Contracts Manager

Contracts Manager - Tier 1 Main Contractor

Salary: £100,000 - £110,000 + Package
Location: London & South East
Sector: Education, Commercial & Residential

A leading Tier 1 Main Contractor is seeking an experienced Contracts Manager to oversee the successful delivery of multiple projects across its growing portfolio of Education, Commercial and Residential developments.

With a strong pipeline of secured work, including Department for Education schemes and major mixed-sector developments, this is an excellent opportunity to join a market-leading contractor in a senior operational role with genuine long-term career prospects.

Reporting directly to the Construction Director, you will take responsibility for multiple live projects simultaneously, providing leadership and strategic oversight to Project Managers and site-based delivery teams across schemes typically ranging from £30m to £50m in value.

The Role

As Contracts Manager, your responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing the delivery of multiple construction projects across the Education, Commercial and Residential sectors.
• Managing Project Managers and site delivery teams to achieve programme, quality, commercial and safety objectives.
• Providing operational leadership from pre-construction through to project completion and handover.
• Working closely with pre-construction, design and commercial teams to ensure projects are set up for successful delivery.
• Reviewing programmes, procurement strategies and project risks during bid and pre-construction stages.
• Driving programme recovery plans and mitigating project risks where required.
• Ensuring the highest standards of Health & Safety, environmental compliance and quality management are maintained across all projects.
• Developing and maintaining strong client, consultant and stakeholder relationships.
• Monitoring project performance, resource allocation and financial objectives.
• Reporting regularly to senior leadership on project progress, commercial position and operational performance.

Candidate Requirements

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Proven experience operating as a Contracts Manager for a Tier 1 or recognised major main contractor.
• Strong track record overseeing multiple projects simultaneously across Education, Commercial and Residential sectors.
• Previous Department for Education project experience.
• Extensive pre-construction knowledge, including buildability reviews, programming, procurement strategy and risk management.
• Experience managing schemes typically valued between £30m and £50m.
• Excellent leadership and people management capabilities with experience mentoring Project Managers and wider delivery teams.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of project financial performance.
• Detailed knowledge of NEC and JCT contracts.
• SMSTS, CSCS and First Aid qualifications.
• Stable employment history with demonstrated success delivering complex projects from inception through to completion.

What's On Offer

• Basic salary of £100,000 - £125,000.
• Car allowance or company vehicle.
• Annual performance bonus.
• Private healthcare.
• Enhanced pension contribution.
• Life assurance.
• Flexible benefits package.
• Clear pathway to Senior Contracts Manager and Operations Director level.
• Opportunity to work on some of the region's most significant Education, Commercial and Residential developments.

This role would suit an ambitious Contracts Manager who enjoys leading multiple high-value schemes, developing operational teams and driving successful project outcomes across a diverse construction portfolio.