Senior Subcontracting Leader for Major EPC Projects

Airswift; England; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Airswift is seeking a Senior Subcontracts Lead to helm subcontracting strategy for a major UK EPC/EPCm project. You will shape package strategy, engage the market, and guide contract awards across construction and supporting services, ensuring alignment with risk, schedule and cost targets.

You will operate at project leadership level, drive early market engagement, lead tender processes and govern subcontract negotiations with key suppliers, while integrating HSE, technical and commercial

Qualifications

• Strong experience leading subcontract strategy 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.

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.

Job description

Airswift is seeking a Senior Subcontracts Lead to helm subcontracting strategy for a major UK EPC/EPCm project. You will shape package strategy, engage the market, and guide contract awards across construction and supporting services, ensuring alignment with risk, schedule and cost targets.

You will operate at project leadership level, drive early market engagement, lead tender processes and govern subcontract negotiations with key suppliers, while integrating HSE, technical and commercial