Contract jobs in United Kingdom

Engineering Assessor & NEC4 Supervisor
Carriageways & Footways

Join us – make a difference in our communities

Highways and Transport delivers safe and effective transport that offers choice, is convenient to use, enhances the environment and enables economic growth. The service is based on the following principles:

• We will deliver services in line with the West Sussex Plan and our statutory responsibilities
• Our services will be provided at the statutory minimum level unless there are clear benefits for ‘over and above’ service provision
• Our services support community resilience
• We will use our resources wisely to ensure value for money
• We will put the customer at the heart of everything we do.

As an engineering assessor and NEC4 supervisor, you will be responsible for overseeing ongoing works and contractors undertaking works based on the NEC4 suite of contracts, ensuring they are executed effectively and efficiently within the Highways Planned Delivery function of the Highways, Transport and Planning directorate.

You will play a crucial role in contract administration, risk management, quality assurance and compliance within the framework of NEC4 contracts and will be directly responsible for the oversight of contracts totalling in excess of £15m per annum across a number of funding areas.

You will also be responsible for undertaking engineering condition assessments of existing highway assets, to determine the asset’s condition and deterioration in order to contribute towards the development of future delivery programmes.

• Be the professional contributing to the successful running of ongoing NEC4 contracts, including documentation, variations and performance monitoring
• Engagement with contractors and other stakeholders in relation to ongoing works
• Identify, assess and mitigate risks associated with NEC4 contracts
• Ensure all contract activities adhere to the terms and conditions of the NEC4 contract
• Develop and implement strategies for managing suppliers within the NEC framework
• Assist in resolving any disputes that may arise during the contract lifecycle
• Accurately assess the condition of highway assets, including the existing construction, materials and any deterioration present
• Provide sound recommendations for potential future works to resolve any deterioration present
• Utilise the authority’s works management and database software to accurately log findings and assessment outcomes
• Consider immediate safety issues and considerations that may be present and action in accordance with relevant procedures

You will require a blend of contractual, commercial and project management expertise with extensive understanding and experience of NEC4 contract principles and practices. You will have the ability to communicate and collaborate with all levels of the organisation and external partners. You will be personally resourceful, pro‑active, and able to work autonomously. Additionally, you will be able to work well as part of a team and be customer focused. You will understand the legal and commercial implications of contract terms. You will have a high level of scrutiny whilst also being accepting of any challenges you may face, being well versed in negotiation and conflict resolution.

Grade:
Directorate Group: Highways, Transport and Planning
Location: County Hall, Chichester

These will be used as the shortlisting criteria

1. Strong demonstrable understanding of NEC4 contract principles and practices, including advanced analytical, literacy and numeracy skills to understand, interpret and manipulate varied and complex information including contracts and statistical financial information.
2. Experience in delivering high value, complex projects with multiple stakeholders through the monitoring, reporting and incentivising of NEC contract performance with the ability to organise, plan and meet set targets; ability to forward plan over the long term, making effective judgements in order to continuously develop and review the effectiveness of contracts and contractors to meet deadlines and objectives.
3. Developed communication and interpersonal skills to persuade, negotiate and influence a variety of stakeholders to achieve challenging objectives and ensure implementation of projects in line with NEC4 contracts; the ability to communicate information which may be complex to promote understanding of technical contract information and to successfully advise and guide stakeholders to make sound decisions which could have a significant impact on strategic service delivery.
4. Ability to identify problems and resolve issues independently, particularly when attending site inspections or investigations, planning solutions and making sound pragmatic decisions which will have an impact on the service. Sound analytical and judgemental skills to analyse and interpret varied and complex technical data/information, situations and surveys and develop solutions.
5. Advanced ability to interpret legal and commercial implications of the NEC contract with respect to the complexities of delivering multi‑million‑pound projects and programmes.
6. Sound partnership working skills with the ability to develop and manage effective links and relationships across and outside of the organisation and co‑ordinate a range of partners to successfully deliver objectives.
7. Excellent customer service skills and the ability to seek and introduce continuous improvement and innovation, for self and team; ability to contribute to the development of systems and processes to ensure continuous improvement for the service; ability to contribute to the planning of the service, making effective judgements in order to review activities and service provision; ability to embrace change and have the flexibility to respond to the needs of the service.

• Post graduate professional qualification relevant either to contract management or to the professional service specialism; or equivalent level of significant experience demonstrating comprehensive application of the above levels of knowledge in a relevant setting.
• Relevant CSCS accreditation for site‑based supervision.
• Significant theoretical, practical and procedural knowledge and experience of managing NEC4 contracts as a project manager, commercial manager or contract manager, ideally within highways or civil engineering projects, to deliver an outstanding service.
• Experience supporting the management and delivery of successful multi‑disciplinary projects through the application of the NEC4 contract, managing complexities effectively to ensure customer requirements and business needs are met.
• Experience working with local authorities and/or public sector infrastructure projects, including highways and transport projects.
• Significant knowledge and understanding of materials, modes of failure and rectification methods for both carriageways and footways.
• Full UK driving licence to be able to travel independently across West Sussex.
• Experience
• Desirable.
• Experience of shaping and supporting initiatives in a political environment.
• Desirable.
• Experience of the authority’s works management system (Confirm).

Manage all aspects of NEC4 contracts (in excess of £15m), including documentation, variations and performance monitoring. Enforce the integration of NEC4 principles and practices across engineering and construction contracts for a variety of highways and transport projects. Monitor and review the effectiveness of NEC4 contracts through performance indicators and business activity and working with principal managers and external service delivery partners to ensure projects align with and meet all necessary quality and service standards, and there is alignment with business strategies. Through the application of a broad and deep knowledge of NEC4 contracts and highways and transport projects, accurately diagnose highly complex problems and produce a range of possible solutions. Through the application of this knowledge, able to demonstrate, articulate and advise accordingly. Responsible for the provision of expert NEC and buildability advice and guidance to clients/project team on the projects they are managing where required. Attend regular site and handover meetings, conduct walkovers and liaise with contractors and subcontractors in order to monitor service delivery work and activities to verify compliance with the contract scope and quality standards. Participate in contract, project, early warning and gateway review meetings and provide specialist responses to communications, setting and demonstrating high operational standards, applying excellent technical knowledge to resolve problems and delivering key activities to ensure projects are completed on time and to budget. Identify and notify contractors of defects and instruct searches for defects when required. Notify contractors of required inspections and tests and witness them, as necessary. Assist in the resolution of any disputes that may arise during the contract lifecycle. Identify, assess and mitigate contract and project risks and escalate appropriately through the risk management framework. Support with the proactive resolution of early warning notifications and technical queries. Build and develop effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders in relation to managing project and contract compliance, ensuring regulations and best practices are adhered to. Undertake negotiations in relation to project targets, performance levels, specification and timescales in order to convince stakeholders to make sound decisions to significantly contribute to the successful completion of projects/strategic service delivery. Manage the preparation of project documentation including NEC4 project communications to stakeholders (using CEMAR software package or similar), being the trusted source of knowledge and advice on NEC4 contracts. Produce reports, including photographic evidence of progress. Accountable for ensuring the accurate and timely application of document control of all projects, including the handling, processing and storing of confidential information. Keep up to date and compliant with relevant procedures, policies and professional codes of conduct in order to understand business need, culture, developments, ideas and long‑term plans, and continuously use this information to improve systems and processes which support projects. Undertake additional duties delegated by the Project Manager under clause 14.2 of the NEC4 contract.