Contract Manager - Grants and Funding

• Permanent, fixed-term opportunity through to Thursday, 27 November 2026
• Support community outcomes through effective funding contract management
• Flexible working arrangements available

Kia mahi ngātahi mō Pōneke mō tōna āpōpō - Working together for Wellington's future!

Pōneke is a city with ambition, creativity, and resilience at its core. As New Zealand's capital, we are globally connected yet distinctly local, future-focused yet grounded in our communities, culture, and whenua. We're committed to building a city that is sustainable, inclusive, and prepared for the challenges of tomorrow.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced and commercially astute Contracts Manager to join our Funding and Grants team on a fixed-term basis through to Thursday, 27 November 2026.

Reporting to the Funding and Grants Manager, you'll work across a diverse portfolio of funding programmes that support community outcomes across Wellington. Partnering with subject matter experts and relationship managers, you'll strengthen contract management practices, improve consistency and oversight, and help ensure Council funding delivers meaningful outcomes for communities and ratepayers.

This role combines hands-on contract management with strategic improvement work. You'll support the negotiation, establishment, and management of grant funding contracts while helping shape and mature Council's future approach to grants contract management.

About the role - He kōrero mō te tūranga

In this role you'll:

• Support the negotiation, establishment, and management of grant funding contracts across multiple programmes
• Provide practical, risk-based contract management advice to subject matter experts and business leaders
• Review and develop funding agreements, ensuring they align with Council policies, delegations, and funding decisions
• Improve consistency across grant funding contracts, reporting requirements, payment schedules, and assurance processes
• Identify contract risks and performance trends and recommend practical improvements
• Partner with Legal, Finance, Procurement, and operational teams to strengthen contract management capability
• Contribute to the ongoing development of Council's grant funding contract management framework, systems, and operating model

About you - Ko wai koe

You'll bring a strong commercial mindset and the ability to balance risk, accountability, and community outcomes.

You'll have:

• Significant experience in contract management, procurement, commercial advisory, or funding-related roles
• Experience supporting contract negotiations and managing contractual risk
• Strong understanding of risk-based contracting and proportionate assurance approaches
• The ability to provide clear, pragmatic advice to non-specialists
• Excellent stakeholder relationship skills and the confidence to work across multiple teams
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities

Experience within local government, grant funding, community investment, arts, philanthropic, or public sector environments would be advantageous.

What we can offer

This is a unique opportunity to help shape how Wellington City Council manages and delivers funding outcomes across a range of important community programmes.

We are open to flexible working arrangements and would consider applicants seeking between 0.8 and 1.0 FTE. While flexibility is available, we expect the successful candidate to be office-based for a minimum of three days per week once established in the role.

What's in it for you - Nōu te rourou

Working for the Council offers you a range of benefits including five weeks annual leave, flexible working options, health and wellbeing support, Council staff discounts, and a range of learning and development programmes and opportunities.

View our Employee Value Proposition Video to see what our employees say about working at WCC.

Diversity

We want your application to enable you to portray the real you. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the advert through whānau life, community, or mahi aroha (volunteering), we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.

We welcome applications from all people and like our workforce to reflect the diverse communities we serve.

Accessibility support

We want to make sure any accessibility requirements you may have are well supported so the selection process is equitable for everyone.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments or support we can offer to make our process more accessible to you by emailing: recruitment@wcc.govt.nz

Applications close on Sunday, 28 June 2026.

Please note that we may engage with applicants prior to the vacancy closing and/or close applications ahead of this date, so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

All applications must be submitted online via our website: https://careers.wellington.govt.nz/jobdetails/ajid/rl419/Contract-Manager-Grants-and-Funding-Fixed-Term,52183.html

We will not accept emailed applications.