Lead Contract Manager

Low Carbon Contracts Company; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A not-for-profit organization in the UK seeks a Lead Contract Manager in Leeds. This role involves leading a team of contract managers, overseeing complex energy contracts, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Ideal candidates possess extensive experience in energy or construction contracts, strong stakeholder management skills, and excellent communication capabilities. This position offers competitive compensation and a robust benefits package.

Benefits

Annual performance based bonus up to 10%

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Up to 8% pension contribution

Employee referral scheme

Family friendly policies

Free employee assistance services

Gym discounts

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in operational delivery of construction or energy contracts.
• Demonstrable ability to develop stakeholder relationships.
• Experience with legal, regulatory, and contract management issues.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of contract managers and assigned contracts.
• Oversee communication with generators throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Provide detailed analysis and advice on technical and commercial issues.

Skills

Leadership of operational contract management

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Excellent communication skills

Technical knowledge in renewable energy

Job description

Lead Contract Manager

Application Deadline: 12 December 2025

Department: Scheme Delivery

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Leeds

Reporting To: Senior Head of CfD Account & Contract Management

Compensation: £80,000 / year

Description

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: 37.5/week

Salary: circa £80k depending on experience

Location: Leeds City Centre

WFH policy: Employees are required to attend the office 2 days/week

Flexible working: Variety of flexible work patterns subject to line manager discretion e.g. Compressed 9-day fortnight.

Reports to: Head of Account and Contract Management

Deadline Note: We reserve the right to close the advert before the advertised deadline if there are a high volume of applications.

Lead Contract Managers will lead a team of circa 4 contract managers (Assistant / Contract / Senior / Principal Contract Managers) who each manage a portfolio of about 25 CfD contracts (contract values c.£50m to £1bn). The more technically complex CfD contracts are managed by the more experienced and senior members of the team. Each contract manager is responsible for the day-to-day relationship and contract management of their assigned CfD portfolio.

Given that LCCC is a not-for-profit organisation, this is not a typical contract or commercial management role. Performance is not measured against a bottom line, but instead by two guiding principles: to maintain investors’ confidence in the CfD scheme and to minimise cost to consumers, whilst enabling the delivery of the CfD projects.

Under each individual CfD contract we share common objectives with Generators (counterparties to the CfD contracts) and, based on the long-term nature of the CfD contracts, relationship and account management is an important and significant part of the Lead Contract Managers’ role. Interaction with Generators is frequent during the contract lifecycle (20+ years), and particularly during the initial 4-5 years, when projects are going through the development and construction phases. Lead Contract Managers normally communicate with their respective account managed Generators on a weekly/fortnightly basis particularly when Generators are close to achieving contractual milestones, and likely less frequently once the projects are in operation. Site visits to each project are also undertaken at least once a year and provide a unique opportunity to gain exposure to several leading edge technologies implemented as part of the multimillion/billion GBP projects.

The Lead Contract Managers will, as well as managing their team, their CfD contract portfolio and being part of the Scheme Delivery Extended Leadership team, also lead on supporting the wider Scheme Delivery Team and LCCC initiatives, and regularly interface with both internal (Legal, Data & Analytics, Finance, etc.) and external (Ofgem, EMRS, etc.) stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the planning phase of the Contract Management activity:
  • In depth understanding of contract terms and conditions
  • Following the anticipated successive ESNZ publications which are expected to provide further level of detail
  • Offering continuous feedback and assisting ESNZ in the further development of any new terms
  • Leading the procurement of advisors to assist LCCC with its reporting obligations under the contracts and set up the reporting templates
  • Developing contract management procedures, systems and guidance (or adapting existing ones), tailored to the requirements of the new contracts
  • Supporting the Settlement and Forecasting teams in their understanding of the payment mechanisms; sense checking the robustness and suitability of the settlement system and forecasting logic proposed by the respective teams
  • Recruit and on-board additional contract management team members
• Leading and enabling the contract management:
  • Having ownership and responsibility for the assigned contracts, acting as the Account Manager and managing contractual processes and issues, including actively identifying and resolving potential disputes
  • Applying judgement to managing the contracts, based on LCCC’s overarching interpretation
  • Leading the review of information provided by the developers and lead the preparation and presentation of regular briefings to senior stakeholders on the progress of the project, key risks and any other relevant matters
  • Scoping, instructing and managing the work of the appointed technical and financial advisors to support the above (including challenging the views advanced by the advisors)
• Providing high quality detailed and insightful analysis and advice in relation to technical, existing and/or new CfDs, new schemes, or other LCCC functions.
• The role will be flexible across our schemes whether managing CfDs or any new schemes in future as they are allocated to the LCCC.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

• A self-starting leader and commercial contract manager with extensive relevant experience of the operational delivery of construction or energy contracts.
• Leadership of operational contract management including, contract:
  • Team leadership
  • People line management
  • reviews
  • negotiation
  • change management and administration
  • claim/dispute management and settlement
  • technical knowledge of engineering in wind, solar, biomass, waste, tidal stream, or related / comparable technologies
• A demonstrable ability to maintain and develop multiple stakeholder relationships and undertake stakeholder management.
• Experience of relevant legal, regulatory and contract management issues.
• Commercial acumen with extensive experience of analysing and developing solutions to collaboratively solving complex commercial and contractual issues (multiple £m’s) whilst maintaining relationships.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, presentation) enabling the clear explanation of complex technical, commercial, and contractual issues to multiple audiences.

Desirable

• Relevant experience in power generation or the energy Sector
• Good understanding of the current UK energy policy landscape and regulations, including power and renewables sectors
• Contracts for Difference (CfD) experience/knowledge
• Project finance transactional experience
• Project management experience

Employee Benefits

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. Key benefits that may be available depending on the role include:

• Annual performance based bonus, up to 10%
• 25 days annual leave, plus eight bank holidays
• Up to 8% pension contribution
• Financial support and time off for study relevant to your role, plus a professional membership subscription
• Employee referral scheme (up to £1500), and colleague recognition scheme
• Family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity leave and shared parental leave
• Free, confidential employee assistance, including financial management, family care, mental health, and on-call GP service
• Three paid volunteering days a year
• Season ticket loan and cycle to work schemes
• Family savings on days out and English Heritage, gym discounts, cash back and discounts at selected retailers
• Employee resource groups