Contracts Manager

Trant Engineering Ltd; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car or car allowance

Pension scheme

Hybrid working

Discretionary bonus

24 days holiday + bank holidays

Free onsite parking

Job summary

Trant Engineering Ltd is seeking a Contracts Manager to lead the commercial management of multiple engineering projects in the South East region. The role focuses on delivering on time and within budget, while maintaining contractual integrity with clients and supply chains.

You will oversee contract administration under NEC/JCT/FIDIC terms, manage risk, support audits, and provide guidance to project teams. A strong SMSTS and proven multi-contract oversight are essential.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing multiple contracts across engineering or construction projects.
• Strong knowledge of UK construction contract law (e.g., NEC, JCT, FIDIC).
• SMSTS qualification and understanding of safety regulations.
• Experience negotiating, drafting, and administering contracts, including variations and claims.
• Budget management, cost control and risk mitigation across projects.
• Excellent client and stakeholder management with dispute resolution skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage commercial performance across projects and ensure delivery within budget and programme constraints.
• Lead contract administration, risk management and reporting; support audits and quality assessments.
• Maintain relationships with clients, subcontractors and suppliers; drive resolution of contractual issues.
• Provide leadership to project teams and promote best practices across the commercial function.
• Collaborate with commercial teams to manage contracts and support project delivery.

Skills

Contract management

Budget control

Stakeholder mgmt

Negotiation

Dispute resolution

SMSTS

Contract law

Education

NVQ/HND/HNC in Engineering

Job description

Description

Join Trant Engineering and help shape the delivery of complex, high-impact projects.

Trant Engineering is a leading EPC contractor with a strong reputation for delivering innovative engineering solutions across the UK and internationally. With over 1,000 employees and a £150m turnover, we’re growing—and now looking for a Contracts Manager to play a key role in our project delivery teams.

Department: Operations

Location: South East England

Description

Trant Engineering is a leading EPC contractor with a strong reputation for delivering innovative engineering solutions across the UK and internationally. With over 1,000 employees and a £150m turnover, we’re growing—and now looking for a Contracts Manager to play a key role in our project delivery teams.

As a Contracts Manager you'll be responsible for the commercial and contractual management of multiple engineering projects ensuring that projects are delivered within budget, on time, and in accordance with contractual obligations. The Contracts Manager will provide commercial guidance to project teams, manage client and subcontractor relationships, and mitigate risks associated with contracts and project delivery.

What You’ll Be Doing

1) Technical Responsibilities - Contract & Commercial Management

• Manage successful project delivery and commercial performance across projects.
• Manage projects under specific contract terms for example NEC 4 ensuring compliance and proactive contract management.
• Develop and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with clients including transmission operators, network operators, EPC partners and fuel and gas operators.
• Ensure project delivery aligns with client business plans and programme constraints.
• Monitor and report on projects including performance metrics on cost, schedule, safety, carbon and customer impact.
• Support resolution of technical, commercial or programme risk and issues.
• Drive consistent application of company processes, systems and best practice.
• Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and company standards.
• Develop and implement processes for contract administration, risk management, and reporting.
• Support audits, inspections, and quality assessments relating to contracts.

2) Safety, Health, Environmental, Quality & Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all SHEQ, industry and client standards.
• Ensure compliance with environmental permits.
• Drive delivery of carbon reduction, sustainability and biodiversity targets in line with client commitments.
• Promote innovation in construction methods, digital delivery and sustainable solutions
• Monitor and audit sites in all aspects of safety, quality and compliance

3) Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for contractual and commercial matters with clients and site team.
• Maintain positive working relationships with clients, subcontractors, and suppliers.
• Resolve contractual disputes or issues in a timely and professional manner.

4) Leadership & Support

• Provide leadership, guidance and support to project managers, site teams, and the wider construction and support teams.
• Promote consistent application of company processes and best practice Support the professional development of project staff as required.
• Collaborate with commercial teams on contractual management of the contract

5) Key Interfaces:

Internal Interfaces

• Directors/Framework Managers
• Project Managers / Site Managers
• Operations / Engineering Teams
• SHEQ Teams
• Finance & Commercial Teams

External Interfaces

• Clients / End Users / Asset Owners
• Subcontractors / Suppliers
• Consultants
• Regulators / Authorities (where applicable)

6) Core Values

• Uphold and promote the Company’s Core Values – Care, Trust, Respect and Sustainability.

You may be required to undertake additional duties, consistent with the responsibilities and level of this role, beyond those specified above.

What We’re Looking For

Essential

• NVQ/HND/HNC in Engineering, Construction, Commercial Management, or a related discipline.
• Strong knowledge of UK construction and engineering contract law (e.g., NEC, JCT, FIDIC).
• SMSTS
• Proven experience managing multiple contracts across engineering or construction projects, preferably in water, energy, or infrastructure.
• Experience negotiating, drafting, and administering contracts, including variations and claims.
• Demonstrable experience in budget management, cost control, and risk mitigation on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong track record of client and stakeholder management, including dispute resolution.

Desirable

• Membership of a professional body such as CIOB, RICS, ICWCI, or AACE.
• Formal training or qualification in project management (e.g., PRINCE2, APM). SMSTS
• Experience in procurement and subcontractor management for engineering projects.
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance and reporting in the water or energy sectors.

Why Join Trant?

• Work on complex, meaningful engineering projects.
• Be part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team.
• Strong pipeline of secured work and career progression opportunities.
• Innovative environment with in-house design and manufacturing capability.
• Long-term secured framework work.
• Clear career development opportunities.
• Strong safety and wellbeing culture.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

Our company benefits package includes.

• Competitive salary.
• Company car or car allowance (some levels).
• Mentored support within our ‘Career Development Association’, to work towards chartership.
• 24 days holiday (increasing with service) + 8 bank holidays.
• Options to buy additional holiday via salary sacrifice.
• Company Pension Scheme.
• Flexible working based on a ‘core hours’ system.
• 1 x Professional Membership paid annually.
• Hybrid working.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Free onsite parking.
• Bike to Work Scheme.
• Discretionary annual bonus.