Contracts Manager

Professional Background

Our client is seeking an experienced Development / Contracts Manager with a strong background delivering small to medium new build residential schemes (6-30 units), including houses, terraces, and low rise apartments, ideally within London and the Home Counties. They will combine technical delivery expertise with the leadership and structure required for a growing self build developer.

• Demonstrable experience with small-medium property developers, self build contractors, or high quality residential SMEs.
• Proven track record taking schemes from pre construction through delivery to handover, including procurement, programming, build sequencing, and contractor management.
• Experience with both new build and refurbishment projects (HMO or mixed use beneficial).
• Strong understanding of UK building regs, planning conditions, NHBC/structural warranty requirements, CDM, and typical residential compliance pathways.

Core Responsibilities

• Full project oversight of multiple developments (e.g., 6-30 units).
• Managing programmes, site operations, procurement, contractors and subcontractors.
• Overseeing health & safety, quality control, build sequencing, and cost to complete forecasting.
• Ensuring timely delivery to budget and specification.
• Working directly with founders to refine processes, reporting lines, and operational structure.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong technical build knowledge (housebuilding, RC frame or traditional methods).
• Excellent procurement and supply chain capability, with established industry contacts.
• Ability to troubleshoot on site issues quickly and practically.
• High level of organisation with strong reporting and communication skills.
• Comfortable managing multiple sites at once (2-3 concurrent).
• Thrives in a small, entrepreneurial, hands on environment.

Personality

• Proactive, solutions driven, and commercially aware.
• Not corporate - prefers SME environments where they can influence decisions.
• Able to build trust with subcontractors, design teams, and clients.
• Takes ownership of outcomes and performs well with autonomy.

Ideal Qualifications

• Construction management, building engineering, or similar degree (desirable but not essential).
• SMSTS, First Aid, CSCS (site level competency).
• Membership of CIOB or working towards (beneficial).