Contract Specialist jobs
The value of watertight contracts cannot be overestimated in procurement. Any company that produces things relies entirely on the suppliers literally coming up with the goods exactly as determined by the factory’s production speed and warehousing capacities. Good contracts make sure both parties to the deal have understood their responsibilities and are confident that they can meet their requirements on time and on budget.
The contract specialist will be employed by the buyer to ensure that the procurement process runs as smoothly and as efficiently as possibly. The way to achieve this is for the contract specialist to be involved with as much of the contract-making process as possible, from bidding to negotiating to drafting to signing off. Because he or she is an expert in the field of contracts, errors should be kept to a minimum and the contracts themselves should be better drafted and more likely to be agreed upon sooner.
Since there are many thousands of pages of law, both domestic and international, regarding the sourcing, importation, payment for and transporting of goods, experience in the specific area in which the employer deals would be of great benefit. An expert in contracts for one particular product or material might not be the best person to deal with another.
For these reasons, a skilled contract specialist in a busy procurement operation is a valued member of the team.
The skills required
The eye for detail that you’d expect of a solicitor is a key requirement of the contract specialist. They should be able to analyse any proposed deal and flag up any areas that have the potential for conflict in the short or long term, and correct these elements of the draft without ignoring the effect they might have elsewhere.
The contract specialist is on the front line of protecting the employer’s interests, so trustworthy and reliable individuals will do well. However, since a procure and supply contract is supposed to be to the benefit of both parties, the good contract specialist will always look at the deal from the supplier’s viewpoint, too; identifying stumbling blocks at an early stage will prevent costly and time-consuming redrafts.
Important personal attributes will be analytical skills and a good command of English (or other languages when dealing internationally). Many employers will demand the minimum of a business degree, but good experience of drafting contracts can stand applicants in good stead.
Contract Specialist Jobs in Newcastle-under-Lyme
The Staffordshire town of Newcastle-under-Lyme (not to be confused with Newcastle-upon-Tyne) adjoins the city of Stoke-on-Trent along all of its eastern edge; without looking at a boundary map it would be difficult to discern where one ends and the other begins. The town did have a similar industrial history to Stoke, namely pottery and porcelain manufacture, until the mid-1700s when it all but stopped, giving way to brick making, clothing, cotton milling, coal mining and engineering. Engineering and clothing manufacturing still dominate the town’s industries; many military and police uniforms are made here.
In the early 1900s, the Stoke area was an amalgamation of a number of moderately sized towns, chief among them Stoke, Hanley, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Burslem, Fenton, Tunstall, Longton, Smallthorne, Kidsgrove, and Audley. A motion was put to parliament to amalgamate them all into one city in what was known as the Federation of Stoke-on-Trent. Newcastle-under-Lyme was the only one to reject the plan, partly because the others were heavily involved in the pottery industry and Newcastle no longer was. Newcastle’s opposition was recognised and so it came to be that the town now exists almost engulfed by Stoke-on-Trent.
With a population of about 75,000 and a huge regeneration effort recently being completed, Newcastle-under-Lyme has undergone something of a rebirth of late, after a few decades of gradual decline. We do see more Contract Specialist jobs appearing in the town, which is often indicative of renewed economic activity.
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Cast UK’s procurement opportunities
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. 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.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Contract Specialist for your business or find you a job as a Contract Specialist then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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