Assistant Contract Manager

Contract type: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Salary: circa £53,000 depending on experience

Location: Canary Wharf

WFH policy: Employees are required to attend the office 2 days/week

Flexible working: Variety of flexible work patterns subject to line manager discretion e.g. Compressed 9-day fortnight.

Reports to: Lead Contract Manager

Deadline Note: We reserve the right to close the advert before the advertised deadline if there are a high volume of applications.

Role Summary:

Develop your career as you help drive net zero

The Assistant Contract Manager position is an exciting opportunity to learn the role of Contract Manager, whilst also playing your part in the UK’s net zero mission.

By learning to manage the contracts that make low carbon technology investible, you will help generators (which we refer to as ‘counterparties’) meet their contractual milestones in order to start generating low carbon energy. You’ll be playing a key role in a variety of first-of-a-kind projects, and an essential part in an organisation that is crucial to the success of net zero.

Key Responsibilities

Relationship management

• Getting out and meeting people face-to-face. Taking a proactive approach to building strong, professional relationships is the most important part of the role. It’s essential that you’re the type of person who will pick up the phone, or go to visit a site, rather than always relying on email.
• Working as part of a close-knit team and learning from your colleagues (see section on Learning Contracts for Difference processes).
• Collaborating and building trust with stakeholders as you support them to meet all contractual requirements.

Communication

• Articulating technical requirements for a variety of people, including those without much technical knowledge, via email, phone calls and face-to-face meetings.
• Responding to queries and concisely summarising key messages and salient points.
• Presenting papers to Lead or Senior Contract Managers in order to get approval papers signed off.
• Managing and communicating information in a timely and accurate way, and raising potential issues before they become problematic.
• Presenting high-quality, reliable data using the appropriate templates.
• Keeping abreast of policy, process and procedural changes, and alerting counterparties to any that may affect them.

Problem solving

• Using a solution based approach to help counterparties identify and solve specific project issues, such as contractor delays. You are always guided by the confines of the contract and the best outcome for the project.
• Thinking about project problems creatively and flexibly, on a case-by-case basis. Acting as a trusted advisor and making sure counterparties feel they can come to you as soon as an issue arises.
• Applying critical thinking and an engineering mindset to offer counterparties a range of pragmatic, workable solutions.
• Pro-actively sharing ideas for improvements to processes and procedures.
• Breaking down lengthy consultation documents into succinct, comprehensible text.

Learning Contracts for Difference processes

• Understanding contractual terms and conditions.
• Applying LCCC processes to bring contracts to fruition; all the way from allocation rounds to power generation.
• Receiving coaching from Senior Contract Managers and support from Contract Managers.
• Shadowing and assisting Contract Managers across various contractual milestones.
• Learning how to review information and notice subtle nuances in contracts, documents and processing claims.

Training and development

We will work with you to develop a personal development plan, designed to support your career aspirations and fill certain skill or knowledge gaps.

Because each plan is bespoke, we cannot say what yours might include. But, for example, we’ve supported colleagues with chartered status with the World Commerce and Contracting Association, and chartered status with the Chartered Institute of Mechanical Engineers. And in the past we’ve provided Assistant Contract Managers with training in the areas of emotional intelligence, presenting with impact, communication, critical thinking and problem solving.

When appropriate, we will also pay for and provide study leave for specific external training and qualifications relevant to your role. Internal mentorship schemes are also available.

We are keen to promote internally and will support you to progress to your next career step, which is Contract Manager, and then Senior Contract Manager.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

This is a transitionary role where you’ll develop into a Contract Manager, so you must be driven to achieve and learn. Highly adaptable, you have the flexibility and pragmatism to thrive in an industry that is constantly evolving.

You’re a happy team player, willing to act on colleague feedback in a professional, proactive way. You’re as comfortable hopping on a train to visit a counterparty as you are collaborating with colleagues in the office. If you want to work in silos and spend all your time behind a screen, this isn’t the job for you!

You either have a STEM degree and two years’ relevant experience, including relationship management, communication and problem solving. Otherwise four years’ relevant experience without a STEM degree.

Ideally you come from an energy background and have technical knowledge of renewable technology. We’re also interested in experience in either technical, operational or commercial contract management, or contract reviews, negotiations or change management. Experience in managing claims or disputes would also be highly desirable.

Employee Benefits

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. Key benefits that may be available depending on the role include:

• 25 days' annual leave and bank holidays
• Recognition schemes allowing colleagues to say thanks
• Company contribution to your pension scheme
• Family friendly policies, including enhanced company maternity/paternity and shared parental benefits
• Employee assistance programme for free, confidential support for your professional or personal life, including financial management and family care
• Special leave such as study leave, sabbatical or public duties
• Three days paid leave a year for volunteering to support your local community
• Season ticket loan scheme to support your commute
• Access to “Work Perks” offering deals, discounts and cash back on your purchases
• Family savings on days out and English Heritage or gym discounts through our partners.