Contracts Manager
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Futures recruitment are working on behalf of a well-established manufacturing business who are looking to appoint an experienced Contracts Manager to take full ownership of the contract lifecycle from order placement through to final delivery and completion. This is a pivotal role where you will act as the central point of control post-sale, ensuring all contractual, commercial, and operational obligations are delivered efficiently and to a high standard.
This position suits someone who thrives on accountability, enjoys driving processes end-to-end, and is confident managing multiple stakeholders across production, procurement, logistics, and customer-facing teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Take full ownership of contracts from point of order through to completion, ensuring seamless execution across all stages
- Act as the primary internal and external point of contact for all post-order contractual matters
- Interpret and manage contractual obligations, ensuring compliance with agreed terms, specifications, and timelines
- Coordinate cross-functional teams (production, supply chain, engineering, logistics) to ensure delivery milestones are met
- Monitor contract performance, proactively identifying and resolving risks, delays, or commercial issues
- Manage variations, amendments, and change orders, ensuring proper documentation and commercial alignment
- Oversee invoicing schedules, payment milestones, and financial tracking in line with contract terms
- Maintain accurate contract records and reporting, providing updates to senior stakeholders
- Build and maintain strong client relationships, ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction throughout delivery
- Drive continuous improvement in contract management processes and systems
Key Requirements
- Proven experience in a Contracts Manager / Project Manager / Commercial Manager role within a manufacturing or engineering environment
- Strong understanding of contract lifecycle management, particularly post-order execution
- Experience managing complex, multi-stage manufacturing or supply contracts
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to coordinate across technical and commercial teams
- Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to manage costs, risks, and contractual obligations effectively
- Highly organised, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously
- Confident communicator with strong negotiation and problem-solving abilities
- Familiarity with ERP systems and contract management tools is advantageous
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your contract lifecycle management experience prominently as this role requires full ownership from order to completion
📊 Quantify your contract management achievements: 'Managed 15 manufacturing contracts worth £2.3M, delivering 98% on-time completion'
🏭 Emphasise your manufacturing or engineering sector experience as this is specifically required for the role
🤝 Showcase your stakeholder management skills across technical and commercial teams as you'll coordinate multiple departments
💼 Include specific ERP systems and contract management tools you've used to demonstrate technical capability
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Managed 12 manufacturing contracts worth £1.8M annually, achieving 96% on-time delivery through proactive stakeholder coordination
- •Implemented contract management process improvements reducing change order processing time from 5 to 2 days across cross-functional teams
- •Negotiated contract variations worth £340k whilst maintaining client satisfaction scores above 92% throughout delivery phases
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Letter preview — tailored to Futures
Dear Hiring Manager,
Futures' Contracts Manager position immediately caught my attention as it combines contract lifecycle ownership with manufacturing expertise — exactly the career progression I'm seeking. My background in managing complex manufacturing contracts and coordinating cross-functional teams aligns perfectly with your requirement for someone who can drive processes end-to-end whilst maintaining accountability across all stakeholders.
My background in contract management within manufacturing environments has equipped me with the commercial awareness and stakeholder coordination skills essential for this role. I have successfully managed multi-stage contracts, handled change orders, and maintained strong client relationships throughout delivery phases.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How do you manage contract variations and change orders in a manufacturing environment?
- ›What ERP systems have you used for contract management and financial tracking?
- ›How do you ensure compliance with contractual specifications and timelines?
- ›Describe your approach to coordinating cross-functional teams for contract delivery
- ›How do you identify and mitigate risks in complex manufacturing contracts?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you had to resolve a significant contract dispute or delay
- ›Describe a situation where you improved contract management processes
- ›Give an example of managing multiple stakeholders with conflicting priorities
- ›Tell me about a challenging negotiation you've handled
- ›Describe how you've built strong client relationships during contract delivery
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you had to resolve a significant contract dispute or delay
Describe a situation where you improved contract management processes