Job Description
Contracts Manager – Water Sector
Location: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
Travel: Predominantly office-based with ad-hoc site and nationwide travel
Salary: £50,000 – £65,000 + car allowance + benefits
A leading engineering business within the water sector is seeking an experienced Contracts Manager to join its senior management team and take ownership of multiple water and wastewater projects across the UK.
This is a key appointment for a Contracts Manager who enjoys responsibility, autonomy and influence. You’ll be trusted to lead projects from tender stage through to final account and handover, combining strong technical understanding with commercial awareness and people leadership.
The Contracts Manager role offers long-term career progression, exposure to major infrastructure programmes and the opportunity to shape how projects are delivered across the business.
The Role – Contracts Manager
As Contracts Manager, you will be responsible for the successful delivery of several concurrent projects, ensuring safety, quality, programme and commercial performance are achieved consistently.
Key responsibilities include:
* Full responsibility for contract delivery, applying sound commercial and operational judgement
* Ownership of project financial performance, including P&L, forecasting, cost control and reporting
* Leading and developing project teams, promoting collaboration and accountability
* Building and maintaining strong client and stakeholder relationships
* Managing NEC contracts, variations, compensation events and final accounts
* Producing and reviewing project performance reports and supporting monthly reviews
* Ensuring full compliance with Health & Safety, quality and internal procedures
* Identifying and mitigating risks early to minimise programme and cost impacts
* Working closely with design and manufacturing teams to optimise resources
* Carrying out site visits and meetings as required to maintain control and momentum
* Promoting innovation, digital tools and continuous improvement
* Championing sustainability and environmental best practice
This Contracts Manager position is primarily office-based, forming a core part of the internal management team. Site travel will be ad-hoc and dependent on contract size and complexity.
About You
To be successful as a Contracts Manager, you’ll bring both experience and the right mindset.
You’ll ideally have:
* ONC/HNC/BEng, NVQ or equivalent in an engineering or related discipline
* Proven experience delivering projects within the water or wastewater sector
* Strong working knowledge of NEC contracts
* Several years’ experience operating as a Project Manager or Contracts Manager
* Excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills
* Strong commercial awareness and problem-solving ability
* The ability to remain effective in challenging or high-pressure situations
* Clear, professional written and verbal communication skills
* IOSH or SMSTS qualification and a valid CSCS card
This role would suit a senior Project Manager ready to step up into a Contracts Manager role with people leadership and broader commercial responsibility.
Working Pattern & Start Date
* Typical split: 60% office / 20% site / 20% home
* Increased office presence expected during the initial onboarding period
* Start date: ASAP, ideally by 1st March (notice periods fully respected)
What’s On Offer
You’ll be joining a stable, well-established business with a strong order book and a long-term pipeline of work within the water sector.
The Contracts Manager package includes:
* Salary between £50,000 and £65,000
* Car allowance
* 28 days holiday + Bank Holidays (increasing with service)
* Option to purchase up to 3 additional holiday days
* Pension contributions (4% employee / 6% employer, with flexibility to increase)
* Private healthcare (family cover available at discounted rates)
* Life assurance (four times basic salary)
* Paid professional membership
* Save As You Earn share scheme
* Cycle to Work scheme
* Eye test provision and contribution towards glasses
* Paid volunteering days
* Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 support
* Agile working options, where role permits
About the Business
This organisation delivers essential infrastructure that communities rely on, working collaboratively with clients and supply chain partners to deliver safe, sustainable and high-quality outcomes. Integrity, professionalism and continuous improvement sit at the heart of how the business operates.
If you’re a Contracts Manager looking for a role with genuine responsibility, progression and influence within the water sector, this is a strong opportunity to consider.