Location: Manchester (Hybrid)
Rate: £500–£600 per day (Outside IR35)
Sector: Energy / Power / Electrical Infrastructure
Spencer Ogden is working with a leading energy organisation to recruit an experienced Contracts & Claims Manager to support a rapidly growing business based in Manchester. This is a high-impact contract role suited to a hands-on contractor with extensive experience managing contracts and claims across complex energy or electrical infrastructure projects.
The successful candidate will work closely with project, commercial, legal, and procurement teams, supporting multiple projects that vary in size and complexity. Project teams can range from small groups of three to five people through to large matrix teams of fifteen or more, requiring strong stakeholder management and communication skills. The role offers hybrid working, typically three days per week in the Manchester office and two days from home, with flexibility depending on project requirements. There will be occasional travel to site in Ipswich, which can be expensed subject to approval.
The Contracts & Claims Manager will be responsible for reviewing, interpreting, and advising on customer and supplier contracts, screening contractual documentation, and highlighting key commercial and contractual risks. You will work closely with Project Managers and Commercial Project Managers to develop and implement effective claims management strategies, identifying, evaluating, and managing both incoming and outgoing claims with customers and subcontractors. This will include preparing, analysing, and managing claims documentation in line with contractual deadlines, drafting contractual notices and correspondence, and supporting or leading negotiations relating to claims, variations, and contract amendments.
You will also support preparation for disputes, adjudications, or arbitrations, draft and review contract variations, deeds of amendment, settlement agreements, and subcontract agreements, and work closely with legal teams to obtain reviews and approvals. The role will involve advising procurement teams on commercial and contractual terms for subcontracts, evaluating contractual risk exposure, identifying opportunities for positive contract outcomes, and ensuring contractual rights and entitlements are protected. You will contribute to the development of best-practice claims management processes and the sharing of lessons learned across the business.
To be considered, candidates should have at least eight years’ experience in contractual roles and a minimum of five years’ experience in commercial or claims-focused environments, with extensive hands-on experience managing claims and variations. A strong understanding of EPC contracts is essential, along with experience working in energy or major electrical infrastructure projects such as HVDC, substations, interconnectors, transmission and distribution, windfarms, or power plant construction. Experience within construction, civil, or engineering environments is required, along with strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work independently as well as across multi-disciplinary teams.
A degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Contract Law, or a related discipline would be advantageous, as would legal or construction law qualifications, a Quantity Surveying background, or experience negotiating and setting up subcontract terms and conditions.
This is an Outside IR35 contract offering a competitive day rate, hybrid working with flexibility, and the opportunity to work on complex, high-value energy infrastructure projects.
If you are an experienced Contracts & Claims Manager looking for your next contract opportunity, apply now or contact Spencer Ogden for more informatio