Contracts Manager (Basildon)

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the Commercial team at Leonardo, within the Integrated Sensing & Protection (ISP) line of business, which is a major growth area with ambitious targets over the short to medium term. We are looking for an ambitious Contracts Manager to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment for the Mission Systems Business sector. Reporting directly to the Senior Commercial Manager, the role interfaces with a variety of UK and International customers focused within both the UK and Export arena and working as part of integrated project teams (IPTs).

You will have responsibility for the maintenance of current contracts and development of commercial bids/proposals, providing strategic and commercially sound guidance on challenging contracts and opportunities within the business. You will have a successful record of accomplishment in a commercial business winning and contract management capacity in the Aerospace and Defence Sector and have experience working within a fast-paced and challenging environment. You will have experience around collaboration and partnering with other Companies, and also with undertaking direct line management responsibilities.

We require a flexible and adaptable mindset and requires you to be comfortable advocating commercial governance and practices at all levels of the organisation. This role is required to work at a fast pace and to tight timeframes, so excellent communication skills and ability to prioritise is a must. In return this role provides a high level of variety of contracts, customers and work environments. The role will be based at our Basildon site, on a hybrid working basis with some home working, but will require attendance on site on a semi-regular basis. This is an exciting opportunity for you to take your next step up in Commercial experience, leading a variety of bids and contracts for key programmes, products and customers.

What you'll do:

• Provide strategic and tactical oversight to a number of contracts and bid activities within the Mission Systems sector;
• Drafting, negotiating and administration of complex terms and conditions of contract, working with Procurement counterparts to ensure appropriate flow through with subcontractors.
• Produce, document and brief (obtaining any necessary approvals) clear and informed commercial strategies to leverage the best possible outcomes.
• Producing accurate and compliant customer pricing by applying the appropriate pricing strategy and model to cost estimates.
• Take the lead in producing clear and concise correspondence, obtaining stakeholder input as and when required.
• Drafting and reviewing agreements such as Non-Disclosure Agreements, Software Licensing Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding etc.
• Providing commercial leadership and administration to projects and/or contracts, including change control management, monitoring performance of its contractual obligations and management of commercial risk.
• Preparing proposals for submission to Customers in conjunction with the preparation of internal documentation required to obtain bid approval.
• Build and maintain mutually beneficial and collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers to deliver value to the company.
• Managing own workload, highlighting areas of conflict or priority and effectively managing stakeholder and customer expectations.

What you'll bring:

• A high level of understanding of contract law and its application.
• Experience working with UK Government and international Contracts.
• Able to advocate at senior levels of an organisation.
• Is readily able to identify and carry out complex commercial strategies, managing stakeholder and customer relationships to obtain successful outcomes.
• Has a flexible mindset and adaptable approach.
• Be highly skilled at managing a variety of tasks across a portfolio, adeptly prioritising and communicating effectively with key stakeholders and customers.
• Has a detailed understanding of business finance, profit and loss, margin and markup, escalation, foreign exchange.
• Identifies and understands commercial risks and how to implement mitigation strategies.
• Has the ability to build effective and strong relationships with cross-functional colleagues, customers and suppliers.
• Possesses excellent communication skills, written, oral and presentation skills.

Security Clearance: This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

Why join us:

• At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance.
• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity.
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

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