Senior Contract Manager Advisor

Location: Norton

The role Are you a commercially minded contract management professional looking to make a real impact? We're seeking a Senior Contract Management Advisor to join our Contract Management Support Service (CMSS) , where you'll play a vital role in strengthening how we manage and deliver contracts across NRW. In this role, you'll provide expert advice and practical support on medium to high-risk contract management activities across a diverse portfolio, including procurement, concessions, timber sales, energy contracts, grants, leases, and management agreements .

You'll work closely with contract managers across the organisation, supporting them through the full contract lifecycle - from early scoping and mobilisation to delivery, performance management, risk and change control, and exit planning. By ensuring compliance with internal and external requirements such as governance, data security, anti-fraud, and sustainability obligations, the post helps protect organisational interests while delivering value for money and effective risk mitigation.

Your expertise will help ensure contracts are well-governed, outcomes-focused, and deliver genuine value. In addition to hands-on contract support, the Senior Advisor plays a key role in mentoring and coaching colleagues, strengthening commercial capability and promoting best practice. The post contributes directly to NRW's strategic aims by improving ways of working, driving consistency and efficiency, and embedding robust governance and commercial standards across the organisation.

This role sits at the heart of how NRW delivers its outcomes. You'll have the opportunity to influence how contracts are managed across the organisation, support colleagues to succeed, and ensure that robust governance and commercial best practice underpin our work. If you're motivated by collaboration, professional excellence, and making a difference through effective contract management, we'd love to hear from you.

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance. To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Peter Lees at Interviews will take place week commencing 2 March 2026 through Microsoft Teams Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check.

Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

About us The Contract Management Support Service (CMSS) sits within the Customer, Communication & Commercial Directorate and provides specialist contract management and commercial advisory support across NRW. The team works collaboratively across the organisation and with external partners, influencing internal and external stakeholders and contributing to the development of policy and best practice. Based in a flexible, primarily office-based working environment , the team supports delivery across NRW sites and partner premises, with activities that may include delivering training, workshops, and presentations.

CMSS is an enabling service, focused on improving governance, commercial capability, and consistency of practice. Team members operate in specialist advisory roles at Grade 6 , reporting to the Team Leader, CMSS Team 2 , with no direct line management responsibility but acting as mentors to less experienced colleagues and leading non-complex technical programmes through matrix management. What you will do Support Contract Managers on medium to high risk contract management activities, advising on contract management process, governance, and outcomes throughout the contract management life cycle.

Provide specialist advice and guidance in order to manage commercial and sustainability risk, to improve ways of working and drive efficiency, as evidenced by improved value for money. Ensures internal and external compliance with requirements e.g. data security, anti-fraud measures and supply chain sustainability, challenging instances of non-compliance. Hold accountability under…