Job Title IT Contract Manager Location Basingstoke, RG24 8UB GB (Main)
Job Description
Working in partnership with M&S, at Gist we deliver industry-leading logistics and supply chain transformation.
At Gist, safety and people sit at the heart of everything we do. We value individuality and create an environment where everyone can bring their authentic self to work, contribute meaningfully, and make a real impact.
We’re looking for a proactive, commercially minded, and relationship‑driven IT Vendor Contract Manager to lead the strategic and operational management of our IT supplier ecosystem.
This is a pivotal role responsible for maximising value from our technology partnerships, ensuring contractual and commercial rigor, and enabling high‑performing IT service delivery across the organisation. You’ll oversee vendor relationships, contract lifecycles, renewals, governance, and spend management—ensuring our suppliers deliver the performance, compliance, and cost effectiveness our business depends on.
If you excel at negotiation, stakeholder collaboration, and bringing structure to complex commercial environments, this could be the perfect opportunity.
What’s in it for you?
Gist is an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and evolving business built on our core values. Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for Gist just that little bit more special.
1. 20% M&S discount on most things from furniture, fashion and food
2. 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (rising with length of service)
3. Car allowance
4. Discounted rates on healthcare cash plan
5. Attractive annual bonus scheme, based on M&S performance and personal objectives
6. Auto Enrolment Pension or competitive Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and life assurance (up to 4 times salary)
7. Amazing perks and discounts via our App to major restaurants and retailers
8. Access to a wide range of wellbeing support – including our Employee Assistance Programme
9. A first-class welcome with a tailored induction and a wide range of training schemes to help with your learning and development
10. Cycle to work scheme
Role details:
Salary: Circa £55,000 – £60,000 DOE
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Working pattern: Monday - Friday with flexibility to meet the business needs
Location: Gist Chineham, RG24 8UB
What you’ll do:
Contract Management
11. Lead the negotiation, review, and management of MSAs, SOWs, service contracts, and renewals
12. Lead commercial negotiations for Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), renewals, and service contracts to secure favourable terms and ensure alignment with organisational standards
13. Ensure all contracts meet commercial, operational, and compliance requirements
14. Maintain an accurate and accessible repository of all agreements, documentation, and contractual obligations
15. Oversee the contract renewal schedule, ensuring timely reviews, risk assessment, and alignment with business, technology, and service delivery requirements
Financial Oversight
16. Provide financial insight to support technology budget planning, renewals, and investment decisions
Governance, Risk & Compliance
17. Ensure all vendors meet contractual terms, SLAs, internal governance frameworks, and regulatory obligations
18. Support procurement, legal, and risk teams on tenders, RFPs, audits, and due‑diligence activities
Reporting & Insights
19. Deliver regular reporting on vendor performance, spend, service levels, and commercial risk
20. Provide insight and recommendations that influence technology strategy and support operational excellence
Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
21. Work closely with service delivery teams to resolve vendor issues, manage escalations, and support service continuity
22. Partner with procurement, finance, legal, and technology stakeholders to drive alignment and value
Supplier Management
23. Lead and facilitate Key Account supplier review meetings, ensuring all discussions, decisions, risks, and actions are fully documented, tracked, and followed through to completion
Who you are:
24. Proven experience in IT vendor, commercial, or contract management roles
25. Strong understanding of contract negotiation, vendor performance management, licensing, and commercial governance
26. Experience in budgeting, spend management, and financial planning
27. Excellent analytical skills with strong attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines
28. Confident communicator with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels
29. Experience collaborating with procurement, legal, finance, and technology teams
30. ITIL Foundation or similar certification (desirable)
31. Detail‑Oriented: You manage contracts, documentation, and spend data meticulously
32. Commercially Astute: You understand cost drivers, negotiate favourable terms, and spot value opportunities
33. Analytical Thinker: You interpret financial and performance data to drive insight‑led decisions
34. Strong Communicator: You translate complex commercial topics into clear messages
35. Negotiator: You secure value and protect the organisation’s interests with confidence and diplomacy
36. Organised & Methodical: You manage multiple contracts, deadlines, and workflows efficiently
37. Problem Solver: You address vendor issues, discrepancies, and process gaps proactively
38. Collaborative: You build productive cross‑functional relationships
39. Ethical & Trustworthy: You handle sensitive commercial information with integrity
40. Resilient & Adaptable: You thrive in a fast‑paced, dynamic, and evolving environment
Why Gist?
At Gist we are united by our core values; with safety and people at the heart of everything do, we are progressive, accountable, collaborative, and ethical.
Our objective is to establish a performance-focused environment that is fair and inclusive, where everyone can develop, and connect meaningfully to their manager, the Gist vision, and M&S. We are fiercely protective of everyone’s health, safety, and wellbeing, and align firmly to M&S’s sustainability commitments in Plan A.
Gist will play an integral part in the M&S journey as it pushes boundaries to lead the retail industry into a greener, speedier, more inspiring era. As part of the M&S group, there’s never been a better time to be part of our team. Join us and make an immediate impact.
Gist aims to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers, and suppliers. If you consider yourself to require reasonable adjustments to any part of our recruitment process, we invite you to share those requirements with us when completing your application. We will make every effort to ensure your needs are met to provide a fair and transparent process of assessment. If it’s meaningful to you, it’s important to us.
Our Internal Recruitment Team fulfil all vacancies on a direct basis. Unsolicited contact by unapproved agencies (sharing speculative CVs) will not be accepted and introductory fees will not apply.
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Recruiter Carr, Rachel (Recruitment Lead - )