Sub Contract Manager

Morson Edge; Luton; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous leave with flexi-days

Employer pension up to 15%

Hybrid working options

Bonus scheme

Access to Coursera/LinkedIn Learning

Referral programme

Flexible benefits budget

Job summary

Morson Edge invites applications for a Subcontract Manager based in Luton, to support our Aerospace clients on a 12-month contract. The role focuses on supplier management, contract documentation, and lifecycle management within international projects.

Reporting to the Procurement Manager, you will lead complex commercial activities, scout new suppliers, manage risk, and ensure terms flow down from customer contracts while maintaining robust supplier relationships.

Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge and experience as commercial / procurement advisor.
• Technical training to degree standard, professional qualification and/or significant domain experience; MCIPS preferred.
• Strong collaboration, communication, planning, problem solving, influencing, decision making and continuous improvement skills.
• Good working knowledge of Procurement within the Defence/Aerospace industry and ability to apply them with minimal supervision.
• Ability to create beneficial relationships with cross functional colleagues, customers and suppliers.
• Ability to influence internal and external stakeholders, to resolve conflict and provide value using data and analysis.
• Understanding of Commercial and Legal Aspects in defence/aerospace contracting.
• Ability to think creatively to add value and innovation.
• Understanding of lifecycle management (LCM) and ability to apply them to meet objectives.
• Ability to engage and influence cross-functional/cross site teams.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for the Procurement activities within the integrated project team.
• Sub-contract spend forecasting and reporting using local procedures and templates.
• Scouting new suppliers with niche capabilities to deliver new and emerging technologies.
• Manage supplier performance through the relationship and application of contractual requirements.
• Draft and prepare complex contract documentation using standard and non-standard formats.
• Lead the delivery of sub-contract management activities and related procurement tasks.
• Translate customer/project requirements into commercial documents.
• Mitigate risk in commercial agreements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to flow down appropriate terms and conditions.
• Drive strategies to influence business decisions throughout the project life cycle.
• Construct and lead the LCM deliverables.
• Engage with stakeholders to understand customer requirements.
• Manage Export Compliance and third party rights.

Skills

Procurement advisor

Stakeholder management

Contract drafting

Data analysis

Lifecycle management

Defence/Aerospace knowledge

Education

Degree required

MCIPS preferred

Job description

Morson Edge are currently recruiting for a Subcontract Manager to be based out of Luton on behalf of our Aerospace clients. This is a contract role initially for 12 months.

Your impact

The Future Combat Air (FCA) team at our clients work at the forefront of technologies and concepts that underpin 6th generation combat air capabilities for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and other initiatives in various domains.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Procurement professional to join our team supporting a variety of complex assignments. The day-to-day activities will vary from traditional supplier management tasks, including flow down of customer Ts & Cs, through to complex strategic supply chain design on an international programme supporting a variety of strategic bid activities. You will be required to proactively manage a variety of stakeholders at different levels both outside and within the organisation.

Reporting into the Procurement Manager, this role will require a demonstrated ability to manage internal and external relationships to influence a breadth of business decisions throughout the Life Cycle Management (LCM) framework. The individual will have strong and effective communication skills, with the ability to develop and nurture internal customer relationships, promote customer intimacy and team working.

The individual will need to demonstrate successful subcontract management by developing robust contracts that address lifecycle factors whilst fostering and maintaining supplier relationships, delivering on short-term demands and long-term sector objectives.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities include:

• Accountable for the Procurement activities within the integrated project team
• Sub-contract spend forecasting and reporting using local procedures and templates
• Scouting new suppliers with niche capabilities to deliver new and emerging technologies
• Manage supplier performance through the relationship and application of contractual requirements
• Draft and prepare complex contract documentation using standard and non-standard formats
• Lead the delivery of sub-contract management activities and other procurement related activities which may be required by the business
• Translate customer / project requirements into commercial documents
• Understand mechanisms of mitigating risk associated with entering into commercial agreements
• Working in collaboration with cross functional stakeholders to ensure the flow down of appropriate terms and conditions from customer contracts to enable compliance with contractual obligations and mitigate commercial / contractual risks
• Drives and leads strategies to influence business decisions throughout the project life cycle
• Construct and lead the contracts and supply chain management Life Cycle Management (LCM) deliverables
• Work with stakeholders, at all levels, in order to understand customer requirements and critical success factors
• Management of Export Compliance, restrictions and third party rights for all procured items and services

What you'll bring

• An advanced knowledge and experience as commercial / procurement advisor
• Requires technical training to degree standard, professional qualification and/or significant domain experience (studying towards or achievement of MCIPS is preferred)
• Demonstrated collaboration, communication, planning, problem solving, influencing, decision making and continuous improvement skills
• A good working knowledge and understanding of Procurement within the Defence/Aerospace industry (or a similar sector) and ability to apply them with minimal supervision and direction
• The ability to create beneficial relationships with cross functional colleagues, customers and suppliers
• Ability to influence internal and external stakeholders, to resolve conflict and provide value, using data and analysis to support line of reasoning
• A good understanding of the Commercial and Legal Aspects associated with contracting within the Defence/Aerospace industry (or a similar sector)
• An ability to think 'outside of the box' offering solutions to enable the function to add value and innovation
• A detailed understanding of lifecycle management (LCM) and business processes and ability to apply them independently to meet business objectives.
• Ability to engage and influence cross-functional/cross site teams

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government's Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

Why join us

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Our clients are a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.