Commercial Contracts Manager

The role

We’re hiring an experienced Commercial Contracts Manager on a fixed-term maternity cover, sitting in Finance Services and dedicated to managing IT Services’ contracts—a division that delivers world‑class support and services to 8,000+ staff and 30,000 students.

You’ll work closely with technical and governance teams in IT Services, and with Procurement and Finance colleagues, to identify and deliver financial and non‑financial benefits across the University’s largest and most complex IT contracts.

You’ll work across a portfolio of around 200 IT contracts (annual spend approximately £76m), tailoring your involvement by risk and strategic priority.

Enjoy excellent staff benefits, a competitive pension, generous leave (including bank holidays and closure days), volunteer days, and blended working (typically two days per week on campus in Central Bristol).

What will you be doing?

• Manage the full contract lifecycle, from onboarding and performance oversight to renewal and exit.
• Engage proactively with suppliers to track service performance, contract compliance, risk, and cost control, and report clearly to stakeholders.
• Lead complex negotiations with a range of supplier organisations to achieve IT Services and University objectives.
• Advise on commercial terms and conditions, explaining the practical impact of key clauses and recommending clear actions.
• Draft and refine Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Management Information that drive value for money; review reports to spot trends, risks, and opportunities, and advise stakeholders on commercial actions.
• Manage contract variations (in line with contract tiering), ensuring changes are approved and documented.
• Directly support IT Services to deliver savings, using effective contract management to support value for money targets.

You should apply if

• You have proven negotiation experience, including setting negotiation strategy and influencing internal and external stakeholders.
• You understand budgets and financial objectives and can identify and deliver contract-level savings.
• You bring end‑to‑end contract lifecycle experience and the confidence to navigate a broad range of contract documents and supplier positions.
• You have contract law experience and are confident drafting clauses.
• You build strong relationships with stakeholders and suppliers, communicate clearly, and challenge constructively through to resolution.

Additional information

Contract type: Fixed-term maternity cover until 31/5/2027 - or the earlier return of the postholder. 

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Tuesday 7th April

For informal queries about the role, please contact Rob Logan (Director of Procurement) on rob.logan@bristol.ac.uk.

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.

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