Principal Commercial Contracts Officer

Henderson Scott; Guildford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Principal Commercial Contracts Manager in Guildford to manage complex contracts and contribute to business growth. The ideal candidate will have strong negotiation skills, extensive commercial knowledge, and a proven ability to influence stakeholders in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. This position offers the opportunity to support innovative defense programs and drive functional excellence across the organization.

Qualifications

• Experience managing high-value contracts and leading negotiations.
• Familiarity with import/export regulations and aerospace/defense standards.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead business-winning activities and complex contract negotiations.
• Manage contract delivery, including change control and performance tracking.
• Serve as the primary commercial interface for stakeholders.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Stakeholder engagement

Commercial knowledge

Tools

SAP

Job description

Position Available: Principal Commercial Contracts Manager

Location: Hertfordshire

Experience needed: We're looking for a senior commercial professional with proven experience managing high-value, complex contracts within a complex environment, and the ability to lead negotiations, influence cross-functional teams, and support business growth through sound commercial strategy.

About the role:

An excellent opportunity has opened to join a fast-paced and motivated Commercial team as a Principal Commercial Officer, supporting early-phase defence innovation and the full lifecycle of key programmes.

In this role, you'll be instrumental in securing and delivering high-profile contracts and agreements, managing commercial risks, leading stakeholder engagement, and driving functional excellence. You'll work across the business to influence bid activity, contract negotiation, customer relationships, and compliance - helping shape strategic outcomes and win new business.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as a key contributor to business-winning activities, including bid development, proposal generation, and customer negotiation
• Lead or support complex contract negotiations to ensure optimal outcomes and contractual compliance
• Manage contract delivery, change control, and performance tracking across your portfolio
• Serve as the primary commercial interface for internal and external stakeholders, including reporting to senior leadership
• Represent the Commercial function in reviews, customer meetings, and programme discussions
• Champion best practice in commercial governance, process improvement, and stakeholder communication
• Manage and maintain commercial systems (e.g., SAP), ensuring data accuracy and compliance
• Identify and mitigate commercial risks, including liabilities, IP, and regulatory considerations
• Apply commercial knowledge across areas such as pricing models, contract law, export controls, and licensing

What we need from you:

• Strong negotiation skills with a track record of managing high-value, complex contracts
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement abilities at all levels
• Broad commercial knowledge across contract law, IP, liabilities, and compliance
• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate across functions in a high-pressure environment
• Sound judgement in identifying risks and proposing effective mitigation strategies
• Familiarity with Import/Export regulations, licensing, and aerospace/defence industry standards
• Proficient in SAP and other commercial/business tools
• Process-minded with experience leading or supporting change management initiatives

If you would like to know more details about the position or want to register your interest, hit apply below. We'd love to hear from you!

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Job Overview

ID:

1575757

Date Posted:

Posted 2 weeks ago

Expiration Date:

19/07/2025

Location:

Guildford

Competitive

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