Job Description

Senior Project Contract Admin Lead

Location: Dublin / Cork, Ireland

(Life Sciences) | Arcadis

About Arcadis

Arcadis is a global leader in sustainable design, engineering and consultancy for natural and built assets, with 36,000+ professionals across 70+ countries. In Ireland, Arcadis DPS Group (ADPS) delivers Project Management, Multi‑Discipline Design and Construction Management for Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences facilities across Ireland and Europe.

About the Role:

We are seeking a Senior Project Contracts Admin Lead to strengthen our ADPS (Arcadis legacy DPS) Project Controls & Contract Admin capability across Life Sciences capital programmes.

As a senior practitioner and trusted advisor, you will lead the development, assurance and governance of capital project Contracts Admin across complex Life Sciences projects. You will combine hands‑on leadership with project controls oversight, working effectively in both Client‑side (Owner) and EPCM delivery environments.

You will support investment decision‑making, cost certainty and capital efficiency from early feasibility and business case through design, execution, CQV and close‑out in regulated Life Sciences facilities.

You’ll create and assure robust, defendable Contracts Admin strategies that shape investment decisions and underpin cost control through design, construction and handover phases.

Ideal for someone credible in both client‑side (Owner) and EPCM environments—bringing commercial rigour, strong stakeholder management, and the confidence to challenge and influence outcomes.

Reporting to: Director Project Controls (Ireland) 

Key Responsibilities

Contract Admin Leadership & Governance

• Lead and own capital project Contracts Admin strategies, setting a clear basis, assumptions, benchmarks, risk narrative and evidence using standard tools/templates.
• Maintain a reliable baseline for budget control through detailed engineering, construction and handover.
• Provide peer review and quality control to meet company standards, including client‑side (Owner) governance and assurance.

• Be a trusted client advisor—review and challenge third‑party inputs to improve transparency, accuracy and cost certainty (scope, assumptions, exclusions and risk).

EPCM Delivery Integration

• Partner with engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning to align Contracts Admin strategies to the execution plan, interfaces and risks.
• Contribute to project meetings and lessons learned, keeping project controls aligned to Contracts Admin strategies.

• Work with Project Controls to strengthen cost management and support control processes and reporting as needed.
• Support the broader project controls framework (WBS alignment, cost/schedule interfaces, and early warning/corrective action) as required by the programme.

Leadership & People Development

• Mentor and build Contracts Admin capability across the team through coaching and targeted training.

Experience & Skills

Essential

• Strong Contracts Admin experience in Life Sciences (pharma/biopharma/life science facilities) with the ability to build contracts strategies and models from scratch with limited early‑phase information.
• Demonstrable experience operating in both:
• Client‑side (Owner) environments (estimate assurance / governance), and
• EPCM settings (integrated delivery with multi‑discipline teams). (Role requirement aligned to your request.)
• High technical competence across CSA, M&E, Process, Automation Contracts sufficient to prepare and review detailed contracting strategies.
• Strong Excel capability and comfort working with standardised templates, narratives, benchmarking and data management.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement and organisational skills; able to manage priorities independently in a fast‑paced environment.

Qualifications

• Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying or related discipline with the appropriate years of experience
• Professional Accreditation (or progress towards) is advantageous.
• Experience working in other European countries a distinct advantage

Why Arcadis?

At Arcadis, we empower everyone to do their best because your contribution matters. We take a skills‑based approach so you can shape your career and maximise your impact—delivering sustainable solutions and leaving a lasting legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We’re dedicated to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. Through six ED&I workstreams—Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+, and Race—we foster innovation by bringing together diverse perspectives. Together, we improve quality of life while building a more inclusive future.

Ready to Apply?

If you’re a Contracts Admin leader who can bring client‑side confidence and EPCM delivery strength to Life Sciences capital projects, we’d love to hear from you.

Join Arcadis DPS Group. Create a Legacy.