Interim Senior Contracts Manager

Interim Senior Contracts Manager

Location: Cambridge, CB4 0DN

Working Type - contract role till December 2026.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic management and performance assurance of major operational, maintenance, compliance, and commercial contracts.
• Develop and implement commercial and commissioning strategies aligned with service delivery and financial sustainability objectives.
• Manage complex contract negotiations, extensions, variations, renewals, and dispute resolution activities.
• Establish and maintain robust contract governance and assurance frameworks across City Services.
• Monitor supplier performance against KPIs, service standards, statutory requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives, corrective action plans, and service enhancement programmes.
• Ensure value for money across commissioned services through commercial reviews, efficiency savings, and service redesign.
• Lead budget monitoring, financial forecasting, commercial risk management, and mitigation activities.
• Manage, develop, and motivate a multidisciplinary contract management team of approximately 12 FTE.
• Provide expert commercial advice and assurance reporting to senior management, elected Members, contractors, regulators, and external stakeholders.

Essential Skills

• Extensive experience managing high-value, high-risk contracts within complex organisations.
• Expert knowledge of contract management, supplier performance management, and contract assurance frameworks.
• Strong understanding of public sector procurement legislation, governance, and compliance requirements.
• Proven commercial acumen with experience delivering value for money and cost-saving initiatives.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong leadership and people management capabilities with experience leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to analyse complex data, identify risks, and make evidence-based decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including reporting to senior executives and stakeholders.
• Strong governance, audit, risk management, and compliance management expertise.
• Advanced ICT proficiency, including Microsoft Office Suite, Excel, financial analysis, reporting, and data management tools.