Senior Contracts Manager - Far East markets

At Martin-Baker our purpose is to save lives. We are the leading global provider of ejection seats and proud to reflect that over our 70 years of history have saved over 7,700 lives.

Within the UK our 1,100 colleagues are located across two sites in Denham, Middlesex and Chalgrove, Oxfordshire.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

A vacancy has arisen for a Contracts / Senior Contracts Manager to join the Commercial department at our site in Denham, near to Uxbridge. The role holder has complete ownership of the Far East market geography, including a number of key customer accounts across Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Thailand.

Based upon a thorough understanding of markets and individual customer accounts, the role holder will be responsible for end-to-end commercial activities in the region. This will include bidding, negotiating and winning strategically important business, managing existing contracts through the business, managing Offset obligations, ensuring delivery, invoicing and cash collection associated with deliveries of products and services. The incumbent leads the decision-making process on all commercial matters associated with customer transactions (new and ongoing), regularly briefing the Senior Leadership Team and Board members during Account Reviews and Bid Reviews. You’ll also line manage a talented team of Commercial Officers. This is an exciting, broad, and varied opportunity for travel and work, supported by Agents, with customers and end-users from the respective accounts.

Areas of Responsibility:

* Customer Relationships – building and maintaining strong and mutually beneficial relationships with customers, supported by colleagues from further internal teams.

* Leadership – managing direct reports including recruitment, development, objective setting, performance management, providing continual coaching and mentoring to colleagues.

* Agent Management – managing the performance, reporting and payments to agents across the region of responsibility.

* Deal Making / New Business Deals – structures and negotiates new business deals, including leading complex major bids, tenders and commentary with customer terms and conditions.

* Contract Management – monitoring and ensuring the successful delivery of business in accordance with contractual terms.

* Contract Amendment – negotiate changes to contracts including contractual terms up to authority levels and in accordance with terms agreed during the bid process.

* Contract Interpretation / Dispute Resolution – guides the business in the understanding of contractual commitments and whether activities and schedules remain compliant.

* Policy – recommends approaches for the business to maintain compliance with, and through personal example and leadership ensures others operate to company standards and policies.

* Accountability – responsibility for meeting the business targets for allocated accounts, including order intakes, sales, arrears management, debt management etc.

* Offering Infrastructure – constructs appropriate descriptions of services and leads the definition of trading terms with customers and subcontractors to meet business needs.

* Risk Management – judges the acceptability of overall risks associated with deals, generates options to mitigate identified risks and assists the business in the derivation of sensible steps to address those risks through appropriate contract terms or contract management.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO BRING

* People management skills – supervisory and line management experience.

* Significant previous experience in a Commercial role working in the defence/military sector, this role may also suit individuals that have seasoned defence/military industry experience and wish to move into a Commercial team.

* Experience of handling negotiations in international geographies such as Asian and Far East countries.

* Experience of dealing with customers whose first language is not English is desirable.

* Strong account management and stakeholder management abilities.

* Experience of working with Deal Structures, Contract Structures (T&Cs), Schedules, etc.

* Experience building, negotiating and / or delivering Offset contracts is beneficial.

* Strong understanding of pricing methodologies and comfortable with pricing models, including through-life support models.

* Able to translate the impact of negotiated terms to P&L, risk to delivery, etc.

* Experience of the appropriate use of Financial Instruments (LoC, iLoC, Performance Guarantees etc).

* Good legal awareness of contractual obligations.

* Experience of manipulating and interrogating MRP systems is desireable.

* Willing to undertake business travel in the UK and internationally, as required.

* User knowledge of SAP is beneficial.

* (IACCM Accreditation is beneficial / not essential).

* Degree or equivalent experience.

LIFE AT MARTIN-BAKER

At Martin-Baker, we offer a broad range of employee benefits to all our colleagues. Working hours are offered to balance work and homelife. Additional to offering competitive salaries, we offer life assurance and a highly attractive pension scheme, a health cash plan, a cycle to work scheme and 26 days annual leave (FTE full time equivalent), additional to statutory bank holiday days.

Martin-Baker is an equal opportunities employer. Aligned to the company’s Diversity and Inclusion commitment, all candidates will be treated equally and fairly, regardless of their background or any protected characteristics. Candidates will be selected entirely on their skills and competencies and in alignment with the role specifications and requirements.

For all successful candidates offered a role with Martin-Baker, we will undertake background security checks. As part of this, we will need to confirm your identity, employment history and address history to cover the past five years as well as your nationality, immigration status and criminal record. For positions that require Security Clearance, the successful candidate must hold or be willing to obtain security clearance up to the relevant level for the role. The recruitment team can guide you through this process should you have any questions