Contracts Manager

APM Terminals Advises other functions and managers using a broad range of legal skills
to advance the organisation's commercial agenda.

At APM Terminals, a global leader in port and terminal operations, we enable global trade and drive sustainable growth. What drives us forward is a mindset of always improving - observing how work happens, identifying what creates value, and removing what gets in the way. We constantly look for smarter, simpler, and safer ways of operating. If you thrive in environments where people value learning and are committed to continuously improve daily operations, join us and be apart of our journey.

As a Contracts Manager, you will play a key role in the North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven (NTB) Transformation Project in Bremerhaven, Germany. You will establish and administer the project contract management framework, supporting the Project Director and workstream leads by protecting APM Terminals’ contractual entitlements, controlling obligations, and providing structured contractual input into scope, schedule, cost, risk, and project decisions. You will work across procurement, legal, project controls, engineering, construction, OT&A, HSSE, permitting, finance, and external partners.

At APMT Terminals, we foster a dynamic learning and training culture that empowers our employees to excel. Our commitment to improvement is driven by Lean principles, ensuring that every team member has the opportunity to develop their skills and advance their careers. Experience a diverse, multinational workplace where your operational insights directly influence how we work.

• Contribute to a major terminal transformation involving engineering, construction, equipment, automation, OT/IT, and supporting services.

• Manage contractual activities across a complex, multidisciplinary capital project.

• Develop expertise in contract strategy, administration, change management, claims, and commercial governance.

• Work with international stakeholders across project execution and APM Terminals’ functional teams.

• Establish and maintain the project contract management framework, including contract registers, deliverables, obligations, correspondence, notices, securities, and key deadlines.

• Support contracting strategies, packaging approaches, procurement routes, tender clarifications, negotiations, and contract award activities.

• Review agreements, scopes, specifications, schedules, pricing mechanisms, interfaces, and risk allocation to identify contractual gaps and commercial risks.

• Lead contract mobilisation activities and ensure project teams understand contractual obligations, notice requirements, approval limits, deliverables, and controls.

• Monitor contractor, consultant, supplier, and APM Terminals compliance with contractual conditions, milestones, deliverables, approvals, warranties, and reporting requirements.

• Manage variations, claims, early warnings, notices, and potential entitlement events, ensuring clear ownership, evidence, value, time impact, and risk assessment.

• Coordinate technical, planning, and cost substantiation for contractual assessments and recommendations.

• Support payment applications, milestone payments, forecasting, contingency management, and commercial reporting.

• Identify potential disputes early and work with Legal and project leadership on practical dispute avoidance and resolution strategies.

• Maintain contract governance, reporting, audit trails, and reliable contractual records throughout the project lifecycle.

• Lead contractual close-out, including final accounts, claims closure, guarantees, retention, records, and handover of outstanding obligations.

• Continuous improvement mindset: we are looking for someone who brings a thoughtful improvement mindset - curious about how work gets done and motivated to make meaningful, sustainable improvements over time.

• Leadership expectation:
  We are looking for people who consistently puts customers first, leads by example with respect for people, delivers results with integrity, and drives continuous improvement by solving problems at the root, developing people, and raising standards every day.

• University degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Law, Commercial Management, or a similar discipline.

• Strong experience in contract management within major capital projects, construction, engineering, infrastructure, or comparable environments.

• Knowledge of contract administration, claims management, change control, dispute avoidance, and commercial governance.

• Professional qualification or membership such as RICS, CIOB, ICE, CICES, AACE, CIArb, or equivalent is preferred.

• Formal training in FIDIC, NEC, claims management, dispute resolution, or construction law is advantageous.

• Strong ability to produce clear contractual advice, position papers, notices, and executive summaries.

• Commercially disciplined, detail-oriented, and able to maintain complete records, registers, and audit trails.

• Strong negotiation,…