Manager Commercial and Contracts

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

Reporting directly to the Head of Assets and Supplier Management, this position is pivotal in leading the commercial and contract management functions for Enterprise ICT contracts. The primary objective is to maximise value, optimise performance, and effectively manage risk across the portfolio of contracts.

The following are the key attributes for the role:

• Team leadership: Lead the Commercial and Contract Management team, providing guidance, coaching, and support to ensure high performance and professional development among direct reports.
• Contract lifecycle management: Establish and maintain fit-for-purpose standards, policies, and practices that govern all stages of the contract lifecycle, from requirements development and onboarding through to contract completion and termination.
• Operational excellence: Ensure the effective operationalisation of contracts, with a focus on clear accountability for contractual obligations, active performance management, and the implementation of systems that deliver value for money and measurable savings.
• Commercial oversight: Provide hands-on leadership in commercial matters, underpinned by a strong understanding of MBIE’s current and future contractual frameworks.
• Systems and tools: Drive the efficient use of systems and tools to enable the scalable management of enterprise ICT contracts.
• Stakeholder engagement: Ensure that all stakeholders understand and fulfil their contractual obligations.
• Commercial analysis: Deliver commercial analysis for both existing and new supply arrangements, including assessments of variations.
• Risk management: Proactively identify and manage commercial risks to safeguard organisational interests.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Extensive experience (7+ years) in commercial contract management, including ICT contracts and relevant commercial law knowledge.
• Proven skills in negotiation, collaboration, and relationship-building with vendors, internal stakeholders, and senior management.
• Strong ability to develop, analyse, and review contractual documentation such as agreements, contracts, and statements of work for compliance and accuracy.
• Demonstrated coaching, mentoring, and leadership experience supporting individual and team development in complex environments.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
• Credit check required (yes).
• Required to drive (no).
• Police vetting (yes).
• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent knowledge, skills, and experience.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Commercial and contract management

• Collaborates with the Head of Assets and Supplier Management to set strategy and develop plans for enterprise ICT contract management.
• Leads commercial contract management activities, including contract negotiations, variations, reviews, and resolving contractual issues with vendors.
• Ensures supplier strategies and negotiations deliver value for money and comply with best practice, AoG guidelines, and legal requirements.
• Promotes and implements continuous improvement programs and lessons learned to enhance value and quality assurance in supplier relationships.
• Supports the development and rollout of frameworks, processes, and tools for benchmarking and measuring service delivery.
• Advocates for information security and good third-party management practices across all external partnerships.

Personal leadership

• Models exemplary management and leadership behaviours, State sector ethics, and values.
• Creates a sense of vision, engages and motivates people to participate, and makes things happen.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, ongoing learning, and knowledge sharing.

General management

• Develops and aligns work programmes, strategies, and performance targets for the Commercial and Contracts team with MBIE’s strategic direction, ensuring effective measurement, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms are in place.
• Manages resources, expenditure, and risk in accordance with approved guidelines and budgets, while driving cost effectiveness and adapting to changing circumstances.
• Promotes continuous review and improvement across all operations, regularly monitoring and reporting on progress towards plans and strategies.

Relationship management

• Actively participates as a team member and contributes expertise to support MBIE’s objectives.
• Establishes effective working relationships with MBIE managers and staff to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and learning from ICT across the organisation.
• Represents the Ministry’s interests and safeguards its reputation in all external engagements.
• Forms strategic alliances with key representatives from government and non-government sectors to ensure MBIE’s perspectives are considered in decision-making processes.
• Develops and sustains effective partnerships with national and international organisations to exchange best practices and promote the Ministry, its products, and services.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of stakeholder relationships through various appropriate methods, including obtaining stakeholder feedback.

Wellbeing, health and safety

• Displays commitment through actively supporting all safety and wellbeing initiatives.
• Ensures own and others' safety at all times.
• Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting.
• Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion.
• Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Manager Commercial and Contracts position reports into the Head of Assets and Supplier Management within the Digital Services and Operations branch. The branch sits within the Corporate and Digital Shared Services group.

More information about MBIE's structure

Ngā Kawenga Ārahitanga – Leadership Expectations

At MBIE our leadership expectations provide consistent language for how we expect our leaders to lead at MBIE. They are supported by our values, and the Public Sector leadership capabilities as described in the Leadership Success Profile (LSP).

Leadership Expectations - Ngā Kawenga Ārahitanga (MBIE)

Lead by example - Whakatinana hei tauira
Enable our people - Whakaāhei ō tātou tangata
Deliver what matters - Whakatutuki ngā manako

Matatautanga – Competencies (Leadership Success Profile)

The Leadership Success Profile (LSP) is a leadership capability framework, developed by the New Zealand public sector for the New Zealand public sector. It creates a common language for leadership and establishes what great leadership looks like. You can look at the twelve underpinning capabilities and four leadership characters here: Leadership Success Profile | Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission(external link)

To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand

Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose, Grow New Zealand for All.

To Grow New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi. Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.

As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world. We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders. We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All. The principles of Te Tiriti - including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work. MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.

Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service

Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.

In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.

What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission