Hays
Contracts Manager
Requirements
Candidates need a strong civil engineering background and proven experience managing multiple infrastructure projects in a contractor environment, ideally in energy, utilities, or wastewater. They should have leadership and direct-labour management experience, commercial and contractual awareness, and strong client-facing and stakeholder management skills.
Job Description
Your new company
A growing civil engineering contractor delivering infrastructure projects across the energy and wastewater sectors throughout the North West. Working with major utility clients, the business has built a strong reputation for delivering complex schemes safely, efficiently and to the highest standards. Due to continued growth, they are now looking to appoint a Contracts Manager to support their expanding portfolio of works.
Your new role
As Contracts Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the successful delivery of multiple civil engineering projects across the North West, typically ranging from £200k to £3m in value. You will lead project teams from inception through to completion, ensuring projects are delivered safely, on programme and within budget.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Managing a portfolio of energy and wastewater infrastructure projects.
- Building and leading project delivery teams, including the appointment and management of Site Managers.
- Driving labour productivity and operational performance across multiple sites.
- Maintaining strong client relationships with major utility providers and stakeholders.
- Providing commercial oversight, including programme management, variations and budget control.
- Ensuring all projects are delivered in line with health, safety, environmental and quality standards.
- Supporting business growth and contributing to the company's long-term operational strategy.
What you'll need to succeed
You will have a strong background in civil engineering with experience delivering energy, utilities, wastewater or infrastructure projects. Previous experience managing multiple projects simultaneously within a contractor environment is essential.
You will also have:
- Proven experience in Contracts Manager, Operations Manager or similar leadership roles.
- Strong labour management and people leadership skills.
- Experience delivering projects through direct labour teams.
- Excellent commercial and contractual awareness.
- Strong client-facing and stakeholder management abilities.
- Experience working with utility clients would be highly advantageous.
What you'll get in return
- Competitive salary dependent on experience.
- Company car or car allowance.
- Long-term career progression with a clear pathway towards Director-level responsibilities.
- Opportunity to influence operational strategy and build high-performing delivery teams.
- Diverse portfolio of projects across the energy and wastewater sectors.
- Supportive and ambitious working environment.
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this opportunity, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or contact us for a confidential discussion regarding your career.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
Contracts Management
Civil Engineering
AMP8
Water Infrastructure
Water & Wastewater
Utilities
Infrastructure
Groundworks
Project Management
NEC Contracts
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Skills
About Hays
At Hays, we believe that the right job can transform a person's life - and the right person can transform a business. From career‑defining opportunities to complex workforce strategies, we connect ambition with opportunity - helping people and organisations reimagine what’s possible. Every year we place over 200,000 professionals into new roles. Whether it’s a permanent role or a temporary contract, our specialist consultants provide tailored advice and market intelligence to accelerate careers, from emerging talent to executive leadership. For organisations, our expert teams build recruitment and workforce solutions shaped by real-time market insights, local expertise and the scale of a world leading specialist in white collar hiring. With operations in 30 countries, over 200 offices and 9,500 colleagues worldwide, we fill around 1,000 roles every working day. The future of work isn’t something we’re waiting for. We’re creating it every day.