Contract Manager

Mfat; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 109,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in Wellington, NZ, is seeking a Contract Manager to lead supplier relationships and commercial decisions across a global property portfolio. You will balance commercial rigour with relationship management, ensuring high-performing contracts and risk mitigation across multiple providers and jurisdictions.

The role requires governance expertise, negotiation skills, and the ability to drive continuous improvement in service delivery.

Qualifications

• Experience managing contracts, suppliers or commercial arrangements in complex organisations.
• Strong commercial judgement and experience improving supplier performance and outcomes.
• Proven ability to manage risk, negotiate effectively and influence stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of contract governance, procurement and compliance principles.
• Excellent relationship management skills across diverse stakeholders and environments.

Responsibilities

• Build productive supplier and stakeholder relationships across MFAT's global property portfolio.
• Monitor contract performance and service outcomes, identifying opportunities to improve value, quality and consistency.
• Manage commercial, contractual and operational risks across multiple providers and jurisdictions.

Skills

Contract management

Commercial judgement

Supplier performance

Risk management

Contract governance

Relationship management

Job description

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Lead the supplier relationships and commercial decisions that help keep MFAT's global property portfolio performing at its best.

The Contract Manager plays a critical role in helping ensure MFAT's global property portfolio is supported by high-performing suppliers, strong commercial arrangements and effective service delivery.

Reporting to the Portfolio Manager, you'll work across a diverse international portfolio, managing supplier relationships and contract performance across multiple providers and jurisdictions. You'll balance commercial rigour with relationship management, helping to resolve issues, manage risk, improve performance and deliver value from a range of property and facilities management contracts.

This is a unique opportunity to apply your commercial and relationship management expertise in a global environment. Through strong partnerships, sound contract governance and a focus on continuous improvement, you'll contribute to the performance and resilience of one of New Zealand's most distinctive international property portfolios

Key Responsibilities:

• Build productive supplier and stakeholder relationships that strengthen effective service delivery across MFAT's global property portfolio.
• Monitor contract performance and service outcomes, identifying opportunities to improve value, quality and consistency.
• Manage commercial, contractual and operational risks across multiple providers and jurisdictions.
• Provide commercial advice and contract management expertise to drive portfolio planning and decision-making.
• Strengthen contract governance, compliance and partnership practices to achieve sustainable long-term outcomes.

The salary range for this role is $109,112 to midpoint $128,367 total remuneration, inclusive of our KiwiSaver employer contribution. We expect to appoint depending on your level of your skills and experience.

As a commercially astute relationship manager who can balance performance, value and risk in a complex operating environment you will bring:

• Experience managing contracts, suppliers or commercial arrangements in complex organisations.
• Strong commercial judgement and experience improving supplier performance and outcomes.
• Proven ability to manage risk, negotiate effectively and influence stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of contract governance, procurement and compliance principles.
• Excellent relationship management skills and the ability to work across diverse stakeholders and environments.
• Understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti, Te Reo Māori and Māori customs and protocols would be beneficial.

We are committed to a focus on leadership, talent, training and development, and flexible work options consistent with guidance from the Public Service Commission. Check out our benefits page to find out more about why we love working here.

MFAT is Rainbow Tick accredited. We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Our people represent New Zealand on and offshore, and in doing so make New Zealanders safer and more prosperous. By building connections with and influencing other countries and international institutions, we advance NewZealand’s interests and pursue NewZealand's values. We provide advice to the Government on the implications for NewZealand of what is happening in the world.

To be considered for this position at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade you must be a NZ citizen.

You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance security clearance at the required level. Ordinarily, to obtain this level of clearance candidates must have sufficient checkable background in countries where meaningful and reliable checks can be undertaken. Where requisite checks are unable to be made, the candidate application may not be able to be progressed.

Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Applications close at midnight on Monday, 26 October 2026.

Please note : This is not a Foreign Policy/diplomatic role. This is a ‘Corporate’ role (known here as a specialist role based in central Wellington, NZ.

While it is not usual for specialist staff to be ‘posted’ outside of NZ, from time to time a specialist role overseas becomes available at one of our embassies, high commissions, missions or consulates. To be considered for one of these positions you would need to apply and be considered via a competitive recruitment process.

If you do have an interest in an MFAT foreign policy/diplomatic career, you would be welcome to apply for this either via our graduate recruitment or mid-level foreign policy recruitment campaigns.