Logistics Contract Manager jobs
The contracts that logistics companies have with their customers and suppliers are key to the efficient and profitable running of the business. Contracts can be thought of in two ways: the signed pieces of paper that the two parties have, the result of much thrashing at the negotiating table; and the relationship the two parties have as a business entity – i.e. an account.
The contract manager will be in charge of both aspects. He or she will be involved with tendering and will be present at the negotiations between the logistics firm and potential customers. Sometimes contracts are negotiated in one set of prevailing conditions but as time goes by and conditions change, their profitability might suffer for either party. The contract manager will need to be open to renegotiations, and must work to ensure that there is reasonable scope for such alterations in the initial negotiations.
Once contracts are agreed and up and running, the manager will monitor their day to day operation and ensure that all is running smoothly. Any issues with the customer will need to be dealt with by the contract manager. It is important to strike a balance between keeping good clients happy and maximising profitability.
The skills required
The contract manager will probably have a team under him or her, for example account managers and finance staff who will deal with the day to day contact with the customers. They will also have regular contact with the logistics team itself and head office who will be steering the company and instructing the contract manager on budgets etc. For these reasons, the contract manager will need to have excellent communication and people management skills.
A good understanding of the negotiating, contract drafting and contract realisation stages will stand the contract manager in good stead. Any previous experience of running a department or dealing with contracts will help. The job can also be a step up the career ladder for an experience account manager, too. The role comes with a good deal of responsibility and the ongoing profitability of the department and company will be in his or her hands.
Logistics Contract Manager Jobs in Runcorn
It might be difficult to imagine it now, but Runcorn was once a celebrated spa town and health retreat right up to the Industrial Revolution, whereupon its prime location made its industrialisation rapid. The town is located on the south bank of the River Mersey just before it flows east to the Wirral peninsula and Liverpool. The last bridge over the Mersey passes between Runcorn and Widnes; it is a railway bridge directly adjacent to the impressive steel-arch bridge that takes advantage of a natural outcrop, but still has a single span of 330m. For a time there were three crossings, including a transporter bridge, but this was dismantled in 1961. A brand new crossing has been planned which will ease congestion on the roads.
Runcorn’s main industry has always been, and remains, chemicals. Chlorine, caustic soda, hydrogen and polymers have been produced there for over a hundred years. The town is served by a mainline railway (Liverpool to London) and no fewer than three canals – the Manchester Ship, the Bridegwater and the Weaver Navigation. The town had a busy dockyard up until the post-war period, when it fell into decline.
The town remains an industrial and commercial hub in the immediate vicinity, with several large industrial estates, trading estates and retail parks in and around the town, thanks to massive regeneration efforts in the 1970s and 1980s. Runcorn has a large new town that was built to house the overspill from Liverpool. With the M56 to Manchester, links to Liverpool and Chester and a good rail and waterway network, there are several distribution centres in and around the town, making Runcorn an excellent place to look for Logistics Contract Manager work.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s logistics opportunities
People approach Cast UK for a number of reasons, whether seeking more job fulfilment or simply relocating with the family, so it’s good to know that we always have the complete range of positions available nationwide. We are a growing force in logistics, procurement and supply chain recruitment, partly because these are the only sectors we deal with.
Our founder members and consultants all have backgrounds in logistics, procurement and supply chain, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for in their staff and careers respectively. Thanks to this focus, many employers come to us first to create a candidate shortlist because they know we’ll deliver the best people to them. Please see what’s available in your region and if you’ve seen something you’re interested in, do get in touch – whether it’s today or tomorrow, we might have the best position for you.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Contract Manager for your business or find you a job as a Contract Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
Contact us