Contract Manager - European & Institutional Projects

Novaspace is a leading international consulting firm specialized in the space, defense and telecommunications sectors. We support public and private stakeholders – industrial players, agencies, institutions and investors – on high value-added missions covering strategy, regulation, financing, markets and operations. Operating in a fast-evolving technological and regulatory environment, Novaspace is recognized for its deep sector expertise, independent positioning and strong international footprint.

We are looking for a Contract Manager responsible for supporting the full contractual lifecycle of projects with institutional and public-sector clients, with a particular focus on European Union programmes and contracts awarded by the European Commission, EU agencies, international organisations, and other governmental institutions.

Your role

The role covers three main areas:

• Proposal and tender support (administrative and contractual aspects);
• Contract negotiation and finalization;
• Contract administration and compliance throughout project execution.

The Contract Manager works closely with business development, project management, finance, and legal teams to ensure contractual compliance, mitigate risks, and support successful project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Proposal and Tender Support
• Support bid and proposal preparation, including administrative and contractual documentation.
• Review tender, grant, framework contract, and procurement documentation, assessing contractual requirements, eligibility conditions, compliance obligations, and associated risks.
• Coordinate the collection of administrative documents, certifications, declarations, and supporting evidence.
• Contribute to consortium agreement preparation and negotiations where applicable.
• Maintain proposal templates and contractual documentation repositories.
Contract Negotiation and Finalization
• Support negotiations with institutional and public-sector clients.
• Review and analyse contract terms and conditions, preparing contract summaries, risk assessments, and approval documentation.
• Coordinate internal reviews involving project, finance, procurement, legal, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Manage contract signature processes, contractual records, amendments, modifications, and extensions.
Contract Management and Administration
• Monitor contractual obligations, deliverables, milestones, reporting requirements, and compliance with contractual, regulatory, and funding requirements.
• Maintain contract registers and project compliance records.
• Advise project teams on contractual interpretation and obligations.
• Manage change requests, claims, correspondence, audits, reviews, and compliance assessments conducted by clients or funding authorities.
• Track contractual risks and escalate issues where necessary
Reporting & Governance
• Prepare contract status reports, management dashboards, and reporting on contractual performance, compliance, risks, and opportunities.
• Contribute to lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives.

Required Qualifications

Education
• Master's degree in Law, Business Administration, Public Administration, International Relations, or a related field.
Experience
• 5+ years of experience in contract management, commercial administration, grants management, or public procurement.
• Experience with European Commission contracts and/or grants.
• Familiarity with institutional clients, international organisations, and public-sector contracting environments.
• Experience supporting proposal or bid management activities.
Skills
• Strong knowledge of EU funding mechanisms and procurement procedures.
• Excellent contract review and drafting capabilities.
• Understanding of contract risk management and compliance.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Languages
• Fluent English required.
• French strongly preferred.
• Additional European languages are an asset.

Why join Novaspace?

• Join a fast-growing and highly regarded consulting firm
• Be part of an international and intellectually stimulating environment
• Enjoy autonomy and cross-functional responsibilities
• Collaborate with a team of committed and recognized experts

About Novaspace   Novaspace is the global leading consulting firm in the space sector. With a robust 40-year legacy of expertise in guiding private companies and government entities through strategic decisionmaking processes, Novaspace offers end-to-end consulting services, from project strategy definition to implementation, providing data-led perspectives on critical issues. Our mission is to empower clients with strategic and technical insights, enabling them to navigate and seize new opportunities within the rapidly evolving space sector. As a privately owned and fully independent organization, Novaspace presents an expanded portfolio of services, featuring combined expertise in management and technology consulting, top-tier executive summits, and market intelligence. Trusted by 1,200 clients in over 60 countries, Novaspace has offices strategically located in Brussels, Montreal, Munich, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, Toulouse, Washington D.C. Bangalore. Working at Novaspace will give you the opportunity to boost your career in the space/consulting industry where our role is to support the decision-makers by providing them the highest quality support in everything we do: consulting, market intelligence, training and summits.