Contracts Manager

Reporting to the Head of Procurement and Contracts, the Contracts Manager will provide senior commercial and contractual leadership across a significant portfolio of Green Gen Cymru’s grid connection contracts. The role will be accountable for effective contract formation, administration, performance and commercial risk management throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring contracts support agreed commercial, governance and project outcomes.

Working closely with Procurement, Legal, Engineering, Development, Finance and project delivery colleagues, the Contracts Manager will lead complex contractual negotiations, manage significant change and claims, and provide authoritative advice on contract interpretation, risk, compliance and commercial options. The role will exercise substantial professional judgement within delegated authority.

The role will act as the senior contract-management contact for assigned projects and contracts, leading the resolution of complex contractual and commercial issues and escalating only those matters with significant strategic, legal, financial or precedent-setting implications to the Head of Procurement and Contracts.

Key Responsibilities

Contract formation and mobilisation

• Provide senior contract-management input to contracting and procurement strategies for major project packages, advising on contractual structure, risk allocation, commercial strategy, delivery considerations and commercial implications.
• Lead and coordinate the commercial and contractual evaluation of tender submissions for allocated contracts, including clarification, moderation, negotiation and the preparation of recommendations for contract award in accordance with governance and delegated authority requirements.
• Lead the preparation, review and finalisation of significant and complex contracts, including NEC and other relevant forms.
• Coordinate and professionally challenge input from Procurement, Legal, Finance, Engineering and project delivery colleagues to ensure contracts are commercially robust, contractually appropriate and deliverable.
• Ensure contractual obligations, deliverables, risk allocation, reporting requirements and contract-management processes are clearly established and lead effective contract mobilisation and ongoing management throughout project delivery.

Contract administration and performance

• Lead the contract management and administration of assigned major contracts throughout detailed design, construction and commissioning.
• Ensure notices, instructions, payments, programme requirements, contractual records and governance obligations are managed accurately and within contractual timescales.
• Maintain senior oversight of supplier and contractor performance against contractual obligations, identifying material issues and required interventions.
• Work with project leadership and delivery teams to agree, implement and monitor corrective actions where performance falls below contractual requirements.
• Ensure complete, accurate and auditable contract records are maintained to support effective decision-making, claims management and assurance.

Change, claims and commercial risk

• Lead contract change-control processes for allocated contracts, including the contractual and commercial assessment of compensation events, variations and associated impacts.
• Maintain oversight of contractual and commercial exposure across assigned contracts, identifying emerging trends, risks and opportunities and recommending appropriate interventions.
• Lead the assessment and management of significant claims and complex contractual issues, developing and implementing appropriate contractual and commercial responses within delegated authority.
• Lead dispute avoidance and early resolution activity, working with Legal, project teams, contractors and advisers as appropriate.
• Escalate matters with significant strategic, legal, financial or precedent-setting implications to the Head of Procurement and Contracts in accordance with governance requirements.

Governance and reporting

• Lead the effective implementation of Green Gen Cymru’s commercial governance, approval and assurance requirements across assigned projects and contracts.
• Consolidate and analyse contract performance, milestones, change, risk, claims and commercial exposure across the assigned portfolio, providing clear recommendations and escalating material matters to the Head as appropriate.
• Own the contract-management analysis and evidence required to support project governance and senior leadership and Board reporting led by the Head.
• Lead contract reviews, close-out and lessons-learned activity, ensuring outcomes are translated into practical improvements.
• Lead continuous improvement in contract-management processes, templates, controls and guidance, while working within the framework owned by the Head.

Collaboration and capability

• Act as the senior commercial and contract-management adviser for allocated projects and contracts.
• Provide authoritative advice and professional challenge to project teams on contract interpretation, commercial risk, claims, administration and available courses of action.
• Build and maintain effective senior working relationships with contractors, consultants, advisers and internal stakeholders.
• Provide professional leadership, coaching, technical guidance and quality assurance to the Procurement & Contracts Officer and other colleagues where appropriate.
• Lead the sharing of lessons learned and good practice across the Procurement and Contracts team and wider project community.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Knowledge & Skills

• Expert working knowledge and practical application of NEC contract forms, with a strong grounding in contract law, claims management and commercial risk management.
• Proven ability to lead complex and high-value negotiations, claims and dispute-avoidance activity and to resolve significant commercial issues within delegated authority.
• Strong professional leadership, coaching and influencing skills, with the ability to provide authoritative advice and challenge across multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex contractual matters into clear options and recommendations for senior decision-makers.
• Sound and independent decision-making under pressure, with the ability to maintain oversight of multiple major contracts and competing commercial priorities.
• Demonstrates integrity, professionalism, and adherence to ethical commercial practices.

Experience & Qualifications

• Professional accreditation (e.g. MRICS, MCIPS, or equivalent) is desirable.
• Extensive experience managing significant or high-value works contracts under construction law and standards, including NEC, within the renewable energy or infrastructure sector.
• Proven track record across pre-construction and construction phases of major projects, including contracting strategy input, tendering, complex negotiation, administration, claims management and dispute avoidance or resolution.
• A strong commitment to Green Gen Cymru’s values and its role in Wales’s transition to a clean energy future.

Benefits

• Flexible work structure with 3 day office attendance. 
• Ability to work core hours and take time back in lieu throughout the week.
• Fridays are allocated as ‘no meeting’ days to ensure down time at the end of the week. 
• 28 days annual leave, plus bank holidays.<