Contracts Manager

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Contract Manager to support maintenance and reliability programmes by reviewing, managing, and optimising subcontractor agreements. The role is focused on ensuring suppliers deliver value for money, comply with contractual obligations, and do not apply unnecessary or unjustified charges.

You will act as the commercial gatekeeper between engineering, procurement, and subcontractors, ensuring contracts are robust, performance is measured, and costs are controlled.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and manage existing subcontractor contracts supporting maintenance and reliability activities.
• Ensure commercial terms are correctly applied and suppliers are delivering agreed scope and outcomes.
• Challenge unnecessary costs such as failed works, repeat visits, standby charges, or unjustified call-outs.
• Investigate supplier claims including rework, aborted visits, and variation requests.
• Identify opportunities to improve contract structure, scope clarity, and performance management.
• Implement governance around supplier performance, KPIs, and commercial compliance.
• Work closely with engineering, operations, and procurement teams to ensure alignment between service delivery and commercial agreements.
• Support negotiations with subcontractors to improve value, cost transparency, and service standards.
• Provide reporting on spend, supplier performance, risks, and savings opportunities.
• Ensure contractual risk is managed and disputes are handled professionally and commercially.

Key Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Contract Manager, Commercial Manager, or Supplier Manager within industrial, engineering, utilities, manufacturing, or maintenance environments.
• Strong understanding of subcontractor management within maintenance, reliability, or asset-intensive operations.
• Experience challenging supplier costs, variations, claims, and performance shortfalls.
• Commercially astute with strong negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to interpret contract terms and apply them practically on live projects and maintenance programmes.
• Confident working with engineering and operational teams.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to identify inefficiencies and value leakage.
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, operational environments.

Desirable Experience

• Background in reliability engineering, asset management, or maintenance operations.
• Knowledge of performance-based contracts and service-level agreements (SLAs).
• Experience in auditing supplier performance and cost structures.
• Familiarity with NEC, bespoke subcontract agreements, or service contracts.

Personal Attributes

• Commercially driven and detail-oriented.
• Confident challenging suppliers constructively.
• Pragmatic, hands-on, and solutions focused.
• Strong communicator at all levels.
• Able to operate independently within a contract assignment.