Contracts and Commercial Manager

Ritchies Transport is seeking an experienced Contracts & Commercial Manager to lead the commercial performance and contract management of our operations. This role plays a critical part in ensuring our transport service contracts deliver strong operational outcomes, meet KPI requirements, and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders across the public transport sector.

Working closely with the Director of Commercial, you will oversee the full contract lifecycle, from tender support and negotiation through to operational performance, reporting, and contract renewal.

About the Role

As the Contracts & Commercial Manager, you will lead the contract management function and oversee the commercial performance of Ritchies’ transport service contracts. You will work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure contractual obligations are met, performance is optimised, and risks and opportunities are effectively managed.

This is a strategic and hands-on role suited to a commercially minded professional who enjoys working across operational, financial, and contractual environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the contract management and administration functions across Ritchies operations


• Monitor and analyse commercial performance across all contracts and KPI frameworks


• Provide clear and timely commercial performance reporting to senior leadership


• Identify commercial risks and opportunities and develop strategies to improve performance


• Support the full contract lifecycle including tendering, negotiation, mobilisation, operation, and renewal


• Act as the primary interface with key external stakeholders including local government and transit agencies


• Manage and resolve contractual disputes where required


• Work collaboratively with internal teams including Operations, Finance, Commercial, and Health & Safety


• Build strong working relationships with stakeholders and industry partners

About You

You are a commercially astute professional with strong contract management experience and the ability to operate in complex operational environments.

You will bring:

• 10+ years experience in contracts and commercial management


• At least 5 years experience working in large operational industries delivering services to government


• Strong experience managing KPI frameworks and performance reporting


• Demonstrated experience in negotiation, risk analysis, and dispute resolution


• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills


• Strong analytical skills with the ability to quickly identify key issues and opportunities


• A tertiary qualification in Commerce, Law, Business Administration, Finance, Engineering or a related discipline

Experience in the public transport, mobility, or infrastructure sectors will be highly regarded.

Why Join Ritchies?

At Ritchies, we are committed to delivering safe, reliable and sustainable transport services for communities across New Zealand. You’ll join a collaborative team where your commercial expertise will help drive operational success and long-term growth.

We offer:

• A key leadership role within a growing organisation


• The opportunity to work with government partners and industry stakeholders


• A collaborative and supportive team environment


• Competitive remuneration

If you are an experienced commercial leader looking to make a meaningful impact in the transport sector, we would love to hear from you.