Contracts Manager

Safran; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A multinational aerospace company in the UK is seeking a Contract Manager to oversee the management of contracts across engineering and manufacturing operations. The successful candidate will draft and negotiate various commercial contracts, assess risks, ensure compliance with relevant standards, and lead training on contract awareness. Strong experience in contract management and excellent communication skills are essential for this role.

Qualifications

• Background in contract management or commercial management within engineering or manufacturing.
• Proven ability to negotiate terms across various agreements.
• Strong communication and ability to influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate various commercial contracts.
• Assess contractual risks and advise leadership.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and company policies.
• Manage contract change control and performance tracking.
• Provide training on contract awareness.

Skills

Contract management

Commercial management

Excellent communication

Stakeholder management

Negotiation skills

Organizational skills

Job description

Overview

Safran is an international high-technology group operating in aviation, defense and space markets. It aims to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran Electronics & Defense offers onboard intelligence solutions to help understand the environment, reduce mental load, and guarantee a trajectory in critical situations. The company leverages the expertise of its 13,000 employees toward observe, decide and guide across civil and military markets.

What does the role look like?

We are looking for a commercially minded Contract Manager to oversee and strengthen how we manage contracts across our engineering and manufacturing operations. This role works closely with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Quality to ensure every agreement we enter supports commercial goals, protects our position, and enables smooth delivery to customers.

You’ll be at the centre of our commercial decision-making: reviewing and drafting supplier and customer contracts, managing risk, and driving consistency across the business.

What will your day-to-day responsibilities look like?

• Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commercial contracts including supply, manufacturing, service, and customer agreements.
• Assess contractual risks and liabilities, advising the leadership team on commercial and operational implications.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, industry standards, and company policies.
• Support engineering and project teams in interpreting contract requirements and managing deliverables.
• Lead contract reviews during bid and proposal stages - ensuring terms, pricing, and obligations align with business strategy.
• Manage contract change control, extensions, renewals, and performance tracking.
• Maintain an organised contract repository and ensure accurate version control.
• Develop and implement standard contract templates and approval workflows.
• Collaborate with legal advisors on complex or high-value negotiations.
• Provide training and guidance to managers and project leads on contract awareness and risk management.

What will you bring to the role?

• Essential skills:
  • Background in contract management, commercial management, procurement, or legal within an engineering or manufacturing environment.
  • Proven ability to interpret and negotiate terms across customer, supplier, and subcontractor agreements.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills - able to challenge constructively and influence at all levels.
• Desirable skills:
  • Understanding of supply chain, project delivery, and commercial frameworks.
  • Experience with international contracts, including familiarity with U.S. regulations (ITAR, EAR) and knowledge of UK contract law and industry frameworks (NEC, JCT, or customer-specific terms).
  • Confident negotiating with suppliers, customers, and legal representatives.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain contractual positions clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
  • Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  • Skilled at balancing commercial pragmatism with risk control – knowing when to challenge and when to compromise.