Freelance Change Manager

Kenton Black Limited; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 101,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

Kenton Black Limited is seeking an experienced Change Manager for a long-term freelance engagement in the Midlands, with hybrid on-site work (3 days in office). The role focuses on NEC contracts, managing compensation events and the contractual change process across several live workstreams.

The ideal candidate may come from a Senior QS or Commercial Manager background with strong negotiation skills. The opportunity offers a key commercial appointment and partnership with commercial, planning

Qualifications

• Strong working knowledge of NEC3 and NEC4 contracts.
• Extensive experience managing Compensation Events and contractual change.
• Experience in senior commercial, QS, or change management roles.
• Proven ability to manage change across complex infrastructure projects.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Take responsibility for management and control of change across multiple workstreams.
• Identify potential changes and ensure contractual notices are issued within timescales.
• Manage the Compensation Event process from identification to agreement.
• Prepare, maintain and manage change and Compensation Event registers.
• Review and assess the commercial impact of proposed changes.
• Work with planners and project teams to understand programme impact of change.
• Ensure changes are substantiated with records, cost information and contractual evidence.
• Prepare quotations associated with Compensation Events.
• Monitor outstanding change and drive matters toward resolution and agreement.
• Manage Early Warnings and other NEC communications.
• Provide commercial and contractual guidance to wider project and QS teams.
• Support project QSs with complex contractual/change matters.
• Liaise with stakeholders regarding commercial change.
• Ensure accurate commercial reporting on change, risk and opportunity.
• Identify areas of commercial risk and ensure contractual protections.

Skills

NEC contracts

Compensation Events management

Commercial leadership

Contractual notices

Negotiation skills

Change management

Job description

Freelance Change Manager

Outside IR35 | Long Term Contract | Midlands | Hybrid working - 3 days on site / in office

Kenton Black is currently recruiting for an experienced Change Manager to work with an established specialist infrastructure contractor on a major programme of works.

This is a key commercial appointment, with responsibility for taking ownership of the contractual and commercial change process across multiple live project workstreams.

The successful candidate will work closely with the commercial, project management, planning and engineering teams to ensure change is identified early, correctly notified, accurately assessed and progressed through to commercial agreement.

This would suit an experienced Change Manager, Senior Quantity Surveyor or Commercial Manager who has a strong background in NEC contracts and has previously taken significant responsibility for the management of Compensation Events and contractual change.

Key Responsibilities:

• Take overall responsibility for the management and control of change across multiple project workstreams
• Identify potential changes and ensure contractual notices are issued within the required timescales
• Manage the Compensation Event process from initial identification and notification through to quotation, assessment and agreement
• Prepare, maintain and manage comprehensive change and Compensation Event registers
• Review and assess the commercial impact of proposed changes
• Work closely with planners and project teams to understand and demonstrate the programme impact of change
• Ensure changes are appropriately substantiated with supporting records, cost information and contractual evidence
• Prepare and review quotations associated with Compensation Events
• Monitor outstanding change and proactively drive matters towards resolution and agreement
• Manage Early Warnings and other NEC contractual communications
• Provide commercial and contractual guidance to the wider project and Quantity Surveying teams
• Support project QSs with more complex contractual and change-related matters
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders regarding commercial change
• Ensure accurate commercial reporting in relation to change, risk and opportunity
• Identify areas of commercial risk and ensure appropriate contractual protection is maintained

Candidate Requirements:

• Strong working knowledge of NEC3 and/or NEC4 contracts
• Extensive experience of managing Compensation Events and contractual change
• Previous experience in a senior commercial, Quantity Surveying or dedicated change management position
• Demonstrable experience managing change across complex infrastructure projects
• Strong understanding of contractual entitlement, notices and commercial substantiation
• Ability to assess both the cost and programme implications of change
• Excellent commercial and contractual awareness
• Strong communication and negotiation skills
• Capable of working across several concurrent project/work packages
• Comfortable working independently and taking ownership of the change function
• Previous experience within water, utilities, MEICA, M&E, energy or major infrastructure would be advantageous

The Opportunity:

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced commercial professional who enjoys the contractual/change side of major infrastructure delivery.

The position is not a traditional project Quantity Surveying role. The successful candidate will have a particular focus on commercial change and NEC Compensation Events, operating across multiple workstreams and providing senior-level change expertise to the wider commercial team.

Candidates do not necessarily need to currently hold the title of Change Manager. Applications are welcomed from experienced Senior Quantity Surveyors, Managing Quantity Surveyors and Commercial Managers who can demonstrate significant hands-on responsibility for NEC change and Compensation Events.