Strategic Contract Leader - Flexible Work & Relocation

Decipher Group; Invercargill City; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Flexible working arrangements

Job summary

Invercargill City Council is hiring a Senior Contract Management Specialist to bring commercial rigour to high‑value contracts, build capability, and maximise value across the organisation. You will work with procurement, legal advisers and contract owners to guide terms, risk and pricing during the contract lifecycle.

You will coach managers to become more commercially confident, develop contract management frameworks, and influence outcomes that reduce risk and improve supplier performance.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in commercial contracts, contract negotiation or procurement within a complex organisation.
• Proven capability negotiating contract terms, pricing, risk allocation and major variations.
• Strong commercial acumen and an ability to identify where value or contractual position may be at risk.
• Experience resolving difficult supplier and contractual issues.
• The ability to coach others and explain complex commercial matters in straightforward language.
• Strong relationship and influencing skills, enabling you to work effectively with operational managers, procurement, legal advisers and suppliers.
• A practical, solutions-focused approach and sound judgement about when matters require escalation.
• Experience with infrastructure, civil, capital works or technical service contracts would be particularly valuable, as would exposure to public sector procurement and contracting environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support complex commercial negotiations, advise on contract structures and risk.
• Strengthen commercial governance and provide practical guidance across the contract lifecycle.
• Coach business units to become more commercially confident and effective in managing contracts.
• Develop contract management frameworks, templates, tools and practices to lift capability across the organisation.

Job description

Invercargill City Council is hiring a Senior Contract Management Specialist to bring commercial rigour to high‑value contracts, build capability, and maximise value across the organisation. You will work with procurement, legal advisers and contract owners to guide terms, risk and pricing during the contract lifecycle.

You will coach managers to become more commercially confident, develop contract management frameworks, and influence outcomes that reduce risk and improve supplier performance.