Contract Management Manager

Vertiv is seeking to recruit an ambitious and motivated Contract Management Specialist to join its Commercial Department. This is a hands-on execution-focused role centred on the identification preparation and recovery of Change Orders across a portfolio of live projects as well as the management of customer-side disputes and claims. The successful candidate will assist project delivery teams providing day-to-day commercial and contractual support to Project Managers throughout the execution phase.

Ideally with experience in the Electrical and/or Mechanical construction sector the Contract Management Specialist will report to the Commercial Manager and Commercial Director. The successful candidate will hold a degree in a relevant subject demonstrate strong contractual awareness possess excellent oral and written communication skills and will eventually be responsible to build a local team of contract management specialists to support the function.

Responsibilities

Change Order Management

• Early identification of change events scope variations and deviations from the contracted scope of works across assigned projects
• Assisting with the preparation and substantiation of Change Order submissions including full commercial and quantum justification
• Ensuring timely notification of all change events in accordance with contractual notice requirements protecting entitlement at all times
• Maintaining accurate Change Order registers and trackers providing regular status updates to project teams and senior management
• Following Change Orders through to agreement and recovery including negotiation with clients and resolution of any valuation disagreements
• Supporting Project Managers with the commercial assessment of client instructions drawing revisions and scope changes to determine Change Order entitlement
• Preparing and submitting extension of time applications where programme impact arises from change events

Project Team Support

• Acting as the primary commercial point of contact for Project Managers on all Change Order and claims-related matters during project execution
• Providing day-to-day guidance to project teams on contractual notification requirements entitlement positions and commercial risk exposure
• Assisting Project Managers in understanding key contractual obligations timelines and mechanisms relevant to variations and claims
• Working closely with planning teams to establish programme impact and cause-and-effect narratives to support time-related claims
• Supporting monthly valuation and payment application preparation ensuring all approved Change Orders are properly captured and valued
• Contributing to project commercial reviews and providing clear reporting on Change Order status values and recovery rates

Customer Disputes & Claims

• Managing and responding to customer-side disputes back-charges and contra-charges with detailed technical and commercial analysis
• Preparing robust written responses to client claims clearly setting out the companys contractual position
• Defending against unjust charges by building comprehensive evidence packages including contemporaneous records correspondence and programme data
• Liaising directly with clients to negotiate resolution of disputed matters in a professional and collaborative manner
• Supporting the preparation and prosecution of formal claims where amicable resolution cannot be achieved
• Maintaining detailed records and audit trails to support the companys position in any disputed matters

Requirements:

The successful candidate will be expected to possess the following:

• Minimum 35 years experience in a commercial contract management or quantity surveying role within a Construction/Engineering business preferably with Mechanical and/or Electrical project experience
• Degree-level education in Quantity Surveying Construction Law Engineering Commercial Management or a related discipline
• Demonstrable experience in the preparation and recovery of Change Orders / variations on construction or engineering projects
• Experience in handling customer disputes back-charges or claims
• Strong understanding of contractual notification requirements and their practical application
• Self-motivated with an ability to work independently and build strong working relationships across multidisciplinary project teams
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication skills capable of preparing clear well-structured contractual correspondence
• Functional working knowledge of ERP systems and document management tools
• Proficient IT skills including Microsoft Office Suite

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