Contracts Manager, Senior Manager

Contracts Manager – Major Infrastructure – Long Project! Location: Manchester Airport Take your career to new heights by leading one of the UK’s most significant civil engineering frameworks within the aviation sector. An industry-leading contractor has secured an exciting long-term framework delivering transformative airfield infrastructure works across three major UK airports. This pivotal role offers stability, complexity, and prestige—working on high-value, fast-paced projects where your leadership will make a lasting impact on some of the busiest transport hubs in the country. This is not your standard Contracts Manager role. With up to eight years of secured works ahead, you\’ll take charge of multiple concurrent projects (circa £5m each), including new taxiways, paving, and car parks—often delivered during night-time hours to ensure minimal disruption to operations. Based primarily at Manchester Airport, you’ll lead a dedicated delivery team, including three experienced Project Managers, reporting directly to the Director. The client is forward-leaning, pragmatic, and expects agile delivery over prolonged pre-construction delays. You’ll need to be confident managing evolving requirements while safeguarding operational excellence and commercial outcomes. Building and nurturing a constructive client relationship—collaborative, not combative Driving commercial performance in collaboration with internal stakeholders Contributing to the growth of the business unit by spotting and pursuing future opportunities Whether you come from a Tier 1 or Tier 2 background, your ability to manage multiple concurrent civils projects and deliver client satisfaction is proven. Aviation experience is welcome but not essential—candidates from highways or rail with strong client-facing experience are encouraged to apply. You might be an established Contracts Manager or a high-performing Senior Project Manager ready to take the next step. Multi-year pipeline of prestigious, high-profile infrastructure projects Opportunities for growth, recognition, and impact This is more than a job—it’s a career-defining opportunity to lead critical works in one of the UK\’s most complex and rewarding infrastructure environments.