Senior Contract Manager - Group IT/Corporate

SSE PLC; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible first options in work pattern

Private healthcare discounts

Gym membership discounts

Online GP and counselling service

Cycle to Work scheme

Maternity and adoption pay

Paternity leave

Job summary

SSE is looking for a Senior Contract Manager in the IT Procurement & Commercial team to shape relationships with key technology and telecom partners. You will act as a trusted advisor with senior IT leaders, driving value, governance and risk management across critical supplier engagements.

Based in the UK with a base location and 50% travel to Havant, Reading, Glasgow or Perth. You'll influence decisions, support cost efficiency and drive continuous improvement in service outcomes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing strategic IT and Telecommunications suppliers.
• Strong contract management expertise and ability to interpret complex agreements.
• Knowledge of IT services, telecommunications, ERP systems and large-scale technology programmes.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills with senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and risk management capabilities using data to drive value.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships with IT leaders and stakeholders to maximise value.
• Lead contract and supplier governance activities ensuring oversight, compliance and alignment with policies.
• Drive supplier performance, monitor KPIs, service delivery, and commercial outcomes.
• Provide commercial and contractual expertise across IT programmes and projects, managing changes.
• Identify, assess and mitigate supplier risks to ensure resilience of critical services.

Skills

Strategic supplier management

Contract management

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

IT & Telecom procurement

Data-driven decision making

IT procurement knowledge

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Base Location: You'll be expected to spend 50% of your working week in one of the following locations: Havant, Reading, Glasgow or Perth

Salary: £59800- £89800 + performance-related bonus + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available

The role

At SSE, technology plays a critical role in enabling our business to deliver for customers, communities, and the transition to a net zero future. We're looking for a Senior Contract Manager to join our IT Procurement & Commercial team, where you'll play a key role in shaping and strengthening relationships with some of our most important technology and telecommunications partners.

Working closely with senior IT leaders, you'll act as a trusted commercial advisor, helping to maximise value from strategic supplier partnerships while ensuring the successful delivery of critical services, programmes, and projects. This is a highly collaborative role where you'll influence decision-making, drive continuous improvement, and help create positive outcomes across service performance, innovation, sustainability, and cost efficiency.

If you're passionate about building strong stakeholder relationships, creating commercial value, and working at the heart of a dynamic technology environment, we'd love to hear from you.

You will

• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships, acting as a trusted commercial advisor to IT leaders and collaborating with key stakeholders to maximise value from supplier partnerships.
• Lead contract and supplier governance activities, ensuring effective oversight, compliance, and alignment with organisational policies, frameworks, and strategic objectives.
• Drive supplier performance and continuous improvement, monitoring KPIs, service delivery, innovation, and commercial outcomes to enhance quality, efficiency, and value.
• Provide commercial and contractual expertise across IT programmes and projects, supporting decision-making, managing contractual changes, and helping to deliver successful business outcomes.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate supplier risks, including financial, operational, regulatory, reputational, and supply chain risks, ensuring the resilience of critical services and partnerships.

You have

• Proven experience managing strategic IT and Telecommunications suppliers, delivering strong commercial outcomes and supplier performance.
• Strong commercial and contract management expertise, with the ability to negotiate, interpret, and manage complex agreements.
• Knowledge of IT services, telecommunications, ERP systems, and large-scale technology programmes.
• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills, with the confidence to engage and challenge senior stakeholders and suppliers.
• Strong analytical and risk management capabilities, using data and insights to drive value, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Knowledge of UK Utilities Contract Regulations and a professional contract management qualification (e.g. WorldCC/IACCM) would be advantageous.

About SSE

SSE's purpose is to be restless every day until we make electricity clean, affordable and available for all.

We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in electricity infrastructure and businesses needed in the energy transition. This includes electricity transmission and distribution networks, onshore and offshore wind farms, hydro-electric power and flexible thermal generation. We also provide products and services for businesses and other customers.

Our investment plan will see SSE invest £33bn in critical electricity infrastructure to 2030.

Our Procurement & Commercial teams help us get the best service and value from partners, while ensuring suppliers meet compliance, contractual and business obligations.

Flexible benefits to fit your life

• Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships.
• Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service.
• Interest-free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme.
• As well as generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

Work with an equal opportunity employer

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact [e-mail] / 01738 344763 to discuss how we can support you.

We're dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.