Senior Contract Manager | Wellington City

Job Description

Job title: Senior Contract Manager

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: General Salary Range C: $119,376 to $153,670 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

This senior level role sits within our central Procurement & Commercial Management team and leads the management of a diverse range of complex ICT contracts that are strategically important to the delivery of MPI's core objectives.

You'll operate with a high degree of autonomy and will play a key role in ensuring commercial arrangements deliver value, performance, and align with organisational goals.

We are looking for someone who brings deep contract management expertise, strong stakeholder engagement skills, and a strategic mindset. You'll be a trusted adviser across the organisation, helping to uplift commercial capability and drive continuous improvement.

This is a great opportunity to work at the heart of commercial delivery, influence outcomes, and mentoring others in a collaborative, high-performing team.

Our work is varied and interesting, reflecting MPI's diverse responsibilities and impact across Aotearoa.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading complex negotiations and developing structured strategies for ICT-related contracts
• Reviewing legacy agreements and conducting gap analysis to identify risks and improvement areas
• Mentoring and supporting others, providing oversight and peer-reviews to support team capability and consistency
• Engaging with suppliers to understand delivery perspectives and align expectations
• Creating work plans, performance measures, and risk mitigation strategies
• Providing commercial advice to contract owners and monitoring contract outcomes
• Navigating MPI's internal processes and technical environments to support effective delivery
• Facilitating regular meetings with suppliers and owners to track performance and expenditure

ICT experience is a bonus, but strong commercial acumen and relationship management are essential.

About You - Mōu

You'll bring a strong commercial lens and a passion for driving contract performance and value. You're confident navigating complex negotiations and managing supplier relationships. You'll be a strategic thinker and a trusted adviser to senior leaders, providing expert commercial insights that influence key decisions.

You're confident building relationships across all levels, internally and externally, with resilience and strong communication skills. You ask thoughtful questions, challenge constructively, and bring people onside even in complex or resistant environments. You bring broad commercial experience, can evidence your advice, and work collaboratively to navigate complexity and deliver outcomes. You'll play a key role in building commercial capability across the organisation by mentoring and supporting colleagues, promoting best practice, and contributing to a culture of excellence.

You will bring:

• Proven experience leading the commercial management of complex, high-risk and strategically significant contracts, including formal contract reviews, commercial interventions, and performance improvement plans
• Experience leading and designing negotiating complex contracts, including pricing models and performance frameworks
• Ability to identify, assess, and manage commercial risks and issues, including escalation and resolution
• Strong commercial and financial literacy, it the ability to analyse spend and supplier behaviours
• Advanced communication and stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to navigate ambiguity
• A strategic mindset and ability to influence across the organisation
• Experience in mentoring and coaching others to build team capability
• A relevant tertiary qualification or professional certification (e.g. MCIPS, WorldCC) or equivalent experience and a sound understanding of commercial law

You do not need to meet all of the role requirements to apply. We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and will welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

We are a small, close-knit team based in the Wellington CBD, known for our depth of commercial expertise and collaborative approach. We support each other, celebrate wins, and enjoy team activities like team morning teas, lunches, and afternoon quiz.

We work across the organisation to deliver high-quality commercial advice and contract management. You'll be joining a team that values innovation, impact, and continuous improvement.

We work together, challenge respectfully, and support each other to grow and succeed. This is a great opportunity to contribute meaningfully while enjoying a dynamic and inclusive team environment.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

We are passionate about growing prosperity in New Zealand's primary sectors while ensuring respect for Kaitiaki – guardianship of our natural resources. 

Benefits of working at MPI - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua

• Additional MPI leave days
• Ability to purchase extra annual leave
• Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames 

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/about-mpi/careers/working-mpi/benefits/

Credit check - Tirotiro nama

Please note, given this position is identified as carrying financial risk, the preferred candidate(s) will be required to satisfactorily pass a credit check.

Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?
We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes, and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

To view the position description and/or apply online, please click “APPLY FOR THIS JOB” or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Applications close at 11.59pm 4 November 2025  

If you have any questions about the role, please email Sophie.Hallett@mpi.govt.nz 

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