SUPP111777

We are looking for a highly experienced Commercial Contracts Manager to join the Procurement team, to provide professional contract and supplier management expertise on a strategic and high value University IT project and subsequent service agreements. You will be an integral and valued member of the project team, working collaboratively with colleagues in Procurement, Project Management, Finance and Legal, as well as stakeholders across IT and Campus divisions, to ensure the successful performance of a complex suite of supplier contracts. In this role you will provide commercial leadership and guidance to the project team and senior leaders, whilst building collaborative and effective long-term supplier relationships to support the success of the programme. You will report into the Commercial Contracts Director and may be required to support other IT Services contracts over time, as required. Joining the University will give you access to competitive salaries, excellent staff benefits, a generous annual leave entitlement (including bank holidays and fixed closure days), and access to pension schemes. The University has a blended working policy which offers excellent flexibility on office based and home working for staff. It is expected for this role that you will work from our Bristol offices 1-2 days per week.What will you be doing?

• Establishing a successful and effective working relationship with key suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure the smooth running of the contract(s).
• You will be acting as the single point of contact for communications with suppliers regarding commercial and contractual issues and taking the lead in supplier reviews.
• Identifying contractual risks, liabilities and commitments and ensuring these (and any business impact) are clearly understood.
• Monitoring and reporting performance and compliance against contractual obligations, you will ensure stakeholder needs are met and will hold suppliers to account where performance, time and cost parameters are not meeting expectations.
• Maintaining an understanding of the financial performance of the contracts, working with the project and finance team to mitigate identified risks and finding opportunities to reduce cost.
• Managing the contract change process, reviewing/drafting contractual documents and leading supplier negotiations as required.
• You will ensure all contractual documentation and records are maintained in accordance with University procurement policy/processes.
• managing conflicts between parties such that contractual disputes are resolved without impacting end users.
  
  You have significant experience in a contract or commercial management role in either the private or public sector (ideally with experience of managing IT services contracts and working on delivery projects).
• A confident communicator, you can interact effectively with suppliers and internal stakeholders to develop successful working relationships and can engage in dispute resolution and negotiation to reach positive outcomes.
• You have a commercial focus and are financially astute, able to identify and deliver savings opportunities and reduce business risk in complex organisations.
• With extensive knowledge of contract law and a sound understanding of UK Public Procurement rules you can draft contracts and interpret and apply contractual terms and conditions.
• A strategic thinker, you can translate solutions into longer term commercial benefit.
• You have excellent analytical skills and high attention to detail, able to analyse and report financial and performance data.
• You are educated to degree level or have equivalent experience in areas such as: Business, Law, Contract Management, Supplier Management.
  
  The University of Bristol is one of the most popular and successful universities in the UK and our workforce puts us in the top 3 largest employers in Bristol. Within the University, Finance Services is one of our biggest professional services divisions, with 18 different teams in total, including Procurement. With >£150m each year spent on external goods, services and works, the Procurement Team ensures that these contracts deliver high quality outcomes and excellent value for money.