OR121093 – Special Projects Contract Manager (Project) – Interims

Southwark Council; London Borough of Southwark; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Carrington Blake Recruitment seeks a Contracts Manager to lead procurement and contract management for social housing projects, focusing on fire safety, building compliance and external wall remediation across residential properties.

You will manage procurement from tender through mobilisation, monitor performance against KPIs, and liaise with legal, housing teams and contractors to ensure safe, compliant, on-time delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as Contracts Manager in social housing or local authority settings.
• End-to-end procurement experience from specification development to mobilisation.
• Experience procuring and managing fire safety, building safety or housing compliance contracts.
• Strong budget management and financial reporting skills.
• Excellent stakeholder communication and negotiation abilities.

Responsibilities

• Manage contracts from award to delivery and completion.
• Oversee procurement processes: specifications, tenders, evaluations and mobilisation.
• Monitor contractor performance against KPIs, budgets and deadlines.
• Liaise with legal teams on claims, disputes and risk.
• Coordinate with housing teams, residents and external stakeholders.

Skills

Social housing experience

Procurement

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Education

Relevant degree or professional qualification in procurement/contract management

Degree related to construction or project management

Job description

Work Pattern: 2 days in the office, 36 hours per week

PAYE Pay Rate: £323.02 per day

Main Purpose of the Role

The Special Projects Contract Manager will be responsible for procuring, managing and overseeing complex, high-risk contracts within a social housing environment, particularly relating to fire safety, building compliance and external wall remediation.

The role will involve managing contracts from initial procurement and tendering through to mobilisation, delivery and ongoing contract performance. You will oversee contractors undertaking fire safety investigations, external wall surveys and building remediation works, ensuring projects are delivered safely, compliantly, on time and within budget.

The ideal candidate will have strong social housing experience, proven end-to-end procurement experience and hands-on contract management experience, preferably within fire safety or building compliance.

Typical Day Overview

A typical day will involve:

• Managing and monitoring contractors delivering fire safety investigations, external wall surveys and compliance works across residential properties.
• Overseeing the full procurement process, including preparing specifications, tendering, evaluating bids and awarding contracts.
• Monitoring contractor performance, ensuring work meets agreed KPIs, budgets and deadlines.
• Reviewing costs, managing budgets, forecasting expenditure and ensuring value for money.
• Working with fire safety specialists, surveyors and consultants to oversee FRAEW assessments, facade investigations and fire risk assessments.
• Liaising with legal teams regarding contractual disputes, defective works and potential claims against contractors or developers.
• Managing funding applications, including the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS).
• Providing updates to senior management and working with housing teams, residents, contractors and external stakeholders.
• Identifying contractual risks and ensuring all works meet relevant building safety legislation and compliance requirements.

Key Skills & Responsibilities

Contract Management

• Strong experience managing contracts within a social housing or local authority environment.
• Proven ability to manage contractors from contract award through to delivery and completion.
• Experience monitoring contractor performance, KPIs, service levels and contractual obligations.
• Managing complex, high-value and safety-critical contracts.

Procurement & Commercial Management

• Experience managing end-to-end procurement exercises within social housing.
• Preparing specifications, tender documents and procurement gateway reports.
• Managing tender evaluations, contract awards and mobilisation.
• Strong commercial awareness, including budget management, cost control and financial forecasting.
• Ensuring value for money and effective contract delivery.

Fire Safety & Building Compliance

• Experience procuring and managing fire safety or building compliance contracts.
• Understanding of external wall systems, cladding, fire risk assessments and remediation works.
• Knowledge of FRAEW assessments, spandrel panels, facade investigations and PAS 9980.
• Understanding of building safety legislation and compliance requirements.

Legal & Risk Management

• Experience managing contractual disputes and contractor performance issues.
• Working alongside legal teams on contractual claims and defective building works.
• Identifying and managing commercial, financial and contractual risks.

Stakeholder Management

• Ability to work with housing teams, contractors, consultants, residents and senior stakeholders.
• Strong communication, negotiation and relationship management skills.
• Ability to provide progress reports and updates to senior management.

Essential Qualifications & Requirements

• Proven experience working as a Contracts Manager or in a similar contract management role.
• Previous experience within social housing, housing associations or local authority housing.
• Demonstrable experience procuring contracts within a social housing environment.
• Strong end-to-end procurement experience, including specification development, tendering, evaluation, contract award and mobilisation.
• Proven experience managing contractors, monitoring performance and ensuring contractual obligations are met.
• Experience procuring and managing fire safety, building safety or housing compliance contracts.
• Strong understanding of contract management, commercial control, budget management and financial reporting.
• Experience managing complex construction, remediation or building safety projects.
• Knowledge of external wall systems, cladding and fire safety compliance.
• Understanding of PAS 9980, FRAEW assessments and the Cladding Safety Scheme.
• Experience managing contractual disputes, identifying risks and working alongside legal teams.
• Relevant degree or professional qualification in procurement, construction, contract management or project management (desirable).