Senior Contracts Manager (Ops Manager)

Position: Senior Contracts Manager (Operations)
Location: Hertfordshire, UK (Hybrid Working)
Benefits: Competitive Salary + Standard UK Benefits

Profile:
We're looking for an experienced and inspiring Senior Contracts Manager to lead the safe and successful delivery of major projects across our portfolio of power projects. This is an opportunity to influence projects that matter, lead high-performing teams and shape how we deliver essential infrastructure.

As Senior Contracts Manager, you'll provide strategic leadership across a portfolio of major construction projects, ensuring they are delivered safely, efficiently and to the highest quality standards.

You'll play a key role in connecting with colleagues, supply partners and clients, providing assurance, insight and leadership throughout project delivery from a construction and buildability perspective.

Reporting to the Construction Director, you'll lead teams of construction professionals and work closely with our supply chain partners to create a collaborative, high-performing delivery environment.

This is a highly visible leadership role where you'll have the opportunity to influence decisions, drive continuous improvement and make a lasting impact on the success within the business.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Take ownership of construction activities across multiple new connections or infrastructure projects, from design development through to construction and final handover.
• Lead, manage, and mentor a team of Project Managers, including setting objectives, managing performance, and the creation of structured development pathways.
• Champion a culture of safety, wellbeing and continuous improvement.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with supply chain partners and internal stakeholders.
• Build trusted relationships with our clients, resolve escalations and drive positive customer satisfaction
• Oversee subcontractor and supply chain performance, ensuring delivery quality, adherence to programme, commercial compliance and safety-first approach.
• Review of subcontract packages, supply chain appointments and consultant agreements.
• Maintain commercial governance, reporting and contract controls across a portfolio of projects. Protect gross margin, cash flow and entitlement through effective management of contract terms, change control and payment mechanisms.
• Lead the administration of construction contracts (NEC, JCT, FIDIC) across a portfolio of multi-million-pound projects, ensuring all contractual notices, early warning, compensation events, and change control processes are handled in accordance with contract timelines.
• Manage claims, extensions of time, and final account negotiations with clients and subcontractors.
• Ensure in-house engineering teams and supply partners adhere to JSM SHEQ procedures, the Distribution Safety Rules and CDM regulations.
• Define construction strategy for 11kV to 400kV projects, from design through to final commissioning, ensuring alignment with engineering policies & procedures.
• Interface with pre-construction, design, and commercial teams to ensure integrated delivery.
• Promote the sharing of knowledge, lessons learned and best practice across the Operations team.
• Carry out thorough pre-contract review and risk analysis on new tenders and framework appointments, flagging key commercial, programme and legal risks to legal team.
• Provide input into bids and tenders, ensuring construction methodologies and programmes support a competitive and commercially sound tender submission
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure appropriate resource planning, structure, and capability are in place to meet business needs.
• Represent the business at client meetings, industry working groups and support trade exhibition events.

Ideal Background:

• A degree level qualification in Engineering, Construction, Project Management or related discipline.

• Significant experience in senior contracts or commercial management role within utilities infrastructure, or regulated network operator environments.
• Strong commercial acumen with proven experience protecting margin and managing contractual risk across framework and project delivery models.
• In-depth understanding, and demonstrable practicable experience of managing construction contracts (NEC, JCT, FIDIC).
• Proven ability to lead negotiations and influence senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience in supporting tendering and work-winning activities.
• A strong commitment to health, safety and wellbeing.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and identify root causes.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and present confidently. 
• Demonstrable track record of self-motivation and inspiring change in an evolving industry with increased utilization of technology.
• Flexible and pragmatic approach, able to work independently while also being a team player.
• A recognized professional project management qualification (APM, Prince2)
• IOSH Managing Safely, SMSTS or similar qualifications
• Full UK driving License, and willingness to travel to site in the UK, as required.

The Company:
NES Fircroft are currently working on behalf of a global power technology business which have a presence in almost 100 countries. Leading innovation for over a century, they partake in offering products, solutions and services within the energy industry. Helping their customers, improve efficiency, optimize resources, and reduce emissions.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.