Senior Contracts Manager – Full-time 2 Year Fixed Term

Overview

Senior Contracts Manager – Full-time 2 Year Fixed Term Jobs in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia at VicReturn

Title: Senior Contracts Manager – Full-time 2 Year Fixed Term

Company: VicReturn

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

About the Company

VicReturn is an exciting business, tasked with the oversight and administration of Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (“CDS Vic”), which launched in November 2023. At VicReturn we are motivated to help keep beverage containers out of landfill, creating clean streams of recycled materials that help to build our Circular Economy by promoting product stewardship of all Beverage Suppliers in Victoria. As the appointed Scheme Coordinator for CDS Vic, we work with government and partners to oversee the building of a large-scale container recycling network which will play a key role in transforming Victoria’s waste and recycling system. Through a 10c refund for every eligible container returned we will encourage Victorians to collect and recycle their beverage containers, making a positive difference to our people, environment and local industry.

Read more about CDS here Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme | Get 10c for every eligible drink container

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief of Communications and Strategy the Senior Contracts Manager (SCM) will provide commercial and operational expertise to oversee the contract lifecycle, mitigate risk, and maximise value at VicReturn. You are a strategic partner who will work closely with VicReturn’s Head of Legal to ensure that agreements are not only legally sound but also aligned with organisational goals, acting as a key point of contact for relationship management, complex negotiations and contentious issues. You will also provide a strategic vision for the entire contract portfolio, drive organisational change, and act as a trusted advisor to the Executive Team and act as the central point of coordination across the business, working closely with internal stakeholders to ensure effective delivery, performance and compliance under contractual arrangements.

Key Accountabilities and Capabilities:

• Lead the ongoing delivery and management of the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) Scheme Agreements and other contracts as required
• Driving deliverables against contract terms, managing variations, and handling disputes.
• Relationship Management: Building rapport with stakeholders, conducting regular meetings, and ensuring satisfaction.
• Attending and leading key meetings with contract partners on behalf of VicReturn
• Managing compliance with legislative and policy requirements, and overseeing probity
• Coordination across the business to ensure contract delivery
• Commercial Negotiation: Ability to negotiate complex, high-stakes agreements to secure favourable terms while fostering long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.
• Strategic Risk Management: Proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating legal, financial, and operational risks throughout the contract life cycle.
• Financial Analysis: Understanding the financial implications of contract terms, including budgeting, cost analysis, and total cost of ownership.
• Value Maximisation: Identifying opportunities for cost-saving, revenue enhancement, and performance improvement within the contract portfolio.
• Contractual Expertise: Knowledge of contract administration, legal terminology, and ability to draft/review complex, bespoke clauses.
• Compliance Governance: Ensuring strict adherence to internal policies, industry standards, and regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, modern slavery laws).
• Dispute Resolution: Managing and resolving high-level, contentious contract disputes and breaches.
• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM): Proficiency in using CLM technology to automate processes, improve visibility, and manage compliance.
• Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Developing and tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to ensure delivery of contracted obligations.
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives across the contract portfolio to achieve measurable cost savings and enhance commercial outcomes
• Records Management: Maintaining accurate, organised documentation for audit readiness.
• Relationship Building: Managing relationships with key internal stakeholders (finance, legal, procurement, operations) and external suppliers.
• Communication: Clearly explaining complex contractual terms to diverse audiences and senior leadership.
• Government Engagement: Demonstrated experience working with government (and/or statutory authorities), including managing complex stakeholder and approval pathways, supporting governance and reporting requirements, and navigating public sector policy, probity and compliance expectations.

Required Skills

• Exceptional Attention to Detail: Meticulous review of documents to identify risks or errors.
• Results-Oriented: Focused on delivering outcomes that align with business strategy.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Relationship Oriented: Builds strong, trusted and collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, fostering open communication, constructive challenge and long‑term partnerships to achieve shared outcomes.

We celebrate the rich diversity of the communities in Victoria and are committed to creating inclusive and safe environments where all our team members can contribute and succeed. We believe that all team members should feel valued, respected and safe irrespective of your gender, ethnicity, indigeneity, religious beliefs, education, generational, disability, family responsibilities, sexual orientation and gender identity and we encourage applications from all candidates.