Contract Manager

Bigblue; Greater London; On-site; GBP 81,000 - 99,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £90,000

Bonus up to £5,000

London-based projects

Family-run culture

Training and development

Flexible working

Job summary

Bigblue is seeking a Contracts Manager to take ownership of high-end fit-out projects from handover to completion. You will work closely with a Quantity Surveyor to appoint subcontractors, build the programme and act as the main client contact on projects predominantly in London.

Projects range from £2.5m to £11m+, with some £5m+ schemes; the role offers up to £90,000 salary plus a Christmas/Summer bonus up to £5,000, and a family-run culture with strong focus on training and development, based

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Contracts Manager within high-end fit-out.
• Strong track record delivering fast-paced commercial projects.
• Experience managing projects around the £2.5m–£5m range.
• Comfortable managing larger £5m+ projects or multiple schemes.
• Strong client-facing and subcontractor management skills.
• Commercially aware and able to work closely with a QS.
• Organised, proactive and confident taking ownership of delivery.
• Retail or other high-end fit-out experience would be particularly relevant.

Responsibilities

• Taking projects through from estimator handover to completion
• Working alongside a QS to source and appoint subcontractors
• Producing and managing project programmes
• Leading delivery across high-end fit‑out projects up to £11m+
• Acting as the main point of contact for clients throughout the project
• Managing subcontractors, site teams and wider project stakeholders
• Keeping projects on programme, to budget and to the required quality
• Running multiple projects or taking ownership of a larger £5m+ scheme

Skills

Client-facing

Subcontractor management

Programme management

Delivery leadership

High-end fit-out

Job description

Hampshire Office (predominantly London projects)

Up to £90,000 + bonus

I'm working with an established, family-run fit-out contractor that's been delivering high-end fit projects for 41 years, with a turnover just shy of £30m and around 40 staff.

Their work is predominantly high-end retail, with projects ranging from £300k to £11m+, although most sit between £2.5m and £5m. They also deliver across hospitality, education, offices, car showrooms, stadiums, leisure and high-end hotels.

They’re looking for a Contracts Manager to take ownership of projects from handover through to completion. You'll work closely with a QS to appoint subcontractors, build the programme, manage delivery and be the main point of contact for the client.

You'll either run multiple smaller projects or take the reins on a larger £5m+ scheme, depending on the pipeline and your experience.

What you'll be doing:

• Taking projects through from estimator handover to completion
• Working alongside a QS to source and appoint subcontractors
• Producing and managing project programmes
• Leading delivery across high-end fit‑out projects up to £11m+
• Acting as the main point of contact for clients throughout the project
• Managing subcontractors, site teams and wider project stakeholders
• Keeping projects on programme, to budget and to the required quality
• Running multiple projects or taking ownership of a larger £5m+ scheme

Why it's a good opportunity:

This is a business where people genuinely tend to stick around. They've got a number of long‑standing employees, and even those who have left have often ended up coming back.

It's a family‑run business that have grown into an established £30m contractor with a seriously strong portfolio of high‑end work.

They're also big on developing people. There are plenty of examples of people who've joined earlier in their careers and progressed within the business, so you'll be joining a company that invests in its people rather than simply expecting you to hit the ground running.

Requirements:

• Proven experience as a Contracts Manager within high‑end fit‑out
• Strong track record delivering fast‑paced commercial projects
• Experience managing projects around the £2.5m–£5m range
• Comfortable managing larger £5m+ projects or multiple schemes
• Strong client‑facing and subcontractor management skills
• Commercially aware and able to work closely with a QS
• Organised, proactive and confident taking ownership of delivery
• Retail or other high‑end fit‑out experience would be particularly relevant

What's on offer:

• Up to £90,000 salary
• Company performance bonus, paid at Christmas/Summer, potentially up to £5,000
• High‑end projects across retail, hospitality, education, offices, leisure and more
• Established £30m business with 41 years' trading history
• Predominantly London‑based projects
• Long‑standing, supportive team and family‑run culture
• Strong focus on training and development
• One week a year in the company's luxury Marbella villa
• A business that treats its staff like adults and genuinely looks after them
• A flexible working arrangment that suits the way you work

They're growing the team because there's a lot of work coming through, so there's a genuine reason for the hire rather than simply adding another layer of management.

If you're a Contracts Manager from a fast‑paced, high‑end fit‑out background and want to work for a business that actually looks after its people, this one's worth a conversation.