Senior Operational Contract Manager

Metropolitan Police; Kilburn CP; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Metropolitan Police in Kilburn is seeking a Senior Operational Contract Manager to lead supplier and contract management across the full lifecycle of high-value, high-risk contracts. You will ensure value for money, strong performance and governance, working with Commercial teams and senior stakeholders.

You will monitor KPIs, manage risk, support procurement re-procurement, and drive improvements. This is a senior role requiring knowledge of public sector governance and accreditation in

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent qualification in commercial, contract management, business or legal disciplines.
• Professional contract management accreditation such as WorldCC, IACCM, CIPS or Government Commercial Function accredit.

Responsibilities

• Lead supplier and contract management activities across the full contract lifecycle, including mobilisation, performance management, change control and exit management.
• Maintain an accurate view of contractual health, performance and risk, using evidence and data to inform decision-making.
• Provide expert input into contract re-procurements and future commercial strategies.
• Champion contract management best practice in partnership with the Contract Management Centre of Excellence.
• Monitor supplier delivery against contractual obligations, KPIs and service levels.
• Address supplier underperformance through governance frameworks, commercial mechanisms and executive engagement.
• Ensure compliance with policies, governance requirements and contractual controls.
• Lead risk, issue and dispute management activities and coordinate interventions where required.
• Provide oversight of contractual spend, demand forecasting and budget alignment.
• Drive innovation, efficiency, value for money and service improvement initiatives.
• Build productive relationships with suppliers, Directors, Senior Responsible Officers and Commercial teams.
• Support and develop contract management colleagues to build capability and performance.

Skills

Contract management

Supplier management

Public sector governance

KPIs / SLAs

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree in commercial/contract management

WorldCC/IACCM/CIPS accreditation

Job description

Job Title: Senior Operational Contract Manager

Salary: The starting salary is £62,310, which includes allowances totalling £3,009.

The salary is broken down as £59,301 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £72,254. Plus, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location: Kilburn

This role does not attract Shift Disturbance Allowance. If you are currently in a shift-working role, SDA should cease upon appointment to this job.

About the Team

Operational Contract Management within Met Business Services oversees critical supplier and contract relationships that support the effective operation of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Role Overview

The Senior Operational Contract Manager is a senior commercial professional responsible for the management, performance and governance of complex, high-value, high-risk and operationally critical contracts. The role leads supplier and contract management across the full contract lifecycle, ensuring value for money, strong performance and delivery of intended business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead supplier and contract management activities across the full contract lifecycle, including mobilisation, performance management, change control and exit management.
• Maintain an accurate view of contractual health, performance and risk, using evidence and data to inform decision-making.
• Provide expert input into contract re-procurements and future commercial strategies.
• Champion contract management best practice in partnership with the Contract Management Centre of Excellence.
• Monitor supplier delivery against contractual obligations, KPIs and service levels.
• Address supplier underperformance through governance frameworks, commercial mechanisms and executive engagement.
• Ensure compliance with policies, governance requirements and contractual controls.
• Lead risk, issue and dispute management activities and coordinate interventions where required.
• Provide oversight of contractual spend, demand forecasting and budget alignment.
• Drive innovation, efficiency, value for money and service improvement initiatives.
• Build productive relationships with suppliers, Directors, Senior Responsible Officers and Commercial teams.
• Support and develop contract management colleagues to build capability and performance.

Requirements

• Strong understanding of the end-to-end commercial lifecycle, contract management and supplier management principles.
• Knowledge of public sector governance, risk, compliance and accountability frameworks.
• Understanding of performance management frameworks, KPIs, SLAs and value for money principles.
• Ability to lead complex, high-value or high-risk contracts.
• Strong commercial acumen and contract risk management capability.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement, influencing and presentation skills.
• Ability to drive cross-functional collaboration and decision-making.
• Experience engaging with senior supplier representatives and executive stakeholders.
• Ability to use data and insight to inform decisions and improve outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience managing complex, high-value or high-risk contracts.
• Experience delivering contract performance, benefits realisation and value for money.
• Experience holding suppliers accountable through governance and contractual mechanisms.
• Experience leading contract governance, reporting and compliance activities.
• Experience managing contract transitions, exits or major changes.
• Experience facilitating multi-functional collaboration to achieve business outcomes.
• Experience coaching, mentoring or developing colleagues.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent qualification in commercial, contract management, business or legal disciplines.
• Professional contract management accreditation such as WorldCC, IACCM, CIPS or Government Commercial Function accredit

Disability Confident Statement

The Met is committed to being an equitable (fair and impartial) and inclusive employer for disabled people, striving to have a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and long-term conditions, ethnic minority groups and women.

As a Disability Confident Leader, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long term conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.

The Met is committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure disabled applicants can perform at their best. If youneed any reasonable adjustments or changes to the application and recruitment process, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence.

Please note, if you are applying for a police officer role or to become a police community support officer (PCSO) or designated detention officer (DDO), there is a minimum requirement that you must pass a job-related fitness test (JRFT) at point of entry. This does not apply to police staff roles. Find out more about police fitness standards .

Read our full disability confidence statement.