Contracts Administrator / Senior Contracts Administrator

At Unita, we build spaces where people love to work, shop, stay and connect – from high-end retail and hospitality, to health and commercial fit-outs across Australia. But great spaces don’t build themselves. Great teams do.

People have always been at the heart of what we do. From humble beginnings to national growth, our ambition has never outweighed our values. We’re fuelled by a shared passion to build better, together.

We’re looking for a Contracts Administrator or Senior Contracts Administrator to help protect our projects commercially and keep our contract position strong from award to close-out.

This is a key role within our Delivery team – partnering closely with our Project Managers to ensure procurement, claims, variations and commercial processes are clear, structured and aligned to margin targets.

This role is based in our Victorian office in East Melbourne.

The role

As a CA/Senior CA at Unita, you’ll play a key role in keeping our projects commercially strong from award through to close-out. You’ll bring structure and clarity to procurement, contracts, claims and variations - ensuring obligations are understood, documentation is clean, and our commercial position is protected.

Working closely with Project Managers and site teams, you’ll help prioritise the right commercial actions at the right time. From subcontractor procurement through to final accounts, you’ll keep registers accurate, risks visible and processes disciplined - giving the team confidence that the commercial foundations of every project are solid.

What you’ll be responsible for

• Managing subcontract procurement, scopes and purchase orders
• Administering head contract obligations, notices, variations and claims
• Maintaining accurate variation registers and cost tracking
• Supporting or leading weekly budget checks and forecasting
• Prioritising key commercial actions to keep projects moving
• Ensuring documentation is organised, compliant and audit-ready
• Supporting clean project close-outs including final accounts and Deeds of Release

What great looks like

• Contracts, claims and variations are accurate and issued on time
• Procurement is disciplined and aligned to margin targets
• Head contract obligations are clearly understood and tracked
• Budget checks are reliable and forward-looking
• Commercial risks are identified early and managed proactively
• Subcontractors experience clear, professional communication
• Projects close out cleanly with minimal rework

Who this role suits

You’re commercially minded, structured and calm in how you work. You know how to manage multiple priorities without losing accuracy, and you take pride in keeping things organised and under control.

You’re likely someone who is:

• Detail-oriented and disciplined
• Commercially aware – you understand how contracts impact margin
• Proactive – you plan ahead rather than react late
• Clear and professional in your communication
• Comfortable juggling priorities across projects
• Naturally aligned to the Unita Way – you take responsibility, work well with others, and look for better ways of doing things
• Senior level candidates will also bring strong commercial judgement and the ability to guide others.

Experience we’re looking for

• Experience in Contract Administration within commercial construction or fit-out
• Strong working knowledge of procurement, head contracts and subcontract processes
• Demonstrated capability managing variations, claims and cost tracking
• Clear understanding of how contracts impact margin and project performance
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Construction Management, Commerce or similar (preferred)
• Driver’s licence (mandatory)

What’s next

If this opportunity has your name written all over it, we’d love to hear from you.

Submit your application and tell us a little about why you’d be a great addition to the team.

At Unita, every team member shapes our culture in their own unique way. We value different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we’re committed to creating a workplace where people feel safe, respected and able to do their best work. If this role excites you but you don’t tick every box, we still welcome your application.

PS - we’re handling this one in-house, no recruitment agencies please