Environment Agency
Contract Manager - 35499
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Contract Manager - 35499
Fleet Contract Manager Role
The Environment Agency (EA) exists to create a better place for people and wildlife. We protect and improve the environment, support sustainable growth, and help communities adapt to a changing climate.
Our EA2030 strategy sets out how we will achieve more, including our commitment to become a net zero organisation by 2030. Defra Group Fleet Services plays a critical role in this, leading the transition to a net zero carbon fleet.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with a dedicated fleet team and drive meaningful change by supporting ambitious sustainability goals. You’ll work alongside contract specialists responsible for procurement and service contracts across the Environment Agency and Defra.
In this role, you will:
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to identify business needs, develop contract strategies, and lead the procurement process from tender through to contract award.
- Take ownership of key supplier relationships, ensuring contracts align with cost-effectiveness, safety, compliance, and environmental impact.
- Monitor supplier performance, set measurable targets, and work collaboratively to reduce the environmental footprint of the fleet.
Strong relationship-building, negotiation, and teamwork skills are essential, as is the ability to deliver results efficiently.
About the Team
Defra Group Fleet Services (DGFS) provides a centralised fleet service across the Defra group, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and innovation as part of the Strategy, Transformation and Assurance Directorate.
The Contracts team specialises in procurement, requirement shaping, and supplier management to deliver value-driven fleet solutions.
This is a senior role reporting to the Strategic Fleet Manager for Contracts, offering autonomy, ownership, and influence to drive continuous improvement in fleet service delivery.
Responsibilities
Key duties include:
- Building and maintaining strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring aligned business outcomes and EA objectives.
- Providing expert advice on fleet contract compliance, pricing, and best practices, ensuring adherence to organisational policies.
- Contributing to the development and improvement of fleet policies at national and local levels, promoting sustainability and efficiency.
- Using specialist tools to monitor performance, track service delivery, and analyse compliance—identifying opportunities for optimisation while escalating critical issues.
- Managing contracts end-to-end, ensuring suppliers adhere to service levels, quality standards, and contractual commitments.
- Leading supplier relationships to deliver measurable environmental impact reductions while maintaining cost-efficacy and safety compliance.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Experience and Skills Required
- At least 2 years’ experience in contract management, with proven ability to assess supplier performance.
- Strong knowledge of public sector procurement processes; relevant experience in Defra or similar organisations is advantageous.
- Ability to build rapport and influence stakeholders effectively, both externally and internally.
- Proactive enforcement of initiative and workload management.
- Outstanding analytical skills for performance evaluation and process improvement.
- Organisational clarity and openness to feedback as part of EA’s commitment to disability inclusive hiring.
How We Work
- A remote-first, flexible role with a hybrid office setup—primarily working digitally, with occasional office visits and national meetings (including occasional overnight travel).
- An overall objective to empower inclusive incident management; tailored training and support provided to suit individual needs.
- Diversity and inclusion at our core—role shares encouraged on all vacancies.
Application Notes
Please refer to the attachment for further details regarding:
- Competency-based assessment requirements.
- Interview dates for 28–29 July 2026 following an initial sift.
- Questions for a Teams drop-in session (1–2pm, 22 June 2026)—email tony.stevens@environment-agency.gov.uk to book a place.
Critical Information
- Applications from Civil Servants: Selection does not entail automatic Crown Servant status.
- Guaranteed Interview Policy: Disclosed eligibility criteria ensures a minimum threshold is met.
- Suppliers & testScience: Some EA processes are governed by Central Government frameworks. For third-party engagement (e.g., freelancers), candidates must register via Crown Commercial Service.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Competency Assessment Overview
| Competence | Key Responsibility | Example Prompt |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency, Innovation | Identify inefficiencies in contract delivery or supplier performance. | "Describe a time when you noticed an opportunity to improve either delivery timelines or supplier-led value-add services." |
| Delivering Through Others | Lead cross-functional teams in bringing a complex contract or procurement process to fruition. | "Reflect on a significant contract thread you managed by rallying various project stakeholders to meet deadlines." |
| Contracts & Relationship | Direct contracts from inception to termination through performance benchmarks and contract adjustments. | "Name a supplier agreement you’ve researched, shocked, or restructured alongside achieving wider project goals." |
All answers must be based on accredited real-life scenarios—AI or fabricated examples may disqualify your application.
Note: The Environment Agency follows ** Civil Service AI guidelines** for ethical compliance. Please review for full implementation protocol.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location