Contracts Manager

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.
Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2024" ranking.

Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers onboard intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, reduce mental load and guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.

What does the role look like?

We're looking for a commercially minded Contract Manager to oversee and strengthen the way we manage contracts across our engineering and manufacturing operations.

This role will work closely with all areas of the business - Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Quality - to ensure every agreement we enter supports our
commercial goals, protects our position, and enables smooth delivery to our customers.

You'll be at the centre of our commercial decision-making: reviewing and drafting supplier and customer contracts, managing risk, and driving consistency across the business.

What will your day-to-day responsibilities look like?

Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commercial contracts including supply, manufacturing, service, and customer agreements.
Assess contractual risks and liabilities, advising the leadership team on commercial and operational implications.
Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, industry standards, and company policies.
Support engineering and project teams in interpreting contract requirements and managing deliverables.
Lead contract reviews during bid and proposal stages - ensuring terms, pricing, and obligations align with business strategy.
Manage contract change control, extensions, renewals, and performance tracking.
Maintain an organised contract repository and ensure accurate version control.
Develop and implement standard contract templates and approval workflows.
Collaborate with legal advisors on complex or high-value negotiations.
Provide training and guidance to managers and project leads on contract awareness and risk management.

What will you bring to the role?

Essential skills:

Background in contract management, commercial management, procurement, or legal within an engineering or manufacturing environment.
Proven ability to interpret and negotiate terms across customer, supplier, and subcontractor agreements.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills - able to challenge constructively and influence at all levels.

Desirable skills:

Good understanding of supply chain, project delivery, and commercial frameworks.
Experience working with international contracts, including familiarity with U.S. regulations such as: ITAR, EAR etc olid knowledge of UK commercial law, contract law principles, and industry frameworks (NEC, JCT, or customer-specific terms).
Confident negotiating with suppliers, customers, and legal representatives.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain contractual positions clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
Highly organised and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Skilled at balancing commercial pragmatism with risk control - knowing when to challenge and when to compromise.