Why Good Contracts Professionals Are So Hard to Find

Why Good Contracts Professionals Are So Hard to Find

If you speak to most hiring managers across mining, construction, engineering or infrastructure at the moment, you will often hear the same challenge:

“We’re struggling to find good contracts people.”

Demand for experienced Contracts Administrators, Contracts Specialists and Commercial professionals continues to grow, yet the available talent pool remains relatively small.

Across the Hunter region and nationally, this has become one of the most consistent hiring challenges within procurement and commercial teams.

What We’re Seeing in the Market

From a recruitment perspective, demand for experienced contracts professionals has increased significantly over the past few years.

Across many of the roles we recruit for, businesses are not only competing to attract these professionals, but also working harder to retain them.

Several factors are contributing to this shift, including:

• Increased governance and compliance requirements
• Greater focus on contractor management and commercial risk
• Growth in infrastructure and capital projects
• Organisations strengthening procurement and commercial functions

At the same time, salaries across contracts and commercial roles have been steadily rising as organisations compete for experienced talent.

For many businesses, the challenge is no longer just finding the right person – it is securing them before another opportunity does.

The Role Requires a Unique Skill Set

Contracts roles sit in a space that combines several disciplines.

Strong contracts professionals typically bring a blend of:

• Commercial awareness
• Procurement and tendering knowledge
• Legal and contractual understanding
• Stakeholder engagement
• Negotiation capability

These roles often involve far more than administering agreements. Many contracts professionals are responsible for supporting tender processes, negotiating contract terms, managing contractor performance and advising operational stakeholders on commercial risk.

Finding candidates who can confidently operate across legal, commercial and operational environments is what makes this talent pool more limited.

Experience Is Often Built in Complex Industries

Many experienced contracts professionals develop their expertise in industries such as:

• Mining and resources
• Construction and infrastructure
• Engineering services
• Energy and utilities

These environments involve high-value contracts, strict compliance frameworks and complex supplier relationships.

Because of this, the experience gained in these industries is highly transferable and consistently in demand. Professionals with this background are often well established within their organisations, meaning they are less likely to actively explore new opportunities unless a role offers genuine progression.

The Market Has Become Increasingly Competitive

Demand for contracts professionals has increased significantly in recent years.

Organisations are placing greater emphasis on governance, risk management and structured procurement processes, which has naturally increased the need for experienced commercial and contracts capability.

As a result, many candidates in this space receive multiple approaches and opportunities at any given time.

Businesses are often competing not only with organisations locally, but also with interstate employers and larger national operators for the same talent.

Retention Is Becoming Just as Challenging as Hiring

Another trend we are increasingly seeing across the market is the challenge of retaining experienced contracts professionals.

As demand has grown, salaries across contracts and commercial roles have steadily increased. Organisations are often prepared to offer more competitive remuneration packages to secure experienced talent, which naturally contributes to movement within the market.

For businesses, this means the challenge is not only attracting the right people but also ensuring there are clear development pathways, engaging work and strong leadership in place to retain them long term.

Professionals in these roles are often motivated by opportunities to take on more complex contracts, gain greater commercial exposure and continue developing their skill set.

The Scope of Contracts Roles Continues to Grow

The responsibilities associated with contracts roles have also expanded in many organisations.

Today, contracts professionals are often expected to contribute to:

• Tender and sourcing processes
• Commercial negotiations
• Supplier performance management
• Risk mitigation and governance
• Stakeholder advisory across operational teams

This shift means organisations are increasingly looking for professionals who can operate both strategically and operationally, which naturally narrows the candidate pool further.

Understanding the Contracts Talent Market

Contracts professionals play a critical role in managing commercial risk and supporting operational outcomes across many industries.

As demand continues to grow across sectors in the Hunter, the competition for experienced talent is unlikely to slow down.

For businesses looking to strengthen their procurement and commercial teams, understanding the dynamics of this talent market is an important first step in attracting and retaining the right people.

 

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ASR Recruitment is a boutique recruitment agency specialising in Technology & Digital, Marketing and Communications, Accounting & Finance, Construction, Human Resources, Engineering, Safety, Procurement, Transport & Logistics, Manufacturing, Legal & Risk, Administration & Customer Service.

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