Contract Manager

At Thames Water, we are seeking an experienced Contract Manager to join our expanding team, with work locations based in the London area.

In your role as a Contract Manager, you will be responsible for managing a portfolio of Thames Water operational contracts.  Driving performance, developing relationships with suppliers, and identifying commercial opportunities and service improvements will be key activities in this role.

This role is located within Thames Water’s Renewable and Logistics team and will predominantly be focused on Thames Water’s Water Networks. This involves several key partners from our supply chain who are responsible for maintaining and improving the network of water mains and keeping our customers in the supply of clean water. These suppliers play a key role in the overall operation of Thames Water’s activities and as such are high profile within the business.

What you’ll be doing as a Contract Manager
There is a real opportunity to take ownership of these agreements, develop relationships with suppliers and drive performance to deliver exceptional service to our internal and external customers. Key duties will include:

• Managing the performance of contractors in accordance with the relevant contract requirements and business operational needs, to ensure the best value and services from suppliers are achieved in terms of cost, quality, and productivity
• Building relationships with key stakeholders and communicating relevant contractual information as required
• Identifying and implementing opportunities/improvements for commercial efficiencies across operational activities and contracts
• Leading on contract negotiations and implementation of contract variations as required
• Providing contract-related issue resolution to any arising supplier disputes or escalations
• Ensuring that all processes followed are in line with legislation and company policies and are auditable with crucial documents, information and communications confidentially stored
• Completing contract close-out, reviewing contracts for extension or renewal, and assisting procurement teams where applicable for re-procurement

Base location – This position will be based across the London area. You base location will be decided depending on where you are based. There is a requirement to travel to multiple locations as part of this role.
Working Hours are 36 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

• Hold a full valid UK driving licence and have your own transport
• Be able to demonstrate experience in managing operational contracts (either a large scale, high worth contract, or a portfolio of contracts)
• A strong technical understanding of commercial and contract management
• Negotiation and dispute resolution experience
• Have exceptional attention to detail and strong analytical skills
• Ability to deliver information and influence internal & external stakeholders at all levels
• Strong MS office skills, ability to work to deadlines and highly organised

What’s in it for you?

• Offering between £52,000 to £54,000 per annum depending on skills and experience.
• 26 days annual leave per year increasing to 30 with the length of service. (Plus bank holidays) 
• Car Allowance of £4,500 per annum.
• Travel will be required 2-4 times per week (dependent on business requirements) within the Thames Water estate to conduct site audits, attend contractor meetings and general site engagement
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution.
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.

Who are we? 
Our business continues to operate as usual, delivering our essential services to around 16 million customers across London, Thames Valley and the Home Counties.  
At Thames Water, our purpose is crystal clear - to deliver life’s essential service so our customers, communities and planet can thrive.

Water is life’s great leveller. Every living thing needs it, every single day. From people to plants, birds to bees, farms to factories, we all need it to thrive, and we’re committed to taking care of it.

But keeping water flowing is becoming harder. From scorching summers to wetter winters, extreme weather affects everything from our pipes to our local rivers. We need to keep millions more kettles boiling, public services operating, washing machines spinning, showers running and more, so every drop is more precious than ever. Are you ready to play your part?

Working at Thames Water
At Thames Water, we recognise that people are at the heart of our business. To help us succeed in providing life's essential service, we need a range of skills and capabilities, representative of society throughout our business. 

We seek to attract and retain a cultural mix of people who can offer different but complementary attitudes, values, talents, and knowledge. We understand the importance of appreciating and harnessing the unique skills, experiences, backgrounds, and differences that each individual brings.

Our over-arching diversity and inclusion aim is to ensure Thames Water is a diverse and inclusive great place to work. We encourage applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process.

Find out more about working at Thames Water.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business, meet colleagues and earn some extra money along the way.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.