Commercial Contracts Manager (Industry)

For our client, a multinational industry group headquartered in the Wil/St. Gallen, Switzerland, area (focus on plant engineering), we are looking for an experienced Commercial Contracts Manager. You are responsible for all commercial and legal matters during contract drafting, review and negotiation processes. You ensure contractual exposures and risks are properly managed and mitigated to the best outcome for both the company and partners. You directly report to the CFO working within the Finance & Administration team where you strengthen the existing team. The job description reads as follows (with minor adjustments from us):

Key responsibilities:

• Under the guidance of the Marketing Director or other project leaders, manage and support negotiations with customers and suppliers with respect to commercially advantageous terms and conditions, incl. prices and payment plans
• Draft, review and negotiate all kinds of agreements, incl. Non-Disclosure, Purchasing, Work and Work Supply (incl. EPC [Engineering, Procurement, Construction]), Services, Agency and Collaboration Agreements
• Effective day-to-day management of contracts, including customer/supplier liaison and relationship management on contractual matters
• Ensure the identification of commercial and legal risk, develop and implement effective mitigation strategies and actions and report the risk and progress with mitigation strategies internally
• Perform claim management with customers and suppliers
• Coordinate and advise on sales quotation, technology process, operation implementation and Finance teams on all commercial aspects and ensuring contract terms and conditions continue to reflect company strategy and compliance with new laws and regulations
• Resolution of disputes and claims ensuring best outcome for the company
• Advise on contractual rights and obligations, incl. liability risks
• Conduct contract reviews, in collaboration with other departments
• Ensure compliance with contracting and approval processes
• Ownership of contract and document management including archiving, standard contracts (and templates), and library
• Ownership of non-disclosure data management and customer master data management

Requirements:

• Bachelor in Business Law, Economics or Engineering (the latter two, with a focus on contract management) from a European university (or similar degree)
• At least 5 years’ experience in a similar role, ideally in industrial projects in the plant engineering industry or similar industries with international exposure
• Profound legal knowledge
• Technical understanding and commercial awareness
• Proficient in English and German (each at least level B2)
• Very good negotiation and communication skills with cross-cultural competences, down-to-earth character, assertive with a diplomatic flair
• Efficient and pragmatic working style, proactive, goal-oriented and solution-driven (can do attitude), entrepreneurial approach
• Very good problem-solving skills, ability to consider complex interdependent aspects of problems
• Advanced knowledge of basic MS-Office applications
• Prepared to travel (approx. 15%)
• 90%-100% working time
• Work permit for Switzerland or EU citizenship would be a plus

Place of work: Wil/St. Gallen area