1807 - Commercial Manager - Contract Management

Commercial is responsible for coordinating procurement and contract management across the MoJ, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Commercial is organised into category teams, each with an interesting portfolio of contracts and diverse customers and suppliers to manage. We also have systems, programme management office, supplier relationship and risk management teams who work across all areas. Role Summary In this role you will be expected to own contract management activity for one (or more) of the organisation's medium complexity/medium value contracts, ensuring the best outcomes are achieved across the commercial lifecycle. The role includes activity relating to: mobilising contracts, managing the delivery and performance of the contract, carrying out contract changes, managing risk within the contract and managing contract transition and exit. You will work independently and part of a larger team by drawing on your commercial experience to drive performance and manage setbacks. You will be able to prioritise and manage your own workload to deliver to deadlines, mitigate and escalate any emerging risks and to respond swiftly to changing operational demands. Key Responsibilities Typically, the key responsibilities in this role will include (but are not limited to):

• Managing one or more contracts of medium complexity/value, ensuring effective stakeholder management, governance, performance management frameworks, escalation, risk management, issues resolution, financial management, change control and compliance
• Ensuring the control and delivery of all spend through compliant contracts and publishing details via appropriate media
• Tracking, owning and mitigating risks relating to specific contracts
• Reviewing and understanding the terms and conditions of contracts and deliverables and working with the supplier to establish a plan for delivering them
• Agreeing and clarifying contract management responsibilities with stakeholders and advising them on setting up effective processes
• Developing opportunities to incentivise contract delivery, continuous performance improvement (where appropriate) and identifying where changes in the contract are required
• Overseesing measures and records realisation of benefits achieved as a result of the performance management regime (or change controls)
• Actively reconsidering market approach over time, including shifting balance of mixed market towards private sector provision and examining whether re-aggregation will yield scale efficiencies
• Leading all planning and preparation, goal setting, strategy and tactics for re-procurement and undertaking soft market testing
• Helping to drive innovation in contracts to demonstrate continuous improvement. Continually analysing contracts to develop and drive value adding initiatives.
• Tracking operational demand and patterns on an ongoing basis and introducing demand management mechanisms where applicable
• Utilising financial management and benchmarking
• Undertaking proactive change controls, such as horizon scanning and evaluating the impact of supplier positioning, such as mergers
• Managing multiple, more complex requirements and contracts concurrently
• Managing assurance requirements and conducting peer reviews
• Negotiating with industry on key issues, such as contract terms, pricing, contract changes, Terms & Conditions and risk and reward
• Maintaining quality and concurrency of systems, reporting and management information
• Mentoring and providing guidance to junior members of the team
• Working within a secure environment on sensitive projects as required
• Some of the roles may involve line management
As part of your own personal career development in the Commercial team, after a period of time there could be opportunities to move roles at the same grade. In some circumstances, we may need to move you on to business-critical priorities at the same grade to meet business need.

Contract Management: Has experience in conducting contract management for one or more low-medium complexity/value contracts. Has strong understanding of all aspects of contract management and how it fits in the commercial lifecycle. Commercial Focus: Has strong commercial knowledge, understands commercial law and can use key commercial tools appropriately. Risk and Assurance Management: Demonstrates the ability to manage cyber, personnel and physical risks within an area of responsibility. Commercial Ethics: Demonstrates the ability to apply standards to eliminate corruption, fraud and unethical behaviour in supply chains, taking appropriate actions in the event of any alleged breach of standards Team Focus: Demonstrates the ability to work as part of a team to support their performance, manage setbacks and resolve issues internally Build Relationships: Demonstrates the ability to communicate with stakeholders at all levels using different communication styles to articulate the benefits that have been achieved and to establish governance and relationship arrangements

The Ministry of Justice has one of the largest and most complex spending profiles in central government. Each year we spend more than £5 billion with our suppliers and it's our job to help coordinate the sourcing of what we need. We support the management of our contracts across the department, its agencies and non departmental public bodies.