Contract Manager/Senior Quantity Surveyor

Sweco UK Ltd; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid working (Flexworks

Competitive pension contribution

Life Assurance

Private Medical Insurance

Company car or car allowance

Discretionary Annual Bonus Scheme

Professional subscriptions paid

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Job summary

Sweco UK Ltd, a leading design, engineering and environmental consultancy, is seeking a Contract Manager/Senior Quantity Surveyor. The role spans pre- and post-contract commercial requirements for the Infrastructure & Environment Division, reporting to the Commercial Director across UK projects.

Based in one of Sweco's offices (Glasgow, Edinburgh, London or Ipswich), the role allows flexible working with a minimum of three days in the office and potential adjusted start/finish times.

Qualifications

• Several years’ experience in a similar commercial/contracts management role.
• Experience in highways or energy sectors preferable but not essential.
• A degree in commercial management, quantity surveying, business, supply chain management or equivalent.
• Good working knowledge of forms of contracts in engineering/construction.
• Detailed knowledge of NEC3/NEC4, especially change, payment and programme.
• Excellent communication skills with adaptability to audience.
• Occasional travel away from home (1–2 nights) within the UK.
• Membership with a UK-recognised professional body such as RICS, CICES, or CIPS.

Responsibilities

• Contract Administration: ensure engagement with clients and supply chain per contract terms.
• Contractor/Subcontract Governance: manage supply chain and clients with escalation routes.
• Business Winning: guide governance and commercial strategy; lead contract negotiations.
• Commercial lead on key projects and frameworks.
• Lead/support change, risk, payment and programme functions.
• Auditing: conduct commercial audits and report findings.
• Financial Control & Reporting: analyse cashflow, costs and profitability.
• Procurement: respond to procurement requests and contract lettings.
• Deliver training and produce guidance notes and templates.
• Develop Sweco processes to maximise efficiency.

Skills

Communication skills

Travel flexibility

Education

Degree in commercial management

Degree in quantity surveying

Supply chain management or equivalent

Tools

NEC3/NEC4 knowledge

Job description

Let’s transform society together...

We’re Sweco.

We’re difference makers.

We’re Europe’s leading design, engineering and environmental consultancy and we have an exciting opportunity for a talented and motivated Contract Manager/Senior Quantity Surveyor to join our Infrastructure & Environment Division.

At Sweco, we are committed to creating a sustainable future through our core behaviours, effective collaboration and innovative solutions. We have a wide range of inhouse technical engineering and environmental designers who collaborate on a wide variety of projects and sectors. At Sweco, every team ’s consultants are empowered to ensure their expertise makes a difference by understanding the client’s business and needs. We want to be our clients’ most trusted partner, and we aim to solve any challenge, no matter scale or location.

This role could be based at our Glasgow, Edinburgh, London or Ipswich offices and can be worked flexibly with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office/on site and the option of adjusted start and finish times.

What does the role involve?

Sweco is currently engaged in a variety of commissions providing energy, infrastructure and environmental services to a wide array of clients via our multi-disciplinary teams. The value and risk profile of such operations require a dedicated Commercial professional to oversee the contractual operations of our project managers, engineers and administrators to ensure we are providing optimal services to our clients (including design & build tier 1 contractors) whilst maximising the value of our professional services agreements.

The candidate will report to the Commercial Director and be expected to primarily support pre and post contract commercial requirements of Sweco’s Infrastructure & Environment Division (operational commercial management and contract governance). This is an opportunity to join a company within an established consultancy that has a €2 billion turnover across Europe.

Key Accountabilities:

• Contract Administration: help ensure that Sweco employees are engaging with our clients and supply chain in accordance with contract terms and conditions.
• Contractor/Subcontract Governance: manage the supply chain and our clients with appropriate escalation routes to efficiently resolve issues and disputes. Ensure contractual compliance at all times in this regard.
• Business Winning: provide guidance on governance and commercial strategy to the project teams and lead/support contract negotiations.
• Commercial lead on key projects and frameworks.
• Lead or support critical commercial functions of change, risk, payment and programme.
• Auditing: conduct commercial audits and report findings to the Department Manager.
• Financial Control & Reporting: provide analysis and reporting on project cashflow, costs and profitability to Sweco Divisional management.
• Procurement: responding to procurement requests and letting contracts in‑line with programme requirements.
• Delivering training to colleagues on key commercial or contract topics. Production of guidance notes and templates.
• Development of existing Sweco processes to maximise efficiency.

To be successful in this role you’ll possess:

• Several years’ experience in a similar commercial/contracts management role.
• Experience of highways or energy sectors preferable but not essential.
• A degree in commercial management, quantity surveying, business, supply chain management or equivalent.
• Good working knowledge and experience with forms of contracts within the engineering and/or construction sectors.
• Detailed knowledge of NEC3 and NEC4, with particular focus on change, payment and programme.
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) with the ability to adjust your style to suit your audience.
• Ability to do occasional travel away from home (1 to 2 nights every month) throughout the UK.
• Membership with a UK recognised appropriate professional body i.e. RICS, CICES, CIPS etc.

What’s in it for you?

Working at Sweco you’ll experience an inclusive, friendly and flexible working environment where colleagues are encouraged to grow and develop. A meaningful job where you’ll help to transform society by being a trusted consultant to our clients.

Let’s work together to transform society.

Employee Benefits

• Flexible and hybrid working (Flexworks Policy)
• Competitive pension contribution
• Life Assurance
• Private Medical Insurance
• Company car or car allowance
• Discretionary Annual Bonus Scheme
• Payment of two relevant professional subscriptions
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days per year)
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme (wellbeing, mental health, financial and work advice)
• Employee discounts via Sweco Benefit Select (Faircare)
• Salary Sacrifice Electric Vehicle Scheme
• We plant a tree for all new starters!

About Us

Transforming society together, we’re planning and designing sustainable communities and cities of the future.

Solving the great societal challenges of our time is more relevant, demanding and inspiring than ever before. At Sweco, we bring together experts with different perspectives and skills to develop solutions that address the challenges of urbanisation, harness the positive power of digitalisation and make societies more sustainable.

We offer our clients a combination of global expertise and local presence, adapted to their business and reality. Our ambition is to be our clients’ most relevant partner, working together to help them solve their challenges, today and into the future.

Sweco is committed to enabling all its colleagues to achieve a great balance between work and their other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, leisure activities, further learning or other interests. We offer flexible start and finish times, part time and hybrid working options so that you can flex your hours around your day to day needs.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

It’s important to us that that all our colleagues thrive at work - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects the contribution individuals can bring to Sweco. We aim to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at Sweco we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. To find out more The Armed Forces Covenant - Our Commitments | Sweco UK.

We are an accredited Real Living Wage Employer which reflects our commitment to fair pay and support for all colleagues.

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, and will interview applicants covered by the Equality Act 2010 that opt into the guaranteed interview scheme on the application form and meet the minimum criteria for the role.

If I have a disability, can I get help (e.g. “reasonable adjustments”) with the application process?

If you’re an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, please contact [e-mail] for assistance.

In order to address your request the following information is needed:

• Name
• The best method for contacting you (Phone or email)
• The position title
• Requisition/vacancy number

Upon receipt of this information, we’ll respond to you promptly to obtain more information about your request.

Please note: we reserve the right to close vacancies before the advertised closing date.

Sweco UK & I have an internal resourcing team who are responsible for all recruiting activity. We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted agencies who we work with on those “hard to fill” roles.

We have defined processes for recruitment applications and it is company policy not to accept speculative CVs. Any speculative CVs received into the business (whether to a manager or member of the resourcing team) will become the property of Sweco and the agency will not be eligible for an introductory fee.

Our Preferred Supplier List was reviewed in November 2025 and we are not looking to add any additional agencies. We’ll be reviewing the PSL again at the end of 2026 and non-compliance with the above statements could be detrimental to you having the opportunity to be included.