Manager, Contracts

Ministry of Education; Wellington; On-site; NZD 121,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Education New Zealand in Wellington is seeking a permanent, fulltime Manager, Contracts to lead contract management across Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre. You will oversee a team of specialists, ensure value for money, risk mitigation, and compliance with legislative and policy requirements.

You will provide expert contract and commercial advice to senior decision makers, align activities with the CMF and SRM frameworks, and drive continuous improvement across systems, templates,

Qualifications

• Lead, inspire, and grow a capable team of contract and commercial practitioners.
• Provide specialist oversight of contract management activities and tools.
• Advise senior decision makers on contracting activities and terms.

Responsibilities

• Lead contract management for high-value or strategic agreements.
• Develop and implement contract management plans aligned with CMF/SRM.
• Support negotiations and review tendering documentation.
• Establish KPIs and evaluate initiative effectiveness.
• Identify and mitigate contract risks and escalate as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Contract management

Risk management

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder advice

KPIs / performance

Job description

About this role | Mō tēnei tūranga

Permanent, fulltime opportunity Wellington-based

The Manager, Contracts provides leadership and subject matter expertise for contract management activity within Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre. This is a new role leading an existing function and has been established to help ensure contracts are strategically designed, effectively governed, and managed to deliver value for money, mitigate risk, and meet all legislative and policy requirements. The position leads a team of specialists to deliver consistent, high-quality contract and supplier relationship management practices and continuous improvement across systems, processes, and outcomes.

The Manager, Contracts will also be part of a broader Commercial function and community across the Ministry, led by the Commercial team in Te Pou Rangatopu | Corporate who are the centre for commercial activities, providing frameworks, templates, and broader commercial support across the Ministry.

Salary range: $121,139 - $181,709 per annum plus KiwiSaver. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

About you | Mōhou ake

You will Lead, inspire, and grow a capable team of contract and commercial practitioners, fostering a high-performance culture focused on delivery, uplifting the commercial maturity of the group in managing its products and services, and alignment with wider Ministry objectives.

You will also:

• Provide specialist oversight and leadership of contract management activities, including complex, high-value, or strategically significant agreements, providing professional guidance, tools, templates, and resources to assist contract owners in fulfilling their responsibilities.
• Provide expert contract and commercial advice to senior decision makers, including on contracting activities, risk allocation, and commercial terms.
• Ensure all contract management activities are based on good commercial practice and are aligned with the Ministry's Contract Management Framework (CMF) and Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Framework.
• Provide expert guidance and support to designated contract owners in the development and implementation of contract management plans for specific contracts during establishment and ongoing management.
• Support contract negotiations and contribute to the review of tendering documentation and processes, applying lessons learned to improve and advance sourcing activities.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and other measurements to evaluate the effectiveness of all initiatives and contracts.
• Proactively identify and mitigate contract risks, escalating issues to the appropriate authority as necessary and managing issues in a focused and time effective way.
• The ability and willingness to adhere to the Public Service Standards of Integrity and Conduct.

About our group and team | Mātau rōpū ake

The purpose of Te Poutāhū is to lead the national curricula for Aotearoa New Zealand and associated systems and processes of assessment and aromatawai. We design, develop, and provide curriculum services for teachers, kaiako, leaders, ākonga, their whānau and communities that reflect their identities, languages, and cultures. We bring together curriculum, teaching expertise and evidence for the development, support and review of inclusive curricula, assessment, and NCEA. Our strengths are across te reo Māori, mātauranga Māori, disability, inclusive learning support, and culturally relevant content so that Te Mahau supports learning that is inclusive for all ākonga.

Are you ready to make a difference? | Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi?

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values, or anything else you'd like to share. We're keen to understand your motivations, strengths, transferable skills, and the diverse perspectives you will bring to the role.

For further information, please contact Antony Harvey, General Manager Business Operations at [e-mail]

Applications close Midnight - Monday, 26 October 2026

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging. If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.