Overview
What is a Contracts Manager?
Contract Managers are built environment professionals that focus on facilitating, negotiating, developing and evaluating contracts for commercial construction services. They look to improve the contract process, ensuring value for money and legal and industry compliance.
The role of a Contract Manager can go by various other titles, such as Contract Specialist, Contract Analyst, Contract Administrator or Procurement Manager.
How much do Contract Managers earn?
The average salary of a Contract Manager in construction is usually between: £25,000 – £60,000
Skills
What’s required for the role?
- Excellent communication skills
- The ability to build relationships
- Time and workload management
- Commercial awareness
- Interpersonal skills
- Data and information management experiences
- Planning and organisation
- Ability to interpret data
- Maths and numeracy skills
- Negotiation skills
- Project management
- Leadership skills
- Knowledge of the construction industry
Details
What does a Contract Manager do?
Contract Managers play a crucial role in construction projects. Some of their key responsibilities include:
What is the work environment like?
Contract management is a project-based career – professionals in this area will spend the majority of their time in the office, with some time on-site and in meetings. On certain occasions, you may have to work weekends, especially if this is the only time that all parties are available to meet.
Contract Managers can be employed by private sector companies, as well as public sector organisations like local authorities. Opportunities also exist to work in construction consulting firms.
Opportunities
Is Contract Management a good career?
Contract management is a detail-oriented career, and for people with an interest in law and compliance it can be an exciting pathway into the construction industry.
As a sector in need of talent, the built environment can offer long-term job security and opportunity. This is particularly true of construction contract management, where you have the potential to progress into more senior positions in operational, human resources and project management.
Construction is a broad industry, so as well as being able to enter more senior positions once you gain enough experience, you’ll also have the opportunity to work in related areas like civil engineering.
It’s also not a profession that is unique to the built environment, meaning you’ll obtain transferable skills in this area that you could take with you into a different industry.
Become a contract manager
Who can work in contract management?
Anyone with a passion for construction and an interest in law and compliance can forge a successful career in contract management. At UCEM, thousands of students from various backgrounds have obtained the academic qualifications and practical experience necessary to begin their journeys in the built environment. Find out about their experiences below:
- Doing an apprenticeship put me ahead in life: a student success story with Annabel Huffer MRICS
How to become a Contract Manager?
Many employers will expect contract professionals to have a relevant degree, such as construction management, building engineering, quantity surveying, business administration or civil engineering.
Site management experience and a comprehensive understanding of health and safety legislation and standards could be key experiences that would put applicants in a strong position. Similarly, knowledge of the relevant construction forms of contracts and procedures, alongside qualifications like the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS), can be beneficial.
