What a Contracts Manager Really Does — And Why Your Projects Run Better With One

Early mornings, engineer briefings, senior leadership catchups, client comms and scheduling quality control.

These are all the things Dan Cain, one of our contract managers here at MEL, described as part of his day-to-day.

What the job entails

We met up with Dan to talk all things contract management and understand how vital the role is for a company like Maidenhead Electrical Ltd.

• Support Project Managers

• Liaise with clients

• Carry out site visits

• Attend meetings

• Ensure projects meet client expectations.

All within a twenty-four hour time span. It’s a lot to keep up with, a testament really to Dan’s incredible work and dedication to the job.

The Day-to-Day: Mornings

We didn’t just want to know what Dan did once he got to the office. We really wanted to know what it was like to work as a contracts manager, from the time he woke up to what he had for breakfast to fuel him throughout the day.

“My alarm goes off at 5:15am. I get up, shower, have breakfast — cereal — and head into the office. I usually arrive around 6:15. We catch up as a team, and at 7:00, the engineers arrive.”

“We go through their planned jobs for the day and make sure everyone is clear before they head to the site. We normally pair an electrician with an apprentice so they can travel together.”

And then the day begins.

Contract Management Projects

At MEL, we’re incredibly proud of the work we’ve done at Eton College over the years. And even more recently, we completed a refurbishment of the Provost's Lodge.

“Now that we manage both electrical and mechanical responsibilities at Eton, we oversee subcontractors and support our full-time plumbing and heating engineers. We plan, schedule, and ensure the work progresses smoothly.”

What’s it like working at MEL as a contracts manager?

To some, work is a job that pays the bills. But for the team at MEL, it feels different. The atmosphere and camaraderie epitomised a productive and family-oriented team.

“The best thing about working here is the team. We feel like a work family, and clients feel that, too. They get a personal service; they know who we are and they trust us.”

It seems to all trickle down from the top.

“It comes from Andy and Simon’s leadership. That positive culture filters down. We do company events that bring everyone together, and we include everyone’s families in that too.”

Recently, MEL held its 10th-anniversary event, where everyone on the team dropped their electrical tools and headed to the local paddle courts.

“We had food, drinks, live music. It was great to meet everyone’s families”

Are there growth opportunities?

Part of what makes any working relationship successful is the opportunities for growth within the company. It keeps people motivated and always learning, something that seems to be at the core of the culture.

“I’ve only been here a year, and the growth has been huge. The variety of work means we’re always learning.”

What kind of people can work in contracts management?

We wanted to really understand the type of person it takes to work in contracts management, on projects like the Provost Lodge at Eton or the Legoland hotel in Windsor.

In three words, Dan describes himself as:

• Approachable.

• Conscientious.

• Trustworthy

  
  

And that’s what our clients love about us at MEL. We give a personal approach to everything we do. You’re not just going to end up at the bottom of a ticket list; you'll be a valued client who can pick up the phone at any time.