Head Of Contract Management

We're hiring a **Head of Contract Management** for a high-impact role at Bupa.

This is a key procurement leadership role, responsible for shaping and overseeing Bupa's enterprise-wide contract management strategy. You will provide visionary leadership to the contract management function, creating alignment with Bupa's strategic ambitions, and nurturing a high-performing and future-ready team.

Additionally, you will cultivate high-impact relationships with key strategic partners and suppliers, ensuring contractual frameworks are not only adhered to but leveraged to drive long-term value and innovation. Excellent cross-functional stakeholder management skills at a senior level with experience in rapidly building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, is necessary for success.
- This is a Melbourne-based permanent role with hybrid working arrangements._

**Key accountabilities include**:

- Provide visionary leadership to the Contract Management function, fostering a high-performance culture that delivers measurable commercial value and operational excellence across the enterprise. Champion the development of a future-ready team through targeted capability uplift, mentoring, and succession planning.
- Enable talent and capability of the Contract Management team.
- Coaching and guiding the Contract Management team to achieve success, driving the teams to deliver commercial benefits.
- Architect and oversee the enterprise-wide contract management framework, ensuring robust governance, compliance, and alignment with Bupa's strategic and regulatory obligations.
- Direct the lifecycle management of complex, high-value contracts, including negotiation, execution, renewal, and transition, ensuring optimal commercial and risk outcomes.
- Serve as the sponsor for strategic supplier and partner relationships, ensuring alignment with Bupa's long-term objectives and value creation goals.
- Lead the design and continuous improvement of contract performance frameworks, including delivery assurance, service level adherence, and commercial performance tracking.
- Cultivate and manage executive-level relationships with internal stakeholders, including the Board, Executive Leadership Team, and Business Unit Directors, to ensure alignment and advocacy for contract management priorities.
- Oversee the strategic performance management of supplier contracts, including KPI governance, regulatory compliance, and continuous value delivery.
- Drive innovation and transformation through supplier collaboration, unlocking new value streams and operational efficiencies.
- Lead the transformation of contract management processes, systems, and tools to support enterprise agility, scalability, and digital maturity.
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within the contract management function.
- Promote awareness and adoption of best-practice contract management principles, reinforcing the strategic value of the function across the organisation.

**Why work at Bupa?**

We keep our people smiling by helping them improve their lives in and outside of the office.

We're a welcoming lot, no matter who you are or where you've come from. We welcome all talents and backgrounds and embrace our differences, so you can bring your true self to work.

We support our people to be the best version of themselves, physically and mentally. With a healthy work/life balance, leadership support, study leave, volunteering options and a commitment to promoting from within. We reward our people and celebrate their success, provide initiatives that develop careers and look after our people's health, wellbeing, and futures.

**What do I need?**
- Relevant graduate or post graduate qualifications in Business, Commerce, Accounting, Supply Chain Operations, Engineering or Law
- MCIPS (CIPSA) or Project Management (eg. PMP) qualifications highly regarded.
- 15+ years' experience in Procurement and/or contract management, from strategy development to execution.
- Proven experience in leading successful commercial negotiations, with evidence of applied innovative thinking, persuasiveness and negotiation skills, and strategic negotiation planning.
- Highly proficient in preparing and evaluating business cases, risk profiles and cost models.
- High levels of attention to detail and ability to test levels of transparency and/or accuracy.
- Demonstrated ability to lead, influence, and collaborate with cross-functional and indirect teams within the procurement function.
- Category experience crucial and industry knowledge preferred.
- Experience with developing metrics, projections, and financial models.
- A strong understanding of customer experience and customer-centricity principles
- Ability to proactively take ownership and act with integrity to deliver required results
- Strong commercial business acumen and stakeholder management capabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex ideas simply and influence at all levels and