Contracts Manager

Jonathan Lee; Highweek; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Jonathan Lee Recruitment is assisting a client in Devon to appoint an experienced Contracts Manager. You will lead contract review, drafting, negotiation and risk management for international sales and maintenance projects across the UK and overseas.

Collaborating with Sales, Projects, Customer Support and external lawyers, you will protect the company’s commercial position while ensuring compliant, commercially balanced agreements. Regular international travel across Europe is required.

Qualifications

• Experience as Contracts Manager or similar in engineering/manufacturing.
• Strong experience reviewing, drafting, negotiating or managing commercial contracts.
• Good knowledge of English contract law and the UK legal system.
• Proven ability to identify, assess and mitigate contractual and commercial risk.
• Strong written and verbal communication, together with excellent negotiation and analytical skills.
• Ability to understand complex contractual documentation and recommend practical, commercially balanced amendments.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills across Sales, Projects, Customer Support and senior management.
• Willingness to undertake regular international travel.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, negotiate and administer commercial contracts for international sales and aftermarket activities.
• Draft, develop and maintain standard commercial contracts and documentation.
• Review customer contracts, terms and conditions and proposed amendments.
• Support Sales with contract negotiation and risk management.
• Identify, assess and mitigate contractual and commercial risks.
• Advise on obligations, liabilities, warranties and other terms.
• Liaise with UK and overseas lawyers as required.
• Collaborate with Customer Support on maintenance contracts.
• Support Projects to deliver contractual obligations and variations.
• Assist with guarantees and payment documentation.

Skills

Contract management

Negotiation

Risk management

Stakeholder management

English contract law

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Contracts Manager

Location: Newton Abbot, Devon
Salary: Competitive Salary + Benefits
Travel: Regular international travel, including Europe

Overview:

We are currently recruiting on behalf of our client for an experienced Contracts Manager with strong experience in contract review, negotiation and risk management, to work for our client to provide commercial and contractual support across its sales, projects and customer support activities.

This is a varied role working closely with Sales, Projects, Customer Support, senior management and external legal advisers, helping to protect the company's commercial position while supporting the delivery of complex engineering projects and long-term maintenance contracts in the UK and overseas.

The role:

• As Contracts Manager, you'll be responsible for the preparation, review, negotiation and administration of commercial contracts supporting international sales and aftermarket activities.
• Drafting, developing and maintaining standard commercial contracts and contractual documentation.
• Reviewing and critically analysing customer contracts, terms and conditions and proposed amendments.
• Supporting the Sales team with contract negotiation, contract review and commercial risk management.
• Identifying, assessing and mitigating contractual and commercial risks.
• Advising colleagues on contractual obligations, liabilities, warranties, guarantees and other commercial terms.
• Liaising with and instructing UK and overseas lawyers and external legal advisers where required.
• Working with Customer Support in relation to maintenance and service contracts.
• Working with the Projects team to support the effective delivery of contractual obligations, variations and dispute resolution.
• Supporting the administration and review of international contracts and commercial agreements.
• Assisting with documentation relating to advance payment, performance and warranty bank guarantees.
• Providing contractual and commercial advice to senior management and Directors on an ad hoc basis.
• Representing the business professionally when dealing with customers, suppliers, lawyers and other external stakeholders.

Person Specification:

• We're looking for an experienced contracts or commercial professional who can combine strong contractual knowledge with sound commercial judgement.

Essential experience and skills:

• Experience as a Contracts Manager, Commercial Contracts Manager, Contract Manager, Commercial Manager, Project Manager, Contract Specialist or similar.
• Strong experience of reviewing, drafting, negotiating or managing commercial contracts.
• Good knowledge of English contract law and the UK legal system.
• Proven experience identifying, assessing and mitigating contractual and commercial risk.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, together with excellent negotiation and analytical skills.
• Ability to understand complex contractual documentation and recommend practical, commercially balanced amendments.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills and the confidence to work with Sales, Projects, Customer Support, senior management and external lawyers.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure, manage competing priorities and escalation matters appropriately.
• Good IT skills, particularly Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Willingness and ability to undertake regular international travel, sometimes at short notice.

Desirable experience:

• The following would be advantageous, although not essential:
• Experience within engineering, manufacturing, construction, energy, utilities, power generation or infrastructure.
• Previous experience with gas turbines, CHP (Combined Heat and Power) or industrial power-generation equipment.
• Experience managing international or European commercial contracts.

  Desirable experience:

  • Knowledge of European legal systems, particularly French, German or Italian contract law/civil codes.
  • Experience with bank guarantees, including advance payment, performance and warranty guarantees.
  • Experience working with long-term maintenance, service or aftermarket contracts.
  • Experience supporting complex engineering or technical projects.

  Apply if:

  You’ll be someone who enjoys getting into the detail of a contract while understanding the wider commercial picture.

  Enjoys challenging contractual terms, negotiating sensible amendments and explaining potential risks to non-legal colleagues. You’ll also understand that effective contract management is about enabling the business to achieve its objectives while managing commercial and contractual risk.

  You have a strong contracts or commercial experience gained in engineering, manufacturing, construction, energy, power generation, infrastructure, industrial or other technical environments.