Anyone here work for a main highways contractor??

Anyone here work for a main highways contractor??

Author
Discussion

deanogtv

Original Poster:

743 posts

219 months

Tuesday 18th November 2014
quotequote all
................ideally as a senior contracts manager.
I spent all 15 years of my working life in highway engineering with a design consultant and enjoyed every minute of it. However, the more I’m moving up the ladder the more I’m moving away from the engineering side of the profession and getting bogged down in project finances, contract issue resolution ect. Which is fine, but looking at consultants salaries in the upper bands of pay (associate and director) in comparison to that of a main contractor the pay is at least 20% higher. I’ve been approached by a main contractor I’ve worked with in the past and they have made an offer which is around a 25% rise with a good package of a car and bi-annual bonus. I know the guys there work hard and I’m aware the hours can be long but was wondering if anyone else works for a highway main contractor and could give me the heads up to how day to days life is for a senior contacts manager in the industry.

Collectingbrass

2,197 posts

194 months

Sunday 23rd November 2014
quotequote all
deanogtv said:
................ideally as a senior contracts manager.
I spent all 15 years of my working life in highway engineering with a design consultant and enjoyed every minute of it. However, the more I’m moving up the ladder the more I’m moving away from the engineering side of the profession and getting bogged down in project finances, contract issue resolution ect. Which is fine, but looking at consultants salaries in the upper bands of pay (associate and director) in comparison to that of a main contractor the pay is at least 20% higher. I’ve been approached by a main contractor I’ve worked with in the past and they have made an offer which is around a 25% rise with a good package of a car and bi-annual bonus. I know the guys there work hard and I’m aware the hours can be long but was wondering if anyone else works for a highway main contractor and could give me the heads up to how day to days life is for a senior contacts manager in the industry.
I've 25 years on consultant, contractor and client side of infrastructure delivery. On the contractor side the hours are 20% longer (at least) in reality and you carry the safety accountabilities. You will also, at that senior level, be wholly involved in project finances, contract issue resolution etc, but doubly so as you will have the subcontractors as well as employer contracts to deal with. There is also far more time pressure on you as main contractor because it's your profit you piss away if you "leave it till tomorrow" at 4:30/5pm.

I would also say the main contractor who has offered you a 25% rise is under valuing you. There is a massive spike in work coming and there is going to be a boom in recruitment in the next 3 - 6 months. As one example Atkins are planning to take on 4 times as many graduates this acedemic year compared to each of the last 4 to keep in front of their pipeline for the next cycle. If I was you, especially if you're MICE I would wait till Quarter 1 or 2 next year and see what you get offered then. I would also investigate staying design side and making partner level, as that is where the rewards are.