Contracts Manager

Building Careers UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking a Contracts Manager to oversee restaurant refurbishment projects across London and the South East. This challenging role requires proven experience in managing refurbishment projects, particularly within the restaurant sector. The ideal candidate will also possess a joinery or carpentry background and strong commercial skills to deliver quality results. Competitive salary between £55,000 - £65,000 and additional perks such as a car allowance and employee ownership benefits are offered. Apply now!

Benefits

Competitive salary

Car allowance

Employee Ownership Trust benefits

Long-term client relationship

Responsibilities and autonomy

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Contracts Manager in refurbishment projects.
• Strong understanding of bespoke fit-out works.
• Ability to manage budgets and timelines effectively.

Responsibilities

• Manage annual programme of refurbishment works.
• Price projects and control costs.
• Build relationships with client teams.

Skills

Experience in restaurant refurbishment projects

Joinery or carpentry background

Strong commercial and pricing experience

Organisational and programme management skills

Confident communication skills

Understanding of Health & Safety requirements

Solution-focused mindset

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Contracts Manager to take ownership of a restaurant refurbishment programme across London and the South East, delivering between 12-20 full refurbishments per year, alongside smaller repair and maintenance works. This is a challenging and rewarding role where the client operates with multiple designers, and every restaurant is unique. A joinery or carpentry background would be highly beneficial due to the bespoke nature of the fit-out works. You will be the key link between the client, designers, suppliers, subcontractors, and site teams — driving projects from concept to handover.

Responsibilities

• Meet with client Project Managers and Designers to scope projects from initial design presentations
• Plan and manage the annual programme of works, adapting to frequently changing start dates
• Price projects from drawings, manage budgets, and carry out value engineering where required
• Procure materials and manage suppliers across multiple counties, balancing cost, quality, and lead times
• Appoint, manage, and programme subcontractors, including cost control and scheduling
• Produce detailed construction programmes and comprehensive Health & Safety documentation
• Projects are independently scored, with two random H&S inspections per site
• Resource and manage site labour, supporting the development of a new workforce
• Run projects from start to completion, dealing confidently with designers and offering solutions rather than problems
• Prepare and agree final accounts, including variations and subcontractor payments
• Build and maintain a strong working relationship with the client team, recognising that performance is judged on the last project delivered
• Work effectively under pressure to resolve issues quickly and professionally
• Pre-snag completed restaurants and deliver a clean, fully trade-ready site at handover

Key Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Contracts Manager within restaurant, retail, or fast-track refurbishment projects
• Joinery or carpentry background strongly preferred, with a good understanding of bespoke fit-out works
• Strong commercial and pricing experience, including working from drawings
• Excellent organisational and programme management skills
• Confident communicator, able to manage clients, designers, suppliers, and subcontractors
• Solid understanding of Health & Safety requirements in a live operational environment
• Practical, solution-focused mindset with the ability to work calmly under pressure

What We Offer

• Competitive salary: 55,000 - 65,000
• Car allowance
• Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) benefits
• Long-term, repeat-work client relationship
• A challenging role with real responsibility and autonomy

Apply: Ready to bring your expertise to the team? Apply today!

Contact Daniel Addison on (phone number removed) or apply with your CV to (url removed)

Building Careers UK specialises in Construction and Property recruitment and serves as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job, you accept the Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Disclaimers which can be found on our website.

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities. Our recruitment process is designed to ensure equal opportunities for all candidates, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.

Please Note: Due to high volume of applicants, only those shortlisted will be contacted.