Contracts Manager - Commercial

As Contracts Manager – Commercial, you will help shape and manage the contracts supporting complex environmental and infrastructure projects that protect communities and the environment.

This is a hands-on role combining contract creation, procurement support and live contract management. You will draft, review and assure NEC4 Professional Service Contract (PSC) and Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) documentation, help shape procurement and evaluation approaches, and provide practical commercial advice to project managers, engineers, scientists and technical specialists.

You will have meaningful ownership of your work and the opportunity to influence how contracts are established from the outset. By identifying contractual risks and ambiguities, supporting effective procurement and managing contractual change, you will help protect public value and strengthen commercial practice across the organisation.

The role requires practical experience of drafting, managing, administering or advising on NEC contracts, particularly NEC4 PSC or ECC. You do not need a particular job title, sector background, quantity surveying qualification or formal NEC accreditation. What matters is your hands-on NEC experience, sound commercial judgement and ability to make complex contractual requirements clear and workable.

You will join a supportive specialist team, with opportunities to develop your expertise and work towards formal NEC accreditation.

The successful candidate will:

• Draft, review and assure NEC4 PSC and ECC contracts, including Scope, Contract Data and bespoke clauses.
• Shape procurement strategies, routes to market and evaluation approaches.
• Support market engagement, tendering, evaluation, negotiation, contract award and mobilisation.
• Provide practical commercial and contractual advice to project managers, engineers, scientists and technical specialists.
• Identify and manage contractual risks and ambiguities.
• Manage early warnings, contractual change and compensation events.
• Build constructive and collaborative relationships with suppliers while protecting client interests and public value.
• Improve commercial templates, guidance and standards across the organisation.

The successful candidate will have:

• Hands-on experience of drafting, reviewing, managing, administering or advising on NEC contracts, particularly NEC4 PSC or ECC.
• Experience supporting procurement, tendering, evaluation and contract award.
• Sound commercial judgement and the ability to identify contractual risks and ambiguities.
• The ability to explain complex commercial and contractual issues clearly.
• The ability to build trusted relationships with technical colleagues and suppliers.
• A collaborative approach that protects client interests while supporting fair and constructive supplier relationships.

When applying, candidates should use their supporting statement to explain the nature and extent of their NEC experience, including examples of contracts they have drafted, managed, administered or advised on, as this will form an important part of the assessment process.

A recruitment process designed to help you show your potential

We're committed to making our recruitment process clear, fair and accessible for everyone.

• A fair assessment – applications will be reviewed against the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.
• An opportunity to demonstrate your skills – shortlisted candidates may be invited to complete technical assessments and interviews relevant to the role.
• Clear communication throughout – we'll keep candidates informed of progress and next steps at each stage of the process.
• Support when you need it – reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process to help candidates perform at their best.

Key Dates

We aim to keep candidates informed throughout the recruitment process. Our current timeline is:

• Application closing date: 1 November 2026
• Application sift: 2 November 2026
• Interviews: Week commencing 9 November 2026

Need a different interview date?

If you're unable to attend on the scheduled interview dates, please let us know. We'll do our best to accommodate alternative arrangements where possible.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service