Contract Manager

James Adams; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

James Adams is seeking a skilled commercial contract manager to own contract lifecycles, review, draft and negotiate agreements, NDAs and amendments. The role involves identifying risks, advising senior leaders, and maintaining strong customer relationships across cross-functional teams.

You will challenge terms when needed, coordinate with legal and finance to ensure timely delivery, and drive compliance with UK and international requirements while protecting commercial interests.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in commercial contract management and contract law.
• Strong drafting and reviewing abilities for contracts, NDAs and amendments.
• Excellent negotiation and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage existing customer contracts throughout their lifecycle.
• Review, draft, revise and negotiate contracts and related documents.
• Identify risks and provide clear recommendations to leaders.
• Negotiate terms while protecting commercial interests.
• Collaborate with legal, finance and procurement teams.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Maintain audit trails and contract records.

Skills

Contract management

Contract law

Negotiation

Risk assessment

Stakeholder management

Education

Law degree or related discipline

Job description

We’re excited to be partnering with a successful, well-established organisation that offers genuine career development, long-term stability and the opportunity to grow within a supportive international business.

This is an exciting opportunity to...

Take ownership of a varied portfolio of commercial contracts, supporting them throughout their lifecycle and ensuring the organisation remains commercially and legally protected. You will review, draft and negotiate contractual terms, manage existing agreements, resolve commercial issues and build strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.

This is a highly visible position that will suit someone confident enough to challenge contractual terms, push back when required and drive agreements forward while maintaining positive customer relationships.

Responsibilities

• Manage existing customer contracts throughout their lifecycle, ensuring all contractual obligations, deadlines and commercial requirements are understood and met.
• Review, draft, revise and negotiate contracts, terms and conditions, NDAs, amendments and other commercial documentation.
• Identify contractual and commercial risks, providing clear advice and recommendations to senior leaders and internal teams.
• Negotiate terms with customers while protecting the organisation’s commercial interests and maintaining strong working relationships.
• Challenge unfavourable terms and confidently push back on contractual requests where appropriate.
• Review customer purchase orders against existing framework agreements and long-term agreements.
• Support the management of contractual matters relating to pricing, indexation, delivery obligations and late-delivery penalties.
• Investigate and resolve contractual claims, disputes and escalations by gathering and analysing the relevant information.
• Monitor contract performance and recommend amendments, extensions or corrective actions where required.
• Work closely with operations, finance, procurement and legal teams to understand delivery challenges and resolve customer issues.
• Maintain accurate contract records and a clear audit trail of changes, negotiations and approvals.
• Support compliance with UK and international contractual, regulatory and data-protection requirements.
• Act as a trusted commercial point of contact for both customers and internal stakeholders.

What we are looking for

• Previous experience in commercial contract management, contract law or a similar commercially focused role.
• Strong experience reviewing and drafting contracts, terms and conditions, amendments, NDAs and commercial correspondence.
• Proven negotiation skills, including the confidence to challenge terms and push back professionally when they present an unacceptable level of risk.
• A sound understanding of contract law, legal terminology and the commercial implications of contractual clauses.
• Experience identifying and assessing contractual, legal and commercial risk.
• Strong customer relationship-building skills, with the ability to protect commercial interests while maintaining constructive partnerships.
• Experience managing contractual disputes, claims, escalations or performance issues.
• The ability to explain complex contractual matters clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills and excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to manage multiple contracts and competing deadlines effectively.
• Confidence working cross-functionally with commercial, legal, finance, procurement and operational teams.
• A degree in Law, Business, Finance or a related discipline, or a relevant professional qualification, would be advantageous.