Senior Contract Manager

Colas Ltd are a UK subsidiary of the global Colas Group, which operates in over 50 countries worldwide and employs over 55,000 people including over 1500 in the UK across multiple sites. We are specialists in highways construction and have been involved in large-scale UK and international construction projects within the highways, airfields, and marine sectors as well as offering highways maintenance services and manufacturing our own innovative surfacing products. We hold a "Gold Investor in People" award for continuously developing and rewarding our employees, offering excellent career potential.

Purpose of the role

Colas Ltd are seeking an experienced Senior Contracts Manager to lead and manage Integrated Transport Systems (ITS) contracts across the UK National Highways Strategic Road Network, including the Brighton and Hove Street Lighting and Maintenance Contract. This is a senior leadership role with full financial responsibility, focused on delivering safe, ethical, and profitable contracts while driving operational excellence, business growth, sustainability, and social value. You will primarily be based at the Grantham office, NG31 7LG but occasional travel to Brighton is required and there will be an expectation for international travel to Italy and France as and when required.

Main Responsibilities

• The Senior Contracts Manager will lead the end-to-end delivery of ITS contracts, taking full ownership from mobilisation through to completion and ensuring full compliance with NEC3, NEC4, and bespoke contractual requirements.
• The role is responsible for maintaining robust financial control, including budgeting, forecasting, cost management, risk mitigation, and debtor management, while producing accurate and transparent contractual and financial reporting for clients and internal stakeholders.
• The post holder will embed LEAN management principles to drive continuous improvement, efficiency, and right-first-time delivery across all workstreams.
• They will manage and develop supplier and subcontractor relationships, ensuring ethical procurement, legislative compliance, and the maximisation of social and environmental value.
• Strong client and stakeholder relationships will be built and maintained to support contract performance and business growth.
• The role also ensures strict adherence to all Health, Safety, Environmental, CDM, and Quality requirements, supports business planning, tendering, and growth strategies, and represents the business professionally at client meetings and industry forums.
• In addition, the Senior Contracts Manager will lead, coach, and develop ITS teams, fostering an ethical, accountable, and high-performance culture with clear operational and financial transparency.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will have experience in a similar role within the highways industry, ideally working on the Strategic Road Network. We are also open to candidates from an electrical background or those who have worked within construction or rail environments, provided they have demonstrable experience delivering highways-related projects and a strong understanding of the regulatory, safety, and commercial requirements of the highways sector. You will have a strong working knowledge of NEC3 and NEC4 contracts, supported by excellent financial acumen and experience in budgeting, forecasting, cost control, risk management, and financial reporting. It is essential that you are a confident communicator at all levels and relationship builder, capable of influencing clients, stakeholders, suppliers, and teams at all levels, while balancing commercial objectives with social value and sustainability goals. Resilient, self-motivated, and adaptable, you are comfortable working autonomously in a fast-paced environment and demonstrate strong leadership qualities, with the ability to coach, mentor, and develop high-performing, inclusive teams. You will have excellent attention to detail and good IT skills, enabling you to produce clear, accurate reporting and manage information confidently across a range of systems. You are committed to your own professional development and motivated by opportunities for career progression within a growing and forward-thinking organisation.

Package Description

Here at Colas, we offer a great total compensation package, including:

• A market-competitive salary and benefits package (dependent on experience)
• Our Colas Pension Scheme has combined contributions of up to 10%
• Life Assurance Scheme which is x4 basic salary
• 25 days annual leave per year + Public Holidays
• Holiday Purchase & Selling Scheme
• Hybrid Working Scheme (dependent on the role)
• Opportunities to study towards a fully funded Professional Qualification
• Ongoing personal / professional development
• Discounts on car leasing, holidays, cinema tickets, restaurants and much more through our online employee benefits portal

At Colas, our culture is guided by four core values: Respect, Commitment, Pioneering, and Sharing. These values shape how we work, collaborate, and grow together. We believe that respect is the foundation of every relationship. By treating others as we wish to be treated, we foster fairness, transparency, and inclusion within our teams and with our clients, communities, and partners. Commitment means dedicating ourselves fully to everything we do. We strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to make a meaningful impact. With a pioneering spirit, we prioritise bold innovation over blind ambition. We welcome new ideas, invest in our people, and work to deliver sustainable infrastructure solutions that shape the future. Through sharing, we build trust and solidarity, encouraging collaboration and growth at all levels of the business. Colas Ltd is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that mirrors the communities we serve. As an equal opportunity employer, we welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you want a workplace where your voice is valued and your potential is developed, Colas is the right choice.