Principal Contract Advisor

About the Role

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is creating a new centre-led Contract and Supplier Relationship Management division and seeks an experienced Principal Contract Advisor to establish this function from its inception. This unique role offers the chance to significantly impact how one of New Zealand's most extensive and multifaceted organizations oversees its commercial contracts and strategic supplier partnerships. In this advisory capacity, you will not manage contracts directly but will deliver expert guidance, enhance commercial capabilities, and promote the adoption of leading practices.

Working centrally, you will collaborate with multiple business units within NZDF to bolster commercial competencies, improve governance structures, and maximize the value derived from supplier engagements.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement an enterprise-wide framework for Contract Management and Supplier Relationship Management within NZDF.
• Coach and mentor contract owners to elevate commercial skills.
• Offer expert advice on intricate negotiations, contract assessments, modifications, disputes, and commercial risk management.
• Create practical tools, templates, and frameworks to standardize contract management processes.
• Analyze commercial data and supplier performance metrics to uncover risks, opportunities, and potential value enhancements.
• Develop governance frameworks, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and supplier performance monitoring protocols.
• Deliver comprehensive training programs and foster behavioural changes organizationally.

Candidate Profile

You are a commercially savvy advisor passionate about helping others optimize commercial outcomes. Your combined strong commercial insight and extensive expertise in contract management, supplier relations, negotiations, and governance make you an asset. You are comfortable addressing complex contractual issues hands-on as well as coaching staff to build their competencies. Your influence stems from professional knowledge and interpersonal relationships rather than hierarchical authority, establishing you as a reliable advisor who empowers teams to become more confident and autonomous.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Extensive experience in handling complex contract management, supplier relationships, procurement, or commercial environments.
• Robust legal and contractual expertise with a focus on offering practical and risk-aware advice.
• Background supporting strategic, high-value, and high-risk contracts and supplier partnerships.
• Proven track record of influencing senior leadership and driving improvements in organizational capability.
• Experience in designing or enhancing contract management frameworks and commercial governance models.

Additional Information

• Pre-employment drug screening and NZDF Police Clearance are prerequisites.
• To obtain the necessary Government security clearance, candidates must:
• Be a New Zealand citizen, or hold either New Zealand Permanent Residence or a valid New Zealand Residency Class Visa.
• Have resided continuously for the past 10 years in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the UK, or the USA.
• Provide a verifiable 10-year background history to the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS).

Why Join NZDF?

This role offers the chance to architect a new, impactful enterprise-wide function within a nationally pivotal organisation. You will help establish commercial best practices and enhance contract and supplier management skills across NZDF.