Software Licensing & Commercial Negotiation Specialist
Interim Contract – 3 Months
Location: Hybrid / Flexible
HW Interim Solutions are working with an FMCG client to appoint a highly experienced Software Licensing & Commercial Negotiation Specialist to take ownership of a critical contract negotiation with an SI.
This is a specialist, hands-on interim role focused on protecting the business in a complex software licensing environment. The priority is to ensure all commercial arrangements are watertight, future-proof and structured to avoid long-term cost escalation, vendor lock-in, and unfavourable licensing terms.
This is not a general IT procurement role. It requires deep expertise in enterprise software licensing, particularly in negotiating large-scale vendor agreements and navigating the industry shift from perpetual licensing to SaaS/subscription models.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and own commercial negotiations with the external vendor.
- Review, challenge and restructure software licensing and support agreements.
- Negotiate renewals, expansion of existing licences and any additional product/module purchases within the vendor estate.
- Ensure all contractual terms are commercially robust, enforceable and future-proof.
- Identify and mitigate hidden cost drivers, including: uplift mechanisms, renewal traps, forced migration or licensing model shifts.
- Provide expert guidance on perpetual licensing vs SaaS transition risks and implications.
- Challenge vendor assumptions, pricing models and contractual constraints.
- Protect the organisation from long-term commercial exposure and lock-in.
- Partner with IT, Finance, Procurement, and Legal stakeholders to align negotiation strategy.
- Provide insight into evolving enterprise software licensing practices and vendor behaviours.
Required Experience
- Extensive experience negotiating complex enterprise software contracts at scale
- Deep understanding of software licensing models, including: Perpetual licensing/SaaS/subscription models/Maintenance, support, and uplift structures.
- Proven track record negotiating directly with enterprise software vendors.
- Strong commercial and contractual risk awareness with ability to identify long-term exposure.
- Experience operating as a specialist negotiator rather than a generalist procurement function.
- Ability to work independently and deliver rapid impact in a short-term engagement.
Contract Details
- 3-month interim engagement
- Immediate start essential
- Competitive day rate based on experience / Outside IR35