Contract Manager

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Job Description

This role can be based in either Birmingham Snowhill or London Podium near Euston.

Birmingham - £38,550 - £43,350 pa depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer a flexible benefits fund of 15% which is paid on top of the base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits.

London - £41,750 - £49,100 pa depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer a flexible benefits fund of 15% which is paid on top of the base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits.

HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives, and achieves their full potential. In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish, and providing personal and professional development opportunities.

As a contract manager at HS2, you will provide contract management across HS2 Ltd's corporate contracts portfolio. HS2 has a growing portfolio of contracts, including both standard government forms and NEC3 contracts. The NEC3 form of contract embodies a strong procedural approach to support collaboration, discipline, and control, and HS2 Ltd must comply with statutory requirements along with relevant government policies to deliver value for money. This role is within the pre-contract sub-team.

About the role:

• Manage a portfolio of corporate contracts up to a combined value of £60M.
• The successful candidate will apply their experiences of performing pre-contract activity at the 'Define and Procure' stages of the commercial lifecycle; focusing upon contract management activity during Design and Development, then Procurement and Mobilisation phases. They will be able to demonstrate a good understanding of category management and the relationship between contract management and category strategies.
• Manage the progress of change requests through the company's governance structure, systems, processes, and in association with other HS2 functions.
• Proactively monitor and mitigate risks associated with their contract portfolio.
• Liaise with stakeholders regarding the progress, spend, and performance reporting of contracts, imposing and monitoring performance plans and Early Warnings where applicable.
• Manage formal disputes.
• Undertake compliance checks against contracts.
• Work to achieve value for money at each stage of the contract.
• Produce and work against contract management plans for each contract.
• Manage contract exit.
• Monitor contract performance and administer service credits and warranty payments where applicable.
• Review the financial standing of suppliers on an ongoing basis and manage any resulting actions.
• Additional accountabilities may include:
• Analysis on a range of commercial and technical information.
• Setting up and facilitating meetings and information sharing with other functional areas.
• Development of reports and presentations to update key stakeholder groups.
• Ad hoc support to high-profile projects.
• Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work, and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies, and procedures on EDI.

About You:

Skills:

• Experience of corporate contract management.
• Analytical, commercial, and negotiating skills.
• Ability to lead stakeholders through contract change request processes.
• Ability to manage contract risk and understanding of different forms of contract and risk allocation.
• Knowledge of working with or for publicly funded bodies including central government departments.

Knowledge:

• Governance, Assurance & Compliance (3)
• Strategy Development (3)
• Project Management & Planning (3)
• Estimating & Cost Planning (2)
• Procurement (2)
• UCR/PCR Application (3)
• Bespoke Third Party Agreements (3)
• Contract Management & Administration (4)
• Negotiation (3)
• Dispute Resolution (3)
• Cost Control (3)
• Risk & Value Management (3)
• Supply Chain Management (2)
• Processes (3)
• Systems (4)
• Memberships / Qualifications or working towards - NEC Practitioner, MCIPS or MRICS.

(1) Aware: Awareness/ theoretical appreciation of the competence.

(2) Practiced: Applies the competence under supervision, primarily in non-complex situations.

(3) Competent: Applies the competence independently or with minimal supervision, often in situations of some complexity.

(4) Proficient: Can critically evaluate and adapt to situations as required. Applies the competence independently, primarily in complex situations. Can supervise others applying the competence.

(5) Expert/ Strategic: Can critically evaluate, adapt or develop new theories and/or methods. Recognised as an expert by other senior professionals, who is called on by others for advice on the competence and educates others. Applies the competence independently in highly complex or challenging situations.

Type of experience:

• Experience of performing pre-contract activity at the 'Define and Procure' stages of the commercial lifecycle; focusing upon contract management activity during Design and Development, then Procurement and Mobilisation phases. They will be able to demonstrate a good understanding of category management and the relationship between contract management and category strategies.
• Experience managing a variety of corporate contracts.
• Experience monitoring performance and compliance of suppliers.
• Stakeholder and supplier management.
• Experience with a good range of programmes and software (Excel, SAP, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, Project, CEMAR).

The post-holder is expected to behave at all times in a manner consistent with the HS2 values of Safety, Leadership, Integrity, and Respect.

As HS2 Ltd do not hold a sponsorship license from the Home Office, we are not able to provide sponsorship to any applicant. Applicants must already have the Right to Work in the UK at the time of application, and our process involves a Right to Work validation prior to the interview stage. Note, there are certain types of time-bound visas that we cannot accept.

Any offers made to applicants will be subject to satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks which include Nationality & Immigration Status, employment references, DBS, Financial, and Education checks.

We ask for a variety of detail in your online application; however, we perform the first assessment of suitability for a role based solely on the information in your CV. In a further development of our efforts to create a more diverse workforce, your CV will be anonymised and personal information will be removed during the first stage of the application review. This removes bias from the process and makes it even more important that you attach an updated word version of your CV for each new application ensuring you include evidence directly related to the criteria in the job advert.

Any applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

About Us

High Speed 2 (HS2 Ltd) will be the UK's new high-speed rail network. As well as improving capacity, the new scheme will shorten journey times between a number of Britain's major population centres, boost the economy, and create thousands of jobs.

HS2 Ltd will create a skills legacy and develop a diverse range of talent. We aim to be a leader in EDI practice by creating a safe & inclusive working environment for all our staff - living our values of Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Leadership.

In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish, and providing personal and professional development opportunities.

HS2 Ltd is also a safety-critical organisation. Employees are required to ensure reasonable care of their own and others' health and safety by taking personal responsibility for working to our 'Safe at Heart' programme principles and following safe working procedures at all times.

HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives, and achieves their full potential.