Portfolio Contract/Claims Manager

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail; Dublin; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail is seeking a Portfolio Contract and Claims Manager for the Commercial Department, Capital Investments. You will lead strategic contracting and claims management across the CI investment portfolio, ensuring robust post‑contract governance and compliance with public sector requirements.

Based in Dublin, you will collaborate with procurement and other departments, drive consistency in contract administration, and provide expert guidance to project teams to minimise risk

Qualifications

• 15 years’ experience in contract, commercial management or claims management within major infrastructure or construction environments.
• Deep knowledge of construction contract forms (Public Works Contracts, NEC, FIDIC).
• Proven experience managing complex construction claims, including entitlement assessment and dispute resolution.
• Strong understanding of post‑contract commercial processes, change control and contract administration best practice.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Professional accreditation (e.g., MRICS, MCIArb, ACostE, AACE, SCSI, or equivalent).
• Experience working within publicly funded or regulated environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as CI’s senior subject matter expert on contracts and claims across the portfolio.
• Develop and embed post‑contract commercial management processes and guidance.
• Lead CI’s contract strategies in pre‑contract development and procurement.
• Oversee claims management, entitlement assessment, delay analysis and dispute resolution.
• Provide leadership and capability building for CI commercial teams and governance.

Job description

Portfolio Contract and Claims Manager – Commercial Department, Capital Investments (CI)

Role and Purpose:

The Portfolio Contract and Claims Manager is accountable for providing strategic leadership and expert direction for contract and claims management across the IÉ Capital Investment Portfolio. This role will lead the development and implementation of a consistent, robust and professional post‑contract commercial management framework across CI. This senior role will ensure that all delivery teams apply construction contract procedures in a standardised, compliant and commercially effective manner. It will also work collaboratively with the Irish Rail Procurement team to establish contract strategies in the pre-contract phase before any tender process begins.

The post holder will act as CI’s principal expert on all contracts and claims that relate to the delivery of CI’s investment portfolio (construction contracts, professional services contracts, fleet contracts etc), providing strategic direction, authoritative guidance and high‑quality assurance to programme and project teams. They will play a critical role in strengthening commercial governance, reducing exposure to contractual risk and supporting the successful delivery of Irish Rail’s capital programme.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to:

• Head of Commercial, Commercial Department

Working Relationship with:

• All members of the CI Commercial Department
• All members of the wider Capital Investments Senior Leadership Team and their respective departments – including Railway Systems Director, Development and Design Director, Delivery Director and Head of Finance.
• The IÉ Procurement Department & other departments within IÉ
• External agencies, including Department of Transport (DoT), National Transport Authority (NTA), local authorities, An Bord Pleanála, utility providers etc.
• External Consultants and Contractors appointed to deliver the Capital Investment portfolio.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Safety: To act as a focus for safety in line with the New Works SMS and to discharge your safety responsibilities as outlined by your reporting Manager and Safety Responsibility Statement (SRS). Implementation of the Construction Regulations.
• Engineering: To ensure that all projects are properly authorized and progressed in accordance with the Building regulations, IE and IM policy, standards and procedures.
• Business: To manage, coordinate and control all projects and related activities for your business.
• People: To ensure constant communication with all colleagues within your area and to support the People Management policy within the IM team.
• Sustainability: To embed sustainability in project planning and delivery, ensuring environmental compliance, carbon reduction and continuous improvement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Contract Strategy & Expert Commercial Advisory

• Serve as the organisation’s senior subject matter expert on CI’s contracts (e.g., NEC, Public Works Contracts, FIDIC).
• Provide strategic advice on contract selection, risk allocation and commercial strategy during project development and procurement.
• Interpret contract provisions and advise project teams on complex commercial matters, ensuring decisions are legally and commercially sound.
• Support the development of commercial strategies that optimise value, manage risk and promote collaborative delivery.
• Contribute to post-contract reviews and continuous improvement of contracting strategies.

2. Commercial Governance & Post‑Contract Management

• Develop and embed a unified set of post‑contract commercial management processes, procedures, templates and guidance across all CI projects.
• Ensure consistent application of contract administration practices across delivery teams, aligned with Irish Rail policies, Public Spending Code requirements and NTA guidelines where applicable.
• Establish clear commercial reporting standards, including change control, early warnings, compensation events and contract performance metrics.
• Lead the continuous improvement of commercial governance, ensuring lessons learned are captured and embedded in improved contract forms, commercial models and procurement approaches.
• Lead CI’s approach to claims management, ensuring consistent, evidence‑based and timely management of all claims across the portfolio.
• Provide expert guidance on claim entitlement, quantum assessment, delay analysis, and contractual remedies.
• Oversee the preparation and defence of claims, working closely with legal advisors, external consultants and internal stakeholders.
• Support dispute avoidance and resolution processes, including negotiation, mediation, conciliation and arbitration where required.

4. Leadership, Capability Building & Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide leadership and direction to commercial, programme and project teams within CI on contract administration and claims management.
• Build organisational capability through training, coaching and knowledge‑sharing on contract management best practice.
• Foster a culture of commercial awareness, early issue identification and proactive risk management.

5. Assurance & Compliance

• Conduct periodic reviews and audits of contract administration practices across projects to ensure compliance with governance frameworks.
• Provide senior management with clear insights on commercial risks, claims exposure and contract performance trends and provide portfolio level reporting on same.
• Ensure all commercial activities are aligned with statutory, regulatory and internal governance requirements.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• 15 years’ experience in contract management, commercial management, or claims management within major infrastructure or construction environments.
• Deep knowledge of construction contract forms (e.g., Public Works Contracts, NEC, FIDIC) and associated procedures.
• Proven experience managing complex construction claims, including entitlement assessment and dispute resolution.
• Strong understanding of post‑contract commercial processes, change control and contract administration best practice.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, influence and build capability across multidisciplinary teams.
• Professional accreditation (e.g., MRICS, MCIArb, ACostE, AACE, SCSI, or equivalent).
• Experience working within a publicly funded or regulated environment.
• Familiarity with the Public Spending Code, Infrastructure Guidelines and NTA Cost Management Guidelines.
• Experience with digital contract management or project controls systems.