Senior Contracts Management Specialist

Senior Contracts Management Specialist

• Lead complex commercial contract matters
• Strengthen value, rigour and performance
• Build contract capability across the organisation

Turn good contracts into better commercial outcomes.

Invercargill City Council manages significant contracts across infrastructure, roading, water, waste and the many services required to keep a city operating. The opportunity now is to manage the contract lifecycle, and strengthen what happens after the contract is signed.

ICC is seeking an experienced Senior Contract Management Specialist to bring greater commercial rigour to complex, high-value contracts, strengthen contract management capability and help ensure Council captures the value, performance and outcomes it has contracted for.

This is a senior specialist role with the opportunity to make a measurable commercial impact across the organisation. Sound like you?

About the role

Reporting to the Manager – Procurement and Contracts, you will be Council’s recognised specialist in commercial contract management. Working alongside procurement, legal advisers and operational contract owners, you will step in where matters move beyond procurement process into commercial position, contract structure, pricing, risk allocation, major variations, supplier performance or complex contractual issues.

You will lead and support complex commercial negotiations, advise on contract structures and risk, strengthen commercial governance and provide practical guidance across the contract lifecycle.

A key part of the role will be building capability. Contract owners sit throughout Council, so rather than taking ownership away from the business, you will coach and support managers to become more commercially confident and effective in managing their contracts.

You will also continue to develop Council’s contract management frameworks, templates, tools and practices, using lessons from supplier issues, negotiations, variations and contract performance to lift capability across the organisation.

About you

We are looking for someone who has genuinely managed complex contracts in the real world.

You will understand what happens when contract terms meet operational reality – when a major variation lands, supplier performance slips, commercial positions become difficult or an organisation needs to decide when to negotiate, escalate or seek legal advice.

To support your success, you will build and maintain effective commercial relationships with key suppliers, balancing collaboration and challenge to improve performance, manage risk and deliver value for Council.

Your background could be commercial, legal, engineering, infrastructure, construction, procurement or contract management. The common thread will be significant hands-on experience with complex, high-value contracts and strong commercial judgement.

You will bring:

• Significant experience in commercial contracts, contract negotiation or procurement within a complex organisation.
• Proven capability negotiating contract terms, pricing, risk allocation and major variations.
• Strong commercial acumen and an ability to identify where value or contractual position may be at risk.
• Experience resolving difficult supplier and contractual issues.
• The ability to coach others and explain complex commercial matters in straightforward language.
• Strong relationship and influencing skills, enabling you to work effectively with operational managers, procurement, legal advisers and suppliers.
• A practical, solutions-focused approach and sound judgement about when matters require escalation.
• Experience with infrastructure, civil, capital works or technical service contracts would be particularly valuable, as would exposure to public sector procurement and contracting environments.

Why Invercargill City Council?

This role arrives at an important point in ICC’s commercial maturity. Strong foundations and frameworks are already in place; the opportunity now is to turn those into consistently strong commercial practice across the organisation.

You will have the scope to influence significant contracts, build capability and deliver outcomes that can be measured in stronger supplier performance, reduced commercial risk and better value for Invercargill’s ratepayers.

Add to that the Southland lifestyle – affordable living, minimal commuting and exceptional outdoor experiences within easy reach – and this is an opportunity to combine a genuinely interesting commercial challenge with a different way of living.

Flexible working arrangements and relocation support are available for the right candidate.

How to apply

For a copy of the position description and to apply, visit the Decipher Group website https://deciphergroup.co.nz/job-opportunities/senior-contracts-management-specialist/

To discover more about Southland and Invercargill City Council www.southlandnz.com and www.icc.govt.nz.

For a confidential discussion about the role; contact Lisa Edwards on 021 240 4410 or by email to [email protected]

Applications close: 24 September 2026