Principal Customer Contracts / Commercial Manager

AWE; Reading; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A defense contractor in the UK is seeking a Principal Customer Contracts / Commercial Manager to lead a team focused on customer contract governance. The role involves maintaining stakeholder relationships and providing expert guidance on Trade & Export Controls. The successful candidate should have proven leadership experience and a strong understanding of commercial agreements. Benefits include generous annual leave, flexible working options, and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

270 hours of annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Assistance Programme

Defined contribution Group Personal Pension

Life Assurance

Discounts on everyday spending

Special Leave Policy

Qualifications

• Proven leadership skills and experience in managing a team.
• Strong understanding of customer facing commercial disciplines.
• Experience in handling agreements and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Customer Contracts Governance & Operations team.
• Maintain relationships with stakeholders.
• Provide expert guidance on Trade & Export Controls.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Expertise in Trade & Export Controls

Job description

What if you could work with remarkable people on extraordinary things? What if the end result was something a little bit special? What if your role was mission critical?

For nearly 70 years, AWE has been at the forefront of nuclear weapons research and development. We have a critical mission: to provide the warheads for the UK's ultimate deterrent - Trident. We also use our unique skills to provide wider UK government with counter-terrorism and nuclear threat reduction solutions.

It takes a special sort of person to work at AWE. What if that person was you?

AWE is seeking to recruit a Principal Customer Contracts / Commercial Manager to lead a team of customer contract professionals focused on Trade & Export Controls, Intellectual Property Management, maintaining AWEs Insurance Portfolio and providing the tools, procedures and resources used by the wider Customer Contracts Function.

You will need to be a proven leader with strong line management and people development experience, as well as being seen as a SME in the customer facing commercial discipline.

Location -

Salary -

As part of our People Promise, AWE (one of the best 25 big companies to work for in the UK) has a range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• Time to recharge your batteries with 270 hours of annual leave (plus every other Friday off work)
• Consideration for flexible working arrangements so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know on your application if you wish to work part time
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development that include funding for the annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
• A generous defined contribution Group Personal Pension (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution)
• Life Assurance
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family
• A host of voluntary & core benefits to suit your health and wellbeing - more information available on our careers site

Key Accountabilities:

• Line management of the Customer Contracts Governance & Operations team, including team development, mentoring and performance management;
• Maintaining and developing effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders;
• Providing expert advice and guidance to the wider AWE on Trade & Export Controls, Intellectual Property Management, and customer facing agreements such as NDAs or collaboration agreements;
• Maintaining and promoting high personal standards in environment, safety, health, security and quality and be a great team player.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assuring that AWE is compliant with Customer Contract policies and procedures, especially those relating to Trade & Export Controls;
• Assuring that Customer Contracts is working within the terms of its delegations;
• Seeking opportunities to simplify Customer Contracts procedures and ways of working;
• Defining and implementing internal and external best practice within Customer Contracts processes, and ways of working;
• Develop appropriate processes and contractual templates to support internal and external stakeholders;
• Review and negotiate customer facing agreements such as collaboration agreements, MOUs and NDAs;
• Managing the Customer Contracts Resource Management plan and Cost Centre alongside the Customer Contracts leadership team;
• Being actively involved with understanding, mitigating and managing Customer Contract risks and opportunities.

The Company may require you to fulfil any other reasonable duties aligned to your position from time to time in line with business needs.

All Candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role.

Please note that you must be a British National to apply for a role with us.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.