Senior Subcontract Manager

Airswift; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Airswift is seeking a Senior Subcontracts Manager in Chiswick to lead the subcontracting strategy for a major EPC project. You will shape package strategy, lead market engagement, and drive tendering, evaluation and award processes to support delivery with rigorous governance and risk management.

The role requires extensive experience in subcontract strategy on large projects, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to align commercial approaches with project objectives within an Inside IR35

Qualifications

• Strong experience leading subcontract strategy and execution on major EPC, EPCm or construction projects.
• Proven success in market engagement, bid strategy, negotiation and subcontract award.
• Practical experience managing post-award performance, change and claims environments.
• Experience operating at project leadership level and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Deep knowledge of UK construction contracting practices and market behaviours.
• Strong grasp of commercial models, contract risk allocation and subcontract administration.
• Ability to align subcontracting strategy with construction strategy, schedule and market capacity.
• Collaborative leadership style with strong delivery focus and commercial discipline.

Job description

Job Title: Senior Subcontracts Manager

Duration: 12 month renewable

Contract type: Inside IR35 PAYE

Schedule: Mon - Fri

Location: Chiswick

This opportunity sits within a global EPC contractor supporting the energy transition, with a focus on consulting services across the asset lifecycle and next generation project delivery and execution services. The role will lead subcontracting strategy and execution on a major project, shaping package strategy, market engagement and contract award across construction and supporting service scopes. This position offers strong exposure to EPC, EPCm, subcontract strategy and UK construction contracting practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead development and implementation of the subcontracting strategy for the project.
• Define subcontract packaging philosophy in alignment with construction strategy, AWP, schedule and market capacity.
• Recommend contract size, scope split and contracting models to support project delivery, cost, schedule performance and risk mitigation.
• Lead early market engagement with subcontractors and construction service providers.
• Develop bidder and contractor longlists and shortlists for major and minor work scopes.
• Assess market appetite, resource availability, competitiveness and delivery capability in the UK construction market.
• Shape sourcing strategies for critical packages, including competitive tendering, selective tendering, single-source and early contractor involvement approaches where justified.
• Oversee subcontractor prequalification and due diligence activities.
• Direct preparation of tender strategies, invitation to tender documentation, evaluation criteria and award recommendations.
• Ensure technical, commercial, financial, HSE and execution considerations are integrated into bid evaluation.
• Lead or govern negotiations with preferred subcontractors.
• Recommend appropriate commercial models including lump sum, remeasurable, target cost and reimbursable structures.
• Support the development of contract forms and commercial structures aligned with scope maturity, risk profile, market conditions and delivery objectives.
• Lead preparation, alignment, negotiation and execution of bespoke subcontract documentation.
• Ensure key project requirements are appropriately flowed down into subcontract arrangements.
• Support governance approvals and recommendation-for-award processes.
• Establish the contract management framework for awarded subcontracts.
• Oversee subcontract performance monitoring, KPI development, reporting and contractor governance.
• Drive robust administration of change, claims, notices, disputes and commercial close-out.
• Work closely with project management, construction, engineering, procurement, legal, HSSE and project controls teams.
• Provide clear recommendations to project leadership on subcontracting risk, market strategy, award decisions and commercial exposures.

Required Experience:

• Strong experience leading subcontract strategy and execution on major EPC, EPCm or construction projects.
• Proven success in market engagement, bid strategy, negotiation and subcontract award.
• Practical experience managing post-award performance, change and claims environments.
• Experience operating at project leadership level and influencing senior stakeholders.

Required Skills:

• Deep knowledge of UK construction contracting practices and market behaviours.
• Strong grasp of commercial models, contract risk allocation and subcontract administration.
• Ability to align subcontracting strategy with construction strategy, schedule and market capacity.
• Collaborative leadership style with strong delivery focus and commercial discipline.

About Airswift:

Airswift is an international workforce solutions provider within the energy, technology, process and infrastructure industries. Airswift serves as a strategic partner to clients, offering a turnkey workforce solution to capture and deliver the top talent needed to complete successful projects by aligning with unique project needs. With over 1000 employees and 9,000 contractors operating in over 60 countries, Airswift's geographical reach and pool of talent available is unmatched in the industry.