Head of Contracts Compliance
Commercial Department | Projects Managed from Ireland | International Portfolio
Designer Group is a leading international mechanical and electrical engineering contractor delivering complex, turnkey M&E packages across mission‑critical, industrial, energy and commercial sectors. Headquartered in Dublin, with over 1,000 colleagues across the Group, we operate across Ireland, the UK, mainland Europe and internationally. Our project portfolio spans data centres, advanced manufacturing, energy infrastructure and large‑scale industrial developments for some of the world’s most recognised multinational organisations. Our Engineering Our Future 2025 strategy continues to drive sustained growth across Europe and emerging international markets, with live and pipeline projects extending across Ireland, Europe, Africa and South America.
The Role
Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer, the Head of Contracts Compliance will act as the Group’s subject matter expert on contractual governance for projects managed from Ireland across multiple European and international territories.
This is a senior leadership role with direct impact on risk mitigation, contractual integrity and commercial protection across high‑value, multi‑million euro engineering projects delivered under varying legal and regulatory frameworks.
You will ensure that Designer Group’s contractual position remains robust, compliant and commercially aligned across clients, subcontractors, supply chain partners and external consultants operating in multiple jurisdictions.
Key Responsibilities
Contract Governance & Risk Management
Apply rigorous due diligence to all commercial documentation issued internally or externally.
Review and interrogate client contracts to ensure full understanding of obligations across project and functional teams.
Identify and clearly communicate commercial and contractual risk exposure.
Develop risk matrices for priority tenders and support bid teams in pre‑contract risk positioning.
Track and manage contractual correspondence across projects, ensuring procedural compliance.
Identify emerging risk trends across projects and implement improvement measures.
International Contract Oversight
Ensure all client, subcontractor and consultant agreements are legally sound across varying European and international frameworks.
Oversee appointment of subcontractors and external consultants prior to mobilisation.
Manage onboarding compliance in conjunction with Finance, including insurance validation and annual renewals.
Support performance bonds, advance payment bonds, letters of credit and related instruments in collaboration with Finance.
Liaise with insurance brokers, underwriters and external legal advisors on project‑specific requirements.
Dispute Prevention & Resolution
Provide contractual guidance on contentious matters, formal claims and commercial correspondence.
Liaise with solicitors under the direction of the Commercial Director on dispute resolution matters.
Maintain oversight of litigation and potential dispute exposure.
Prepare monthly dashboards covering:
Active litigation
Potential disputes
Audit reviews
Key commercial risks
Governance, Audit & Systems
Establish and maintain structured internal audit processes.
Ensure secure administration and filing of executed contracts, subcontracts, collateral warranties, NDAs and LOIs.
Develop and maintain a robust internal library of standard contractual documents.
Deliver internal training on contract administration, collateral agreements, risk mitigation and claims procedures.
Work closely with Procurement to maintain robust terms and conditions across the supply chain.
Requirements
12+ years’ senior commercial / contracts experience within an M&E contractor, main contractor or major engineering organisation.
Proven track record on complex, high‑value projects across data centres, energy, industrial or infrastructure sectors.
Strong multi‑jurisdictional contract exposure (Ireland, UK, Europe or international markets).
Advanced working knowledge of JCT, NEC, FIDIC and bespoke client frameworks.
Deep understanding of risk allocation, liability, bonds, guarantees and claims mechanisms.
Demonstrated ability to protect margin and manage contractual risk in live project environments.
Experience advising Directors and senior leadership on commercial exposure and mitigation strategy.
Strong governance capability, including audit controls, compliance frameworks and reporting.
Commercially pragmatic, able to balance protection with delivery.
Credible leader, confident influencing senior stakeholders in high‑value scenarios.
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