Contracts Manager Jobs in Australia

Contracts Manager roles play a critical role in Australian organisations by managing commercial agreements, mitigating contractual risk, and ensuring supplier and customer obligations are effectively governed throughout the contract lifecycle.

These roles are common across infrastructure, construction, government, resources, defence, ICT, and large corporate environments. Contracts Managers often work closely with procurement, legal, commercial, and operational teams.

This page brings together Contracts Manager jobs across Australia.

What does a Contracts Manager do?

In Australia, a Contracts Manager is typically responsible for end-to-end contract management, from contract formation through to ongoing governance, performance management, and close-out.

Unlike purely legal roles, Contracts Manager positions are generally commercially focused and may or may not require formal legal qualifications.

Typical responsibilities include:

  • Managing contract development, negotiation, execution, and variation
  • Overseeing contract governance, compliance, and risk management
  • Interpreting contractual terms and advising stakeholders on obligations and risks
  • Managing contract performance, extensions, renewals, and disputes
  • Working closely with procurement, legal, finance, and operational teams
  • Supporting commercial negotiations and change management

Some Contracts Manager roles include people leadership, particularly where a contracts or commercial team exists. Others operate as senior individual contributor roles.

Typical Contracts Manager roles in Australia

Contracts Manager roles may be advertised under a range of titles depending on sector and scope, including:

  • Contracts Manager
  • Senior Contracts Manager
  • Commercial Manager (contracts-focused)
  • Contract Lead
  • Contract Manager

In government and large infrastructure environments, Contracts Manager roles may also align to senior classification levels rather than traditional management titles.

Contracts Manager salary expectations

Contracts Manager salaries in Australia vary depending on industry, contract complexity, and leadership responsibility. As an indicative guide, base salaries commonly sit within the range of:

AUD $120,000 – $180,000+

Senior Contracts Manager roles overseeing high-value or high-risk contracts may sit above this range. Total remuneration may include performance incentives in some sectors.

For indicative salary ranges across procurement and commercial roles, see Procurement Salaries in Australia.

Career progression from Contracts Manager roles

Contracts Manager roles can lead to a range of senior career pathways, including:

  • Senior Contracts Manager
  • Commercial Manager
  • Head of Contracts or Commercial
  • Procurement Manager (in integrated procurement and contracts functions)

For an overview of broader procurement and commercial career pathways, see Procurement Career Paths in Australia.

Explore Contracts Manager jobs across Australia

Browse current Contracts Manager jobs across Australia below. Roles vary widely by industry, contract type, and complexity, but all involve responsibility for managing commercial agreements and contractual risk.

You can also browse all available roles via Procurement Jobs in Australia.

This page provides general information only and does not constitute employment or career advice.