At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and optimise national maintenance contracts, driving performance and profitability.
- Company: Dynamic company offering a hybrid work environment with national travel.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus, car allowance, and full executive benefits.
- Why this job: Shape and evolve live contracts while creating real commercial value.
- Qualifications: Proven P&L ownership in contract-based environments and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: High visibility with senior stakeholders and opportunities for significant impact.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 110000 £ per year.
This is a senior leadership role with full accountability for the performance, profitability, and evolution of a national portfolio of maintenance contracts post-implementation. The appointment exists to create sustained commercial value.
The successful candidate will own contract P&L, lead complex operational delivery at scale, and drive continuous improvement in how maintenance services are structured, priced, governed, and delivered. This role requires an individual who can operate simultaneously as a commercial operator, operational leader, and entrepreneurial value-creator. This is not a technical asset management or engineering role. It is a commercially exposed, operationally dominant leadership position, where success is measured by margin, predictability, client confidence, and scalable performance.
Scope & Authority- Executive ownership of all post-mobilisation maintenance contracts
- Portfolio-level accountability for revenue, margin, cost-to-serve, and working capital
- Leadership of multi-disciplinary operational, technical, and contract teams
- Senior client sponsorship and ownership of key commercial relationships
- Direct influence over contract evolution, mobilisation learning, and future bid strategy
This role is for you if you have:
- Led large-scale, contract-based technical services with full P&L accountability
- Turned underperforming or complex contracts into stable, profitable operations
- Operated comfortably at Board, ExCo, and client executive level
- Built commercially astute leadership teams in operational environments
This role is not for you if your background is limited to:
- Pure asset governance or ISO-led frameworks
- Engineering leadership without commercial ownership
- Single-site or narrowly technical roles
- Full P&L accountability across a portfolio of live maintenance contracts
- Identification and elimination of margin leakage and operational inefficiency
- Rigorous control of scope, variation, pricing, and commercial risk
- Delivery of predictable, sustainable financial performance
- Ownership of contracts post-mobilisation, driving rapid stabilisation and BAU excellence
- Executive escalation point for complex operational or contractual issues
- Consistent governance, performance cadence, and accountability across the portfolio
- Strategic oversight of asset performance and lifecycle cost optimisation
- Data-led decisions on maintenance strategy, intervention, and investment
- Balance of safety, resilience, performance, and commercial return
- Continuous challenge to existing delivery and cost models
- Creation of incremental value through innovation, service evolution, and scalability
- Translation of operational learning into improved contract design and pricing
- Building and leading operational and contract teams
- Setting standards for pace, accountability, and commercial thinking
- Acting as senior sponsor for key client relationships
We are seeking a high-calibre senior leader with:
- Degree educated with a robust career trajectory
- Proven portfolio-level P&L ownership in contract-based, asset-intensive environments
- A track record of optimising, turning around, or scaling complex maintenance or service contracts
- Deep operational credibility combined with strong commercial acumen
- Experience operating in regulated and/or safety-critical sectors
- Gravitas, judgement, and confidence to lead at executive and client Board level
Candidates are most likely to come from senior roles in:
- Contract services, infrastructure, utilities, FM, industrial services, or outsourced operations
- Multi-site, geographically dispersed operational environments
- Decisive, resilient, and outcome-focused
- Commercially sharp; understands precisely how value is created and lost
- Entrepreneurial mindset with the discipline to execute at scale
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity and complexity
- Sets pace, standards, and ambition for the organisation
- Enterprise-level accountability with real commercial exposure
- Authority to shape, evolve, and improve live contracts
- High visibility with senior stakeholders and clients
- A platform to create value, not simply manage operations
This appointment is being managed via executive search. All enquiries will be handled in the strictest confidence. If you recognise yourself in this brief, we would welcome your application. Please email your CV to ne@hprtalent.com
Contract Services Director in London employer: HPRExecutive
Contact Detail:
HPRExecutive Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Contract Services Director in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. You never know who might have a lead or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Tailor your responses to show how your experience aligns with their needs, especially in terms of P&L accountability and operational leadership.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to articulate your achievements in turning around complex contracts and driving profitability. Confidence is key, so rehearse until it feels natural.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Contract Services Director in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the specific skills and experiences that align with the Contract Services Director role. Highlight your P&L ownership and any successful contract turnarounds you've led.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell your story! Explain why you're the perfect fit for this senior leadership position and how your background in operational delivery can create sustained commercial value.
Showcase Your Leadership Style: In your application, emphasise your leadership style and how it aligns with building commercially astute teams. We want to see how you set standards and drive accountability in complex environments.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at HPRExecutive
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Contract Services Director, you'll need to demonstrate your understanding of P&L management. Brush up on your financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've driven profitability in past roles. Prepare specific examples where you identified margin leakage or improved operational efficiency.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
This role requires strong leadership skills, so think about how you can convey your approach to building and leading teams. Be prepared to share stories that highlight your ability to set standards, drive accountability, and foster a commercially astute environment.
✨Understand the Client Perspective
Since client confidence is key, research the company’s major clients and their needs. Be ready to discuss how you've built and maintained strong client relationships in the past, and how you plan to do the same in this role. This will show that you can operate effectively at the executive level.
✨Prepare for Complex Scenarios
Expect questions about handling complex operational issues. Think of examples where you successfully navigated ambiguity or turned around underperforming contracts. Highlight your strategic oversight and how you’ve used data-led decisions to optimise performance.