Special Projects Contract Manager – AR

Southwark Council; London Borough of Southwark; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Carrington Blake Recruitment is seeking an experienced Special Projects Contract Manager to oversee safety-critical contracts within a social housing environment. You will manage end-to-end procurement and ongoing contractor performance across a large residential portfolio, ensuring safety and compliance.

This hands-on role requires delivering on budget and timescales, leading investigations and coordinating with legal and residents, contractors and senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing contracts in social housing, local authority housing or housing associations.
• Proven ability to procure and manage contractors end-to-end from tender through delivery.
• Strong commercial and stakeholder management skills relevant to building safety projects.
• Experience with budget control, cost forecasting and KPI tracking.
• Knowledge of external wall systems, fire safety and building safety requirements.
• Experience handling complex, high-risk projects and resolving contractual issues.

Responsibilities

• Oversee safety-critical contracts relating to external wall systems and building safety investigations.
• Lead end-to-end procurement exercises, including developing specifications, tendering, evaluation, contracts award and mobilisation.
• Monitor contractor performance against KPIs, budgets, quality standards and programme milestones.
• Maintain commercial oversight with budgeting, forecasting and reporting.
• Manage contractual disputes and coordination with legal teams when needed.
• Support funding applications and ensure compliance with relevant safety guidance and governance.

Skills

Contracts management

Social housing

Procurement

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Fire safety

Job description

Special Projects Contract Manager

Contract: Initially 6 months, with potential to extend to 12 months

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Special Projects Contract Manager to oversee the procurement and management of safety-critical contracts within a social housing environment.

The successful candidate will have strong experience managing contracts within local authority or social housing settings, including end-to-end procurement and the ongoing management of contractors. Experience within fire safety, building safety, housing compliance or external wall remediation is highly desirable.

This role will involve overseeing investigative works across a large residential portfolio, ensuring contractors deliver safely, efficiently and within agreed budgets and timescales.

This is a hands-on Contracts Management role, requiring someone who can manage the full contract lifecycle rather than purely focusing on procurement.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee safety-critical contracts relating to external wall systems and building safety investigations.
• Oversee contractors delivering Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEW), spandrel panel investigations, render and facade assessments, and Fire Risk Assessments (FRA).
• Lead end-to-end procurement exercises, including developing specifications, preparing procurement reports, tendering, evaluation, contract award and mobilisation.
• Manage existing contracts and monitor contractor performance against KPIs, budgets, quality standards and programme milestones.
• Maintain commercial oversight, including cost control, financial forecasting and budget reporting.
• Manage contractual disputes, poor performance and contractor issues, working with legal teams where necessary.
• Support legal claims against contractors and developers responsible for defective external wall systems.
• Lead applications for the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) and other relevant remediation funding streams.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, PAS 9980 guidance and internal governance requirements.
• Engage with residents, contractors, consultants, legal teams and senior stakeholders, providing updates on project progress, risks and key decisions.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Significant experience as a Contracts Manager within social housing, local authority housing or a housing association.
• Proven experience managing contracts from initial procurement through to delivery and ongoing contract management.
• Experience procuring and managing contractors within a social housing environment.
• Experience managing fire safety, building safety, housing compliance or construction-related contracts.
• Strong contractor performance management experience, including KPIs, budgets and contractual delivery.
• Excellent commercial, financial and stakeholder management skills.
• Understanding of external wall systems, fire safety and building safety requirements.
• Experience managing complex, high-risk projects and resolving contractual issues.

Desirable:

• Experience managing cladding remediation or external wall investigation contracts.
• Knowledge of PAS 9980 and Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEW).
• Experience with the Cladding Safety Scheme or Building Safety Fund.
• Experience supporting legal claims relating to defective building work.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be an established Social Housing or Building Safety Contracts Manager who has personally procured and managed contractors within a housing environment. They will combine strong procurement knowledge with hands‑on contract management, commercial oversight and experience within fire safety, building safety or housing compliance.