Description:
The Commercial Contracts team supports the Exertis (UK) Ltd business, as well as subsidiaries, in the negotiation and drafting of agreements with both vendors and customers .
The team are critical to the success of partner on-boarding, managing risk and commercial reward. The team reports into the Purchasing Director but also works very closely with the Legal and Compliance Counsel on the review of new business models, compliance matters and the development of new contract templates.
We are looking for a highly motivated individual with legal training, contract drafting and negotiating experience, who wants to work on all aspects of distribution contracts in a demanding environment. Drafting requirements will cover both commercial and operational aspects as well as legal and compliance-related provisions (such as warranties, indemnities and limitations of liability, GDPR and competition law).
The successful candidate will be expected to manage a small team of people to ensure that business priorities are understood and activities are completed in an expeditious manner.
Previous people management experience is preferred but not essential, applications are therefore welcomed for those looking for their first step into management.
Key Responsibilities:
- Management of the commercial contracts team to ensure engagement, performance management and development
- Business overview & review to determine the terms required for a new contract/contract amendment/contract renewal
- Vendor onboarding process - management of & coordinating new vendor set-up from receipt of initial partner screening form through to contract finalisation
- Drafting and reviewing contract terms in line with the business’ risk tolerance principles
- Redlining unacceptable terms or preparing standalone comments, negotiating terms, coordinating and managing both internal stakeholders and representatives of third parties with the aim of reaching agreement on contract terms
- Escalating key risk terms, or clauses where parties cannot reach consensus, as appropriate
- Running compliance checks on vendors and assessing outcomes, investigating and closing out risks or escalating issues raised
- Preparing final contract documents, coordinating signatures, scanning & filing completed contracts including capture of finalised vendor contract terms in contracts management tool
- Vendor termination process - preparation of contractual documents/letters to facilitate termination
- Demonstrating strong awareness of and commitment to Ethics and Compliance and the Group Business Conduct Guidelines
Skills and Experience:
- Legal qualification – equivalent of an LLB degree (Bachelor of Laws)
- Good understating of the General Data Protection Regulations and Competition Law and their practical application in a commercial environment
- Work experience as a paralegal or equivalent in a commercial contracts role, ideally at least 3 years PQE, working on commercial or sales contracts in a negotiation and legal drafting capacity
- Skilled at using tracked changes and comments in contract documents to reflect the negotiation discussions between the parties, and agreed terms
- An effective communicator, with the ability to draft clearly and concisely, and to adapt contract language to reflect business requirements and/or agreed terms
- Ability to work with different stakeholders at various levels within the business, is proactive at developing relationships with colleagues and decision-makers, and seeks to understand their contractual requirements
- Can deal efficiently with a mix of complex and straightforward agreements, and a myriad of business contract priorities, in a high-pressure environment
- Problem-solving mindset, enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks, can suggest creative alternatives to satisfy the requirements of multiple stakeholders
- Experience of software distribution product compliance is preferred but not essential