Contract and Commercial Manager

The Opportunity;

We are recruiting for a Contracts & Commercial Manager to join Ritchies, based at our Head Office in Swanson, reporting to the Director of Commercial.

This role is pivotal in leading the contract management and administration functions of Ritchies, including scheduled contract meetings, contract administration, contract reporting and commercial negotiation within an ever evolving sector.

This is an important opportunity for an individual that values the importance of compliance and deadlines, whilst also being able to think outside the box and contribute to the big picture. This role involves working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, and the ability to confidentially present in front of said stakeholders.

You will work closely with the Director of Commercial to manage the full contract lifecycle, from growth opportunity identification, tender bid and commercial negotiation, through contract term and contract renewal / re-tender.

About Us;

Ritchies is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading passenger transport companies with a team of more than 2,000 people providing coach and charter services right across the country. We partner with regional councils and schools to supply public transport services as well as offering a range of bus and coach hire services to businesses and the general public. You would be joining us at an exciting time in Ritchies’ history as we gear up to decarbonise our fleet and move to a more sustainable public transport model.

About You;

You’re an established leader that has experience in the contracts and commercial management space, preferably in the business and/or mobility industry. You have experience with management and analysis of complex KPI regimes and in-depth knowledge of negotiation strategies.

You pride yourself on your eye for detail and your time management skills.

You’re a great team player and can communicate with a variety of people and groups in a manner that is concise and easy to understand. You take health and safety seriously and are an advocate for its importance.

Your Skills;

• Experience with commercial management including financial, procurement, contract management and negotiations, and dispute resolution in major commercial agreements

• Previous working experience as contracts and commercial manager for 7 10+ years, preferably in the business and/or mobility industry

• Independent self-starter

• Excellent leadership skills

• Knowledge of the bus and/or mass-transit sector, ideally gained in NZ, Australia, UK or Europe

• Ideally a graduate degree in commerce, law, business administration, finance, engineering discipline

• Strong communicator with the ability to present to business and government, and to represent Ritchies in commercial and industry scenarios

• Great business acumen

• Health and safety savvy

What you get;

• The opportunity to make this role your own

• Supportive leadership team

• Career development

• Work with an essential NZ business

• Base rate + laptop + phone

Want to learn more? Just ask us.

We are an equal opportunities employer, that focuses heavily on Health and Safety. As such, our pre-employment checks include drug testing, Ministry of Justice checks and reference checking.

To be considered for this role, apply through the link with a current CV and cover letter.

Candidates for this position must have the right to work in New Zealand at the time of application.

If you require more information, or want to discuss the role in more detail, contact Petra Jackson- National Recruitment Partner- or

We will be assessing suitable candidates as they apply- don’t hesitate to join Team Ritchies!