A Contracts Manager is a bit like a football manager, only the players you bring in to help the get job done are called “subbies” not “subs”.
While there’s no need for a camel coat and a fedora, you may need a hi-vis vest and a hard hat – and the ability to take control of a team and get the results, away and at home, all within an allotted time and budget.
Chances are you will oversee many different projects at one time, from start through to completion.
You might also be responsible for identifying areas where work practices and processes can be improved, which means you will think inside and outside of the box.
We catch up with David Hatrick, Senior Contracts Manager for Fox Construction, and ask him what the score is . . .
Can you tell us a little about your company and your own role?
Fox Construction is primarily a civil engineering and building contractor, specialising in the knocking down, rebuilding and refurbishment of petrol filling stations throughout the UK.
The company is Scottish-based and family-owned organisation and has been trading for more 25 years.
My role as Senior Contracts Manager is to ensure all jobs are planned well in advance via labour plans, contract programmes and pre-start meetings, and ensuring the team are fully briefed on upcoming projects and their allocated roles.
Is it possible to describe a typical working day?
Well, first off, I’ll call all of the site managers to ensure the works are going to plan and contract programmes are still on schedule.
This will also involve catching up on emails and calls in the first few hours. Depending on the location, a site visit would be on the agenda – because our sites are all over the country this can sometimes involve working away from home for most of the week.
Do you work with different specialists?
Yes, I deal with and work alongside many specialist contractors – from fuel pipework installers, ground contamination specialists to signage contractors.
It is imperative a role such as mine should have a certain level of knowledge in these fields – the best way to do this is to ask the operatives when they are working, if I’m not sure of something.
What are the main challenges?
Predominantly, these are in health and safety, contract timescales and costs.
Health and safety, of course, is paramount in the type of work we carry out and, as such, experience is also backed up with training in many specialised fields.
Contract timescales are lowering year on year and this is purely cost-driven.
As you can imagine, a petrol filling station closed for a period of time from eight to sixteen weeks can have a massive impact financially in the short term. But in the long term that particular filling station could lose trade to other sites nearby.
As a contractor we always put safety first, however, and so we speak to the client to agree realistic timescales.
What makes a good contracts manager?
Results. And these are achieved through good communication skills and the ability to forge strong client relationships. Important, too, is an ability to manage the operatives both professionally and on a personal level – with the drive to follow jobs through from inception to completion.
Match tactics for anyone wishing to join the field of play?
This sector is very unique. You have normal construction then you have fast-track construction . . . then you have fast-track construction within the petroleum industry. It takes a special type of person who can continually deal with the pressures and stress in what can be a very demanding sector.
And top tips for climbing the career league table?
Building up a good working relationship with all of your contractors and clients as people first and foremost is vital to progress. It’s about focussing on people dealing with people, rather than companies dealing with companies.
Finally, what was the best advice you were given?
When I was a young apprentice joiner my father said: “Son, all you need to do is your best every day. As long as you can say that at the end of every day, everybody is happy.”
Search the latest jobs in Construction now.