Contracts Manager

UGL Pty Limited; Northern Beaches, North Shore; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

UGL Transport is seeking a Contracts Manager to provide contractual expertise across upcoming Rail Systems projects in Queensland and New South Wales. The role focuses on protecting the company’s commercial interests, enforcing contract compliance, and driving cost efficiencies across complex subcontractor arrangements.

You will negotiate terms, manage change, and support project teams with upstream and downstream contract administration.

Qualifications

• Tertiary educated in Engineering, Commerce/Business, Law, Quantity Surveying or Construction Management (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrated commercial acumen and the ability to interpret and apply contracts.
• Strong awareness in areas of cost management and contract law with experience in commercial negotiations.
• Knowledge of contract management principles including program financial management, risk, and performance reporting.
• Experience in lump sum D&C contracts is a must.

Responsibilities

• Lead scope of works planning to minimise gaps and maximise cost efficiencies.
• Prepare procurement strategies and identify subcontractors in alignment with the Project Procurement Plan.
• Maintain stakeholder relationships and monitor market conditions.
• Procure projects per approved strategy, ensuring full scope and best value within limits of authority.
• Negotiate subcontract and supplier terms and follow up to ensure execution.
• Provide commercial support during downstream contract negotiations and obtain necessary approvals.
• Maximise commercial benefit of subcontracts and manage contract changes.
• Ensure subcontractor payment claims are evaluated, certified and paid on time.
• Maintain cost forecasting for allocated subcontracts and escalate issues.
• Address contractual matters with subcontractors, negotiating variations, claims and EOTs.
• Provide advice on upstream contractual rights and obligations to project teams.
• Administer upstream contracts to protect UGL Transport rights and interests.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Contract interpretation

Cost management

Negotiation

Education

Engineering / Commerce / Law / QS / Construction Management

Job description

UGL Transport is a diversified transport company delivering critical assets and essential services that sustain and enhance the environment in which we live. Our capabilities extend across a broad range of services and whole-of-life solutions across the Transport sector, utilising world leading, sustainable and innovative technologies. We partner with some of the world’s largest blue-chip companies, government agencies, private enterprise, and public institutions. We are guided by our Company values which extend to all leaders and team members and across all departments within the company.

Job Purpose

The role will provide contractual expertise during the performance of projects to ensure contract requirements are adhered to and the interests of UGL Transport are protected. The Contracts Manager will promote, encourage and ensure management and implementation of effective commercial practices including contractual compliance. The role sponsors reducing project cost and risk, whilst maintaining value for clients. This position is for upcoming projects in Queensland and New South Wales in the Rail Systems space

Key Responsibilities

• Lead scope of works planning, ensuring that scope gaps are minimised, cost efficiencies are maximised and subcontractor capabilities are considered.
• Prepare procurement strategies in conjunction with the Project Manager, including break into individual works packages, identification of potential subcontractors, procurement methods and timing in alignment with an approved Project Procurement Plan.
• Maintain contact and good working relationships with a broad range of stakeholders and maintain good awareness of market conditions and movements.
• Procure the project in accordance with approved strategy ensuring that orders are fully scoped, bought at best value and are correctly contracted in accordance with limits of authority.
• Negotiate subcontract and supplier contract terms, conditions and pricing and follow up to ensure execution according to the negotiated terms.
• Provide effective commercial support during downstream contract negotiations, in particular ensuring appropriate legal approvals are obtained in relation to any deviations from UGL Transport standard terms and conditions.
• Accountable for maximisation of the commercial benefit of subcontracts and effective management of contract change.
• This includes ensuring Subcontractor / supplier payment claims valuations are accurately assessed, challenged appropriately, certified and paid on time.
• Ensure cost forecasting for allocated subcontracts are accurately maintained and cost issues are appropriately escalated upon identification.
• Addressing contractual matters with subcontractors/suppliers including negotiating variations, claims, EOT and mitigating any contractual disputes Assess upstream and downstream commercial and contractual risks, identify and implement appropriate controls and elevate actual or potential issues to Commercial Manager and Project Manager.
• Provide clear, concise advice to project teams in relation to upstream contractual rights and obligations.
• Ensure upstream contracts are administered effectively to ensure responsibilities and obligations of the contract are met, and UGL Transport’s rights and interests are protected in a manner that is timely, accurate and compliant.
• Undertake robust contract and commercial analysis of issues, prospective claims, prospect & viability of active claims.
• Ensure upstream contracts are administered effectively to ensure responsibilities and obligations of the contract are met, and UGL Transport’s rights and interests are protected in a manner that is timely, accurate and compliant.

Qualifications

• Tertiary educated in Engineering, Commerce/Business, Law, Quantity Surveying or Construction Management (or equivalent experience)
• Demonstrated commercial acumen and the ability to interpret and apply contracts.
• Strong awareness in areas of cost management and contract law and demonstrated ability to manage commercial negotiations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of contract management, program financial management, risk and opportunity management, performance reporting, budget preparation and administration.
• Experience in lump sum D&C contracts is a must

Diversity

We embrace diversity in all its forms, backgrounds, ideas, work styles, and perspectives. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we strongly encourage applications from women, individuals with disabilities, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people, mature-aged workers, and those from culturally diverse backgrounds. Our selection process includes relevant screening checks such as national criminal history and pre-employment medical assessments, including drug and alcohol screening.

REF:268720