Senior Contracts Engineer

Strata Talent Group Limited; Leiston; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Strata Talent Group Limited seeks a Senior Contracts Engineer to lead multiple ground engineering work fronts, ensuring safety, quality, programme delivery, and NEC4 compliance. You will mentor engineers and manage stakeholder engagement across the project.

The role requires senior leadership experience in large-scale infra and a Civil/Geotechnical engineering degree, with NEC4 and PM tools proficiency. Permanent role in Suffolk with on-site duties and occasional weekend/night shifts.

Qualifications

• Experience leading construction work fronts in ground engineering or major infra projects.
• Degree in Civil or Geotechnical Engineering.
• IEng or CEng accreditation desirable.
• CSCS card with SMSTS/AP/incident investigation advantageous.
• Strong understanding of D-Wall, soil mixing, grouting, and risk mitigation.
• Proven ability to manage programmes, critical paths, delay analysis, and recoveries.
• Commercial awareness, contract management and NEC4 processes.
• Proficient in P6, MS Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, AutoCAD, and Cemar.
• Excellent stakeholder communication and leadership skills.
• Calm, decisive, and proactive under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical and site operations for ground engineering works conforming to specs and ITPs.
• Coordinate resources across work fronts, resolve issues, and drive timely close-out of non-conformities.
• Provide visible safety leadership, conduct incident investigations and root-cause analysis.
• Set and audit site briefing content for clients, stakeholders, and site teams.
• Develop workface procurement plans and manage subcontractor performance and variations.
• Own QA planning for D-Wall and soil mixing scopes with NCR close-out and data reporting.
• Monitor productivity and lead weekly reviews across wall panels and soil mixing.
• Manage programme sequencing, critical paths, float, delay analysis, and recovery plans with PM.
• Support commercial management with early warnings, compensation events, and earned value reporting.
• Ensure NEC4 contract compliance, including change documentation and obligations updates.
• Coach engineers and manage stakeholders across support teams.
• Maintain a proactive, flexible approach and handle weekend/night shifts if required.

Skills

Senior leadership

Stakeholder management

Commercial awareness

Team leadership

Decisive under pressure

Education

Civil/Geotechnical Engineering degree

IEng/CEng desirable

Tools

P6

MS Project

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

AutoCAD

Cemar

Job description

Job Title: Senior Contracts Engineer

Employment Type

Permanent

Location

Suffolk

Project Type

Ground Engineering & Large-scale Engineering Construction

Role Summary

Lead multiple work fronts of ground engineering works, achieving safety, quality, contract performance and programme outcomes; drive commercial value and NEC4 compliance; mentor engineers and manage stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical and site operations for ground engineering works, ensuring compliance with specifications, drawings, ITPs, RAMS, permits, and project requirements;
• Coordinate resources across work fronts, resolve technical issues, and drive timely close-out of non-conformities;
• Provide visible safety leadership, lead incident investigations and root-cause analysis, and identify recurring safety trends;
• Set, approve, and audit site briefing content and records, including briefings for clients, stakeholders, and site teams;
• Develop workface procurement plans, support hire versus buy decisions, and manage subcontractor performance, variations, and delivery expectations;
• Own quality assurance planning for D-Wall and soil mixing scopes, ensuring ITP coverage, hold points, NCR close-out, and data-driven reporting;
• Monitor productivity across wall panels and soil mixing activities, benchmark performance, remove constraints, and lead weekly productivity reviews;
• Own detailed programme sequencing, manage float, run critical path checks, lead delay analysis, and agree recovery plans with the Project Manager;
• Support commercial management through preparation of early warnings, NCEs, compensation events, cost/value tracking, forecasting, and earned value reporting;
• Ensure compliance with NEC4 Option 4 Alliance contract requirements, including change documentation, responses, obligations, and programme acceptance updates;
• Coach, mentor, and manage engineers, including performance management, difficult conversations, and strong stakeholder engagement across support teams;
• Maintain a proactive, flexible, and solution-focused approach, supporting multidisciplinary project needs and working rotational weekend or night shifts where required.

Required Skills & Experience

• Experience in senior leadership of construction work fronts, ideally within ground engineering or major infrastructure environments;
• A degree in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related discipline;
• Professional accreditation such as IEng or CEng would be desirable;
• A valid CSCS card, with SMSTS, AP, incident investigation, or NEC4 training considered advantageous;
• Strong technical understanding of D-Wall, soil mixing, grouting, de-risking, and rapid issue resolution;
• Proven ability to manage programmes, critical paths, delay analysis, float, and recovery planning;
• Commercial and contractual awareness, including experience supporting compensation events, forecasting, and NEC4 processes;
• Confident user of project tools and systems, including P6, MS Project, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, AutoCAD, and Cemar;
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and communicate effectively;
• A calm, decisive, fair, and proactive approach, with the ability to lead teams and resolve issues in a fast-paced project environment