Contract Manager,Professional Services Co.,18 month FTC,4+PQE

We are working with a leading professional services client who are in urgent need of a Contract Manager. The role is to start ASAP and will run for 18 months and will involve a mixture of legal and procurement work. Contract management experience in complex, multi-million-pound IT consulting, IT outsourcing, and/or IT professional services projects, is essential.

The role can be undertaken remotely from the UK but would require some travel on an ad hoc basis.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Reviewing and monitoring contractual obligations of the parties to validate that these are met in line with terms and conditions
• Providing on-site expert advice to engagement teams on contract management and contract compliance matters
• Becoming the "go-to" individual for researching complex contract issues
• Summarising and communicating key contractual requirements and obligations
• Directing engagement teams in organising, managing, and documenting compliance with contract requirements
• Developing and implementing contract management tools, templates, methods and processes for individual engagements and/or client accounts as required
• Collaborating with Legal/Risk Managers during contract negotiations to identify risks and issues, and develop risk mitigation solutions that protect the business during the term of the engagement
• Escalating critical contract issues to Legal/Risk Managers and other key internal stakeholders to ensure timely and appropriate resolution
• Working closely with engagement teams to propose and support negotiation of change orders, with a primary focus on ensuring timely and appropriate adjustments to contract schedule, price or other terms as circumstances and impact assessments dictate
• Management of financial contract requirements such as satisfaction payments, volume discount clauses, annual rate raises, milestone holdback payments
• Working closely with project financial controller and engagement PMO to ensure financial targets are met, provide commercial analysis and management reporting. For instance, to identify margin improvement opportunities
• Leading subcontracting activities, engaging Legal/Risk Managers during negotiations as necessary, and ensuring that all subcontracts include applicable prime contract flow down provisions
• Analysing and assessing potential impacts associated with contractual disputes, and assisting in negotiations with clients to resolve informal and formal disputes
• Maintaining a working relationship with the organisation's Project Leadership and, in many cases, Client procurement officials
• Providing training to the business and supporting the organisation's overall compliance programme

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate experience in the following:

• Direct client facing contract management experience in complex, multi-million-pound information technology (IT) consulting, IT outsourcing, and/or IT professional services projects
• Working directly with senior level client commercial/contract teams and large engagement teams
• Strong commercial understanding of engagement deal economics and profitability levers
• Ability to evaluate risks associated with large professional services engagements
• Ability to articulate complex contractual details to wider project team and stakeholders
• Ability to work in a fast paced, demanding, deadline-driven environment
• Proven ability to manage a demanding workload effectively
• Self-motivated and able to work autonomously
• Experience in a consulting partnership or a similar large entrepreneurial business setting
• A track record of forging relationships with internal and client procurement, finance or legal teams

The end client will consider applications from qualified lawyers and/or contract managers, ideally with upwards of 4 years' experience in the above fields.

As the role involves a mixture of legal and procurement matters, the ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate a mix of experience across both legal IT contracts and procurement matters.

Due to the urgent business need, applicants are encouraged to apply without delay. Candidates should be available at short notice or immediately and be able to commit to a contract of 18 months in duration.

This represents a unique and superb opportunity to work with a market leading professional services company.

A competitive day rate is on offer for the successful candidate.

For further information, and a confidential conversation, please apply to Jennifer Pike at jennifer.pike@jamesonlegal.com

Jameson Legal acts as an employment business for temporary recruitment and as an employment agency for fixed term contract and permanent recruitment.

To view a list of other current job opportunities, please visit www.jamesonlegal.com