Your Mission

As Paralegal / Contracts Manager, you will support the Legal Counsel and wider business in the review, drafting, negotiation, administration and management of a broad range of commercial agreements. You will play a central role in enabling efficient and compliant contracting across both public and private sector customers, while supporting broader legal and commercial activities.

You will work collaboratively with stakeholders across sales, procurement, operations, finance, bids/tenders and senior leadership, helping balance legal risk with commercial objectives in a fast-paced environment.

How you’ll fit in to the big picture

You will be a key member of the in-house legal function, acting as a first point of contact for contracting matters and helping to ensure the business operates efficiently, safely and in line with its risk appetite. Your role will be instrumental in improving contract turnaround times, reducing legal bottlenecks and strengthening contract governance and consistency across the organisation.

What you’ll be doing

Commercial Contracting

· Review, draft, amend and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including:

o Customer and supplier terms

o Framework and call-off agreements

o NDAs and data processing agreements

o Statements of work

o Consultancy, services, software and licensing agreements

o Variations, renewals and termination documents

· Support negotiations across public and private sector customers and suppliers

· Identify legal and commercial risks and escalate where appropriate

· Ensure contracts align with business objectives and risk appetite

Contract Management & Governance

· Maintain and improve templates, clause libraries and playbooks

· Support development of a central contract repository

· Track obligations, renewal dates, and key contract terms

· Assist with contract lifecycle management (signing, filing, version control)

· Drive consistency and efficiency in contracting processes

Public Sector Support

· Assist with public sector frameworks, call-offs and tender documentation

· Support bid/tender teams by reviewing contractual risk

· Ensure contractual positions are operationally and commercially workable

Stakeholder Support

· Act as first point of contact for internal contracting queries

· Provide clear, practical legal guidance to non-legal teams

· Build strong cross-functional relationships

· Deliver training on contracting processes and legal basics

Ad Hoc Legal / Commercial Support

· Support Legal Counsel with general legal and governance matters

· Assist with document coordination and administrative tasks

· Help manage external legal providers

· Contribute to process improvements and legal operations initiatives

What experience we think you’ll need

Essential

· Experience in an in-house legal, paralegal, or contracts management role

· Strong experience with commercial contract drafting and negotiation

· Solid understanding of contract law and commercial risk

· Excellent drafting, redlining, and document review skills

· Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

· Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills

· Organised, detail-focused, and pragmatic approach

Desirable

· Experience in technology, IT services, or managed services sector

· Exposure to public sector procurement and frameworks

· Knowledge of data protection, IP, licensing, and service levels

· Familiarity with contract lifecycle management tools

· Understanding of risk allocation (liability, indemnities, warranties, etc.)

Personal Attributes

· Commercially astute and pragmatic

· Calm under pressure

· Proactive and self-sufficient

· Collaborative and relationship-focused

· High integrity and sound judgement

· Able to balance legal risk with business needs