Senior Contract Manager

Thales; Belfast City District; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-related bonus

Half day every Friday

28 days annual leave + bank holidays

Volunteer time

Life cover

EAP and mental wellbeing app

Employee discount schemes

Job summary

Thales in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is seeking a Senior Contracts Manager to join the Defence Commercial, Legal & Contracts team in a hybrid role (3 days a week in the office).

You will provide commercial advice across contracts, bids and projects, support negotiations with customers and partners, and manage contractual changes with Legal and senior stakeholders. The position offers a competitive salary, generous leave, and wellbeing benefits.

Qualifications

• Strong commercial or legal background with proven experience managing contracts and commercial risk.
• Experience operating within complex, multi-site organisations.
• Skilled at building and managing stakeholder relationships throughout bid, negotiation and delivery phases.
• Highly analytical with strong written skills and the ability to assess pricing, contractual risk and mitigation strategies.

Responsibilities

• Provide commercial advice and risk-based recommendations across contracts, bids, projects and business agreements.
• Support senior management in commercial negotiations with customers, partners, subcontractors and third parties.
• Advise bid and project teams on UK and international contract costings, including Direct Selling Costs (e.g. credit insurance, guarantees, letters of credit).
• Manage contractual changes, issues and disputes, working closely with Legal and senior stakeholders.

Skills

Commercial risk management

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Analytical & written skills

Job description

Location: Belfast (Northern Ireland) - hybrid working arrangement – 3 days a week in the office

Are you looking for your next challenge where you’ll have the opportunity to work within a highly regarded team where you will be responsible for proactively managing and directly influencing our bids and projects? Would you like to work for a world-renowned organisation that researches, develops and supplies technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better and keep us safer? Then look no further…

We have a great Senior Contracts Manager opportunity to join our Defence Commercial, Legal & Contracts team.

Core Benefits:

On offer is a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes;

• Performance-related bonus
• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00
• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) plus opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)
• 24 hours volunteering paid for
• Life cover
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers

Key Responsibilities

• Provide commercial advice and risk-based recommendations across contracts, bids, projects and business agreements.
• Support senior management in commercial negotiations with customers, partners, subcontractors and third parties.
• Advise bid and project teams on UK and international contract costings, including Direct Selling Costs (e.g. credit insurance, guarantees, letters of credit).
• Manage contractual changes, issues and disputes, working closely with Legal and senior stakeholders.

About You

• Strong commercial or legal background with proven experience managing contracts and commercial risk.
• Experience operating within complex, multi‑disciplinary, multi‑site organisations.
• Skilled at building and managing stakeholder relationships throughout bid, negotiation and delivery phases.
• Highly analytical with strong written skills and the ability to assess pricing, contractual risk and mitigation strategies.