Contract Procurement Manager jobs
The whole of business is run on contracts, so it’s of vital importance that all of a company’s procurement contacts are drafted well, are effective and are enforceable to the satisfaction of both supplier and client. The contract manager will oversee the whole process of creating contracts, perhaps for deals struck by other departments within the company, and maintaining records of contracts for future reference.
While some contract manager roles might require drafting skills, in many cases contracts will take the form of a template. However this does not remove the need for precision, as mistakes in contracts can be costly, especially where multi-mullion pound procurement deals are being finalised. If the role doe indeed require contracts to be drafted from scratch, the role will need a fine attention to detail and a full understanding of the matter in hand. The contracts manager will need to appreciate that any items rejected in contract negotiations might have knock-on effects elsewhere in the contract, leading to extensive redrafting.
In many cases the contract managers will be present in negotiations, which is the best place to be to soak up the thrust of the progress. Other times they will be briefed by negotiators and must be able to interpret the brief and foresee any issues arising from the results.
Contract-making is usually hugely time-sensitive, as both parties usually want to see the latest draft of the contract as soon as possible after negotiations, so speed and accuracy must work hand in hand.
The skills required
A quasi-legal sensibility will be required for the successful contract manager, although the role does not usually require legal qualifications – business qualifications and experience are much more reliable determiners of a good candidate. Contracts from small supply deals to major business-critical ones will all be in the domain of the contract manager and his or her team. Whatever the size and nature of the contract, forensic, analytical skills will be highly valued in the contract manager.
Extensive knowledge of the materials or goods being dealt with and their respective industries will be an advantage, as all supplied goods come with their own limitations that must be covered in the contract.
A good command of English will be a most important quality, both in order to draft precise contracts and to interpret suppliers’ own contracts for negotiation. The same applies to all forms of communication, too. Contract managers will be dealing just as much with their own employers as with their suppliers, so they must be good listeners, readers, talkers and writers.
Contract Procurement Manager Jobs in Dartford
At the eastern side of the London conurbation, just to the south of the Thames, a few hundred metres of agricultural land separate the city from its neighbour Dartford. As the crow flies, Dartford is about 14 miles (23 km) from the centre of London. The M25 cuts right through the middle of the town and becomes the Dartford tunnel if you’re heading north (anticlockwise) or the Queen Elizabeth Bridge if you’re heading south (clockwise). Interestingly, the tunnel and bridge are not technically part of the motorway – they form the A282 so that vehicles not permitted to use the motorway can use them – so the M25 is not a complete loop.
Dartford has a long industrial history, with brewing, paper-making, cement making, lime-burning, chalk mining, chemical manufacturing and heavy engineering all going on, with a ready market just up the river in London. However, as the twentieth century wore on, most of these industries died out and Dartford’s service sector got stronger, alongside plentiful light industry. Nowadays there are several trading and industrial estates around the town, and the old Blue Circle Cement factory was demolished and the land used for the huge Bluewater shopping centre. Next to the river is Littlebrook oil-fired power station.
With plenty of industry sill in existence in the town, fantastic connections and one of the UK’s largest shopping centres on its doorstep, Dartford is a prime location for Contract Procurement Manager jobs. It is also a large town, whose population tops 85,000, or 100,000 if the whole borough is taken into account. Opportunities in the logistics sector could hardly be more promising than those presented by Dartford’s profile.
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Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
At any given time, Cast UK have jobs all over the UK, so wherever you live, or plan to live, we are well placed to find work that suits your skills.
We were founded by specialists in the logistics, supply chain and procurement trade, and our consultants are also drawn from these backgrounds, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for. In fact, employers often approach us to find managerial and executive candidates, so if you’re in procurement, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
So whether you’re relocating for personal reasons or are simply looking for more job fulfilment, there could well be an employer who’s looking for the skills you have. Please get in touch today!
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Contract Procurement Manager for your business or find you a job as a Contract Procurement Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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