Senior Contract Manager

If you’d like to be considered for this opportunity we encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment as if applications are high the role will close before the closing date given.

Senior Contract Manager

Location: Reading, with free onsite parking.

Package: Starting from £63,270 to £85k (depending on your suitability and level of experience).

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight, with every other Friday as a non-working day. This role is eligible for hybrid working, meaning employees typically spend three days on site in a long week and two days on site in a short week. We support flexible working where possible, including part-time and varied working hours, so please let us know if you would like us to consider an alternative working arrangement when you apply.

Ready to play your part?

At AWE, it’s not just a job, it’s far more than that. Our shared purpose is to help keep the nation safe. Could this role be the opportunity for you to play your part?

Let us introduce the role.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Contract Manager to join AWE and play a key role in the delivery of some of the UK’s most significant and complex infrastructure programmes.

Working across our Future Infrastructure Programme (FIP) & Liabilities or Future Materials Campus (FMC) commercial teams, you will provide expert post-contract management across a portfolio of high-value, complex contracts. With combined capital investment in the region of £17–19bn over the next 10 years, this is an opportunity to work at significant scale and make a real impact.

You will lead the management of strategically important supplier relationships, complex contract negotiations and commercial disputes, driving value for money and ensuring our supply chain delivers against its contractual commitments. We are looking for a confident and experienced contract professional with strong commercial judgement, knowledge of contract law and the ability to navigate complex contractual relationships.

Experience we are looking for

We are interested in your experience, judgement, and approach, not only formal qualifications. You will have practical experience in some of the following:

• Significant commercial and contract management experience, ideally within large-scale, complex infrastructure programmes.
• Strong practical experience across the full contract lifecycle, including post-contract management, mobilisation, performance and close-out.
• Demonstrable experience of NEC contracts, including contract management, change control, risk management and dispute resolution.
• Proven ability to develop and deliver complex contracting and commercial strategies.
• Strong understanding of contract law, commercial policy, governance and best practice.
• Excellent commercial acumen with significant experience of complex negotiations and achieving value for money.
• Experience of managing strategically important suppliers and complex supply chains, holding suppliers to account for contractual obligations.
• Experience of managing commercial operations, including payment applications, performance reviews, contract change and cost/schedule impacts.
• Strong leadership experience, with the ability to lead, coach and develop teams and drive effective cross-functional working.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, with the confidence to operate effectively at senior levels.
• Strong analytical and organisational skills, with the ability to manage commercial risk, competing priorities and challenging timescales.
• A strategic and collaborative approach, with the ability to operate effectively in complex and ambiguous environments.
• Knowledge of sustainability and social value within infrastructure procurement would be advantageous.
• Experience using contract management systems such as CEMAR would be advantageous.
• Willing and able to obtain and maintain the required security clearance.

Work hard, be rewarded:

We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters. In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including:

• 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

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Next steps:

Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

Important things you need to know:

• We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.
• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. 
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR and kept separate from your application form and CV, and the information will not be shared with anyone involved in interviewing or making hiring decisions.

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.