Contract Duration: initial contract of 2 years, starting from 1 October 2026, with the possibility of extensions.
Salary: £94,251 NET annual basic salary + other benefits
We are looking for a Senior Contracts Management Specialist to lead ECMWF’s post‑award contract management function, ensuring effective delivery of contracts from signature through closure across Core and Programme-funded activities. The Senior Contract Management Specialist contributes during the pre-award phase by advising on contractual clarity and downstream implications, supports handover process and maintains ownership of the full post‑award lifecycle.
The role provides functional leadership in contract governance, drives process and system improvements, ensures effective use of the Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tool, and strengthens coordination with Technical Officers, Programme Directors, Programme Coordination Team (PCT), Finance, Legal and Strategic Sourcing Team (SST).
The Senior Contract Management Specialist provides leadership for a small but dynamic team, ensuring clarity of responsibilities, workload management, team development and high‑quality delivery.
About ECMWF
The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is a world leader in Numerical Weather Predictions providing high-quality data for weather forecasts and environmental monitoring. As an intergovernmental organisation, we collaborate internationally to serve our members and the wider community with global weather predictions, data and training activities that are critical to contribute to safe and thriving societies.
The success of our activities depends on the funding and partnerships of the 35 Member and Co‑operating States who provide the support and direction of our work. Our talented staff together with the international scientific community, and our powerful supercomputing capabilities, are the core of a 24/7 research and operational centre with a focus on medium and long‑range predictions. We also hold one of the largest meteorological data archives in the world.
ECMWF has also developed a strong partnership with the European Union and has been entrusted with the implementation and operation of the Destination Earth Initiative and the Climate Change and Atmosphere Monitoring Services of the Copernicus Programme and the Strengthening Early Earning in Africa (SEWA) Programme. Other areas of work include High Performance Computing and the development of digital tools that enable ECMWF to extend provision of data and products covering weather, climate, air quality, fire and flood prediction and monitoring.
Our vision: The strength of a common goal
Our mission: Deliver global numerical weather predictions focusing on the medium‑range and monitoring of the Earth system to and with our Member States
ECMWF is a multi‑site organisation, with its headquarters in Reading, UK, a data centre in Bologna, Italy, and a large presence in Bonn, Germany, as a central location for our EU‑related activities. ECMWF is internationally recognised as the voice of expertise in numerical weather predictions for forecasts and climate science.
www.ecmwf.int
Your responsibilities
Leadership, Team Management & Delivery
* Lead and guide the team, overseeing delivery, coordinating workload, and developing team members.
* Provide expert advice to the Head of Section on contract‑related risks, systemic issues, performance trends and improvement opportunities.
* Drive continuous innovation and improvement in contract management practices, methodologies, and tools.
Ownership of the Post‑Award Contract Lifecycle
* Provide oversight to the progression of contracts from signature to closure, coordinating actions when issues, risks or deviations arise.
* Oversee monitoring of contractual obligations, milestones, KPIs, risks, and compliance requirements.
* Ensure systematic, consistent, and high‑quality use of the CLM tool across the team.
* Oversee standard amendments and low‑complexity disputes, escalating complex or commercially significant matters to SST.
* Ensure timely, transparent contract reporting to internal stakeholders.
Cross‑Functional Coordination & Stakeholder Engagement
* Coordinate with Technical Officers and Programme Directors, who retain technical oversight and acceptance authority.
* Coordinate with Finance on invoicing, payments, compliance requirements, forecasting, and funding conditions.
* Liaise with Legal regarding contractual interpretation, dispute handling, and formal notices.
* Support PCT with contract‑related inputs for programme‑level planning and reporting, without transferring ownership of contract or supplier management.
* Engage with contractors at senior level regarding post‑award issues, performance concerns, and governance matters.
Process Governance, Innovation & CLM Evolution
* Lead the development, refinement and implementation of contract management frameworks, including templates, SOPs, playbooks, and guidance.
* Identify inefficiencies and drive improvements aligned with ECMWF and external funding requirements.
* Act as the business lead for contract‑management‑related aspects of the CLM tool, owning functional requirements, supporting enhancements, and ensuring adoption.
* Promote harmonisation and transparency across the contract lifecycle.
* Provide regular reporting on contract progress, risks, compliance trends and issues to the Head of Section and governance bodies.
* Oversee timely identification, escalation and mitigation of contract‑related risks.
* Represent the CMS and SSS in organisational working groups, audits, and internal coordination forums as applicable.
* Contribute to Strategic Sourcing Section planning and organisational alignment.
What we are looking for
We are seeking a Senior Contract Management professional with the credibility, judgement and leadership maturity to lead ECMWF’s post award contract management function. You will bring a strong grasp of contract governance in complex, technical and EU programme funded environments, confidently balancing day to day operational delivery with strategic oversight. Skilled at engaging senior internal stakeholders and external contractors, you are comfortable navigating ambiguity with pragmatism, rigour and a solutions focused mindset.
You will lead and develop a small team, fostering a collaborative, supportive environment where accountability, continuous improvement and collective success are core values. You work in a structured and analytical manner, with a strong sense of accountability and a collaborative mindset that actively fosters team spirit and contributes to a positive, supportive work environment where collective success takes priority over individual achievement. You demonstrate a proactive approach to improvement, actively seeking opportunities to identify efficiencies and manage risk, and bring an innovation‑oriented attitude to evolving sourcing practices, systems and outcomes. You are eager to adapt and develop your capabilities as ECMWF's sourcing needs and regulatory environment continue to evolve.
Your profile
Education
* Advanced university degree (EQF 7 or 8) or equivalent professional experience in business administration, law, engineering, science, project management or related field.
Professional Experience
* Significant experience in contract management, project management, governance, or procurement support in an international or technical environment.
* Demonstrated experience leading teams or supervising staff across mixed‑grade, with responsibility for workload planning, quality assurance and development.
* Proven experience managing complex contract portfolios, including performance monitoring, risk management, amendments and supplier engagement.
* Experience handling routine disputes and escalations, and working effectively with Legal and senior stakeholders on sensitive matters
System, Process & Governance Expertise
* Strong experience with CLM and ERP systems, including driving adoption, improving data quality and optimising workflows.
* Demonstrated ability to design and implement contract management frameworks, templates, SOPs and governance routines.
* Strong understanding of compliance, audit readiness and reporting requirements in regulated environments (including externally funded programmes where relevant).
* Strong judgement and ability to balance operational delivery with strategic oversight.
* Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, including the ability to influence senior internal stakeholders and manage contractor relationships at an appropriate level.
* Structured and pragmatic approach to resolving issues and driving improvements.
* Strong communication skills (written and verbal), including the ability to produce clear reporting and recommendations.
Language
* Fluency in English is essential as candidates will be required to work effectively in English.
* Experience in an intergovernmental organisation and/or within EU‑funded programme environments, including associated compliance and audit expectations.
* Fluency in French, German or Italian.
If you feel that you have the relevant profile and motivation to join us but don't meet precisely all of the skills above, we still encourage you to apply!
Other information
Grade remuneration: The successful candidates will be recruited according to the scales of the Co‑ordinated Organisations. Full details of salary scales and allowances available on the ECMWF website at www.ecmwf.int/en/about/jobs.
Starting date: Appointments will be made with effect from 1 October 2026.
As a multi‑site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility to staff to mix office working and teleworking, including away from the duty station (within the area of our member states and co‑operating states).
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