contract and commercial mechanisms are operated in accordance with the contract and the Change Policy
• Draft Complex CCNs and other ancillary contract documentation such as updated conformed contracts and Financial Models as required by the terms of the Contract
• Act as the principle contact for sales and operational teams on contract issues and single point of contact for escalation to legal advisers
• Act as a trusted adviser to sales and operational teams to assist in delivering contractual obligations and to assist in identifying commercial and contractual solutions to in life issues
• Interface with Customers and internal departments to understand Contract Change / and additional service requirements and negotiate certain contract terms
• Liaise with and escalation to relevant Group area for policy queries and act as a subject matter expert in managing the contract in accordance with appropriate Company Policies e.g. Commercial Policy
• Implementation of best practice regarding Deal Risk: i.e. pro-active monitoring of key risks identified at bid stage and ensuring risks are identified, tracked and reviewed on a regular basis by the Account Team
• Provide accurate feedback with assigned Legal Adviser to pre-sales functions regarding deviation from modelled solutions and issues in contract operation

What you’ll need

• Proven experience managing large and complex contracts
• Good standard of drafting capability
• Ability to work within senior teams and advise and escal as appropriate
• Ability to understand and manage complex risks and issues
• Good communication skills and ability to operate across different levels of management and senior management
• Understanding of managed service commercials including P&L, Balance Sheet and associated internal finance systems
• Excellent Project Management and planning skills on major contract negotiation
• Experience of dispute resolution
• "Can do" attitude to problem solving within team dynamic
• Work closely and collaboratively with the assigned legal adviser.