Before advertising for a contracts manager, describe the workload that person will inherit. The title alone does not tell a candidate how many projects they will oversee, which decisions they can make or how much commercial responsibility sits with them. A useful brief makes those boundaries visible.
Describe the project portfolio
Set out the type of work, geographical spread and likely stage of each project at the proposed start date. Explain whether the manager will inherit established teams, mobilise new work or take over packages that need closer attention.
Avoid giving a project count without context. Three small refurbishment jobs and three complex live projects may create very different demands. Describe the factors that shape the workload, while keeping confidential client and site details out of a public advert.
Make decision authority clear
Define what the person can approve and what requires escalation. This might include labour allocation, subcontractor appointments, programme changes or commercial commitments. Explain the boundaries between the contracts manager, site managers, surveyors and senior leadership.
A candidate should be able to picture a difficult week and understand who helps them make decisions. Ask internally: “If two sites need the same resource tomorrow, who decides the priority?”
Separate accountability from available support
If the role is accountable for delivery, explain the support behind that expectation. Identify the estimating handover, commercial input, administrative support and technical resources available. Be clear where the manager coordinates specialist input rather than personally supplying it.
Describe reporting requirements too. A brief that promises autonomy but leaves every approval undefined gives candidates little basis for judging how the job will work.
Set practical priorities for the first months
Choose a small number of outcomes linked to the actual workload. Examples might include completing a structured project handover, agreeing reporting routines or establishing a clear view of programme risks. These are suggested brief components, not universal targets.
Use the interview to explore comparable situations. Ask candidates how they prioritised competing projects, handled a change in scope and kept commercial colleagues informed. Follow up on their own decisions and the support they used.
Build the brief with HunTek
Share the project context, decision boundaries and delivery challenge with HunTek before the search begins. We recruit across UK construction and construction sales. Contact us to discuss the role you need to fill and the information candidates will need to assess it.
Contact HunTek: https://huntek.co.uk/contact
Browse vacancies: https://huntek.co.uk/searchjobs