Advanced Contract and Project Management

Getting the Best out of Projects in a Contracting Environment

Platform:

Online

In-class

Revised and Updated: 08 October 2026

Date	Venue	Duration
14 - 16 October 2026	Sandton, Gauteng	3 Days
23 - 27 November 2026	Sandton, Gauteng	5 Days

Course Introduction

Most projects of any size are delivered through contracts. When the contract and the project plan work together, scope, cost, time, and risk are managed with confidence; when they do not, the result is scope creep, delays, cost overruns, claims, and disputes.

This five-day masterclass brings advanced contract management and advanced project management together. The first three days follow the contract life cycle: procurement strategy, contract types and standard forms, post-award management, change and risk, relationships and negotiation, claims and disputes, and closeout. The last two days place contracts within the wider project environment: strategic alignment, portfolio and programme management, benefits realisation, predictive, agile, and hybrid delivery, project finance, governance, and maturity models. Case studies and exercises on every day let participants apply each tool to realistic situations.

The course is general in nature and is not legal advice. Contract and procurement law examples draw on South African practice, including the Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024 (signed into law but not yet in force, with draft regulations published in April 2026) and commonly used standard forms such as FIDIC, NEC, JBCC, and GCC. Participants should take legal advice on their own contracts.

Course Objectives

By the end of this Advanced Contract and Project Management training, participants will be able to:

Develop procurement strategies and select the contract type that fits the risk and the project
Manage contracts after award, from initiation and planning through delivery, to improve performance
Control scope creep, delays, and cost overruns through change and risk management
Handle claims and disputes, and complete contract closeout and handover
Build relationships, negotiate, and manage conflict with suppliers, contractors, and stakeholders
Apply advanced project management techniques, and align projects with organisational strategy
Choose between predictive (waterfall), agile, and hybrid delivery methods for a given project
Explain key project finance and accounting concepts, and apply basic investment appraisal
Strengthen governance and sponsorship, and use project maturity models to build organisational capability

Who should attend?

Contract Holders and Contract Managers
Contract and Procurement Team Members
Project Managers and Project Team Members
Project Management Office (PMO) Staff
Project Directors and Sponsors
Senior Management
Assurance, Quality, and Compliance Professionals

Training Methodology

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Training Outline

Day 1 — Advanced Contract Management Essentials

Module 1: Introduction to Advanced Contract Management

The contract life cycle, and the contract manager's role
The essential elements of a valid contract
How contract management and project management fit together

Module 2: Developing Effective Procurement Strategies

Make-or-buy decisions, and sourcing approaches
Bid evaluation and award, and avoiding common pitfalls
The South African procurement framework, including the Public Procurement Act 28 of 2024 and its status

Module 3: Contract Types: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Risks

Fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, time-and-materials, and target-cost contracts
Risk allocation between employer and contractor
Standard forms of contract: FIDIC, NEC, JBCC, and GCC, and what to look for
Practical Exercise: match contract types and standard forms to different project scenarios, and justify the risk allocation

Module 4: Post-Award Contract Management

Contract initiation: the kick-off, and the contract management plan
Monitoring delivery against scope, schedule, cost, and quality
Obligations, key dates, and the contract register

Module 5: Change and Risk Management in Contracts

Variations and change control procedures
Identifying and allocating contract risks, and keeping a risk register
Extensions of time and cost impact
Case Study: effective procurement and contract initiation, from strategy to contract start-up

Day 2 — Strategic Contract Management Skills

Module 6: Relationship and Stakeholder Management

Mapping contract stakeholders and their interests
Building a productive working relationship with the other party
Managing the contract in a supplier and contractor environment

Module 7: Advanced Communication and Negotiation Techniques

Preparing for a negotiation: interests, alternatives, and limits
Negotiating variations, claims, and settlements
Communicating clearly and in writing under the contract
Practical Exercise: a two-party negotiation role-play on a contested variation

Module 8: Performance and Conflict Management

Setting performance measures and service levels
Performance reviews, and corrective action
Early-warning signs of conflict, and resolving problems before they become disputes

Module 9: Leadership in Contract Management

Leading without formal authority over the other party
Ethics, integrity, and avoiding conflicts of interest and fraud risk

Module 10: Effective Documentation and Record-Keeping

What to record, and why it matters for claims and audits
Contemporaneous records, notices, and correspondence
Retaining and securing contract records
Case Study: resolving stakeholder conflicts in a major contract

Day 3 — Handling Contractual Challenges and Closure

Module 11: Common Contract Issues and Practical Solutions

Scope creep, delays, and cost overruns: causes and controls
Late payment, defects, and poor performance
Force majeure and unforeseen events

Module 12: Dispute and Claims Management

Notices, time bars, and building a claim
Delay and disruption claims: the basics of assessing time and cost
Dispute resolution ladder: negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration, and litigation
Adjudication in South African construction contracts
Case Study: managing a complex claim and dispute, from notice to resolution

Module 13: Contract Completion, Sign-Off, and Payment

Practical and final completion, and certification
Final accounts, retention, and payment processes
Defects liability periods

Module 14: Contract Closeout and Handover

Closeout checklist and procedures
Transitioning to operations, and handover strategies
Lessons learned and contract performance review
Practical Exercise: compile a closeout checklist for a sample contract

Day 4 — Implementing Strategy and Advanced Project Delivery

Module 15: Aligning Projects with Organisational Strategy

Linking project objectives to the strategic plan
Selecting and prioritising projects
Project business cases

Module 16: Portfolio and Programme Management Overview

Projects, programmes, and portfolios compared
Governing and balancing a portfolio
Managing interdependencies

Module 17: Managing Benefits and Value Realisation

Defining, tracking, and realising benefits
Benefits ownership after project closure

Module 18: Advanced Project Delivery Models: Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid

Predictive, adaptive, and hybrid approaches compared, and how to choose
Tailoring the approach to the project, in line with the PMBOK® Guide, Eighth Edition
Contracting for agile work: contract types and governance for iterative delivery

Module 19: Project Environment Management and Procurement Strategies

Managing external factors: regulatory, economic, and community
Procurement strategies for complex and multi-contract projects
Case Study: implementing agile delivery in a traditional, contract-driven project environment

Day 5 — Project Financing, Governance, and Maturity

Module 20: Project Finance and Investment Appraisal

Sources of project finance
Net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and payback
Comparing options and testing sensitivity
Practical Exercise: appraise two investment options using NPV and payback

Module 21: Project Accounting Fundamentals

Cost baselines, budgets, and cash flow forecasts
Earned value for cost and schedule control
Cost reporting, and links to contract payments

Module 22: Effective Project Governance and Sponsorship

Governance structures, decision rights, and assurance
The sponsor's role, and steering committees
Stage gates and reviews

Module 23: Leveraging Project Maturity Models

What maturity models measure
Assessing organisational capability, and building an improvement roadmap
Embedding lessons learned

Module 24: Ethics, Professionalism, and Continuous Development

Professional ethics and responsible conduct in contracting
Personal development, and building your own career capability
Case Study: successful project governance and financial control

Closing Session: Course Review and Action Planning

Review of key learning
Personal action plan for your own contracts and projects
Course evaluation

Course Categories

Office Administration Courses ❯ Audit, Risk And Governance ❯ Compliance Courses ❯ Finance Courses ❯ Human Resources Training & Development ❯ View All Course Categories ❯

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FAQs – Advanced Contract and Project Management

Master advanced contract and project management, learning contract lifecycle administration, project scope and scheduling, risk mitigation, vendor management, stakeholder engagement, and dispute resolution to drive project success.

What is covered in the Advanced Contract and Project Management Course?

The course covers advanced project lifecycle execution, commercial contract drafting principles, Service Level Agreement (SLA) formulation, procurement risk management, contract variation control, dispute resolution, and vendor performance monitoring.

Who should attend the Advanced Contract and Project Management Training?

This training is designed for senior project managers, contract administrators, procurement managers, legal advisors, commercial directors, and project directors overseeing complex, high-value capital and service contracts.

How does this course address managing contract variations and scope creep?

Participants learn robust change-control protocols, delay mitigation procedures, claim analysis frameworks, and renegotiation strategies to prevent costly budget overruns and timeline delays.

Will delegates learn techniques for managing contractual disputes and claims?

Yes. The program examines dispute prevention mechanisms, legal liability boundaries, breach-of-contract remedies, negotiation strategies, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes such as mediation and arbitration.

Does the course integrate commercial risk management with technical project execution?

Yes. Attendees learn to align project schedules, milestones, and deliverables with contractual payment structures, risk allocation models, indemnities, and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Why is advanced contract and project management integration vital for enterprises?

Misalignment between technical project teams and commercial contract terms frequently leads to legal friction, cost leakage, and project failure. Integrated management ensures operational targets are achieved within enforceable, risk-mitigated legal structures.

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Advanced Contract and Project Management

Getting the Best out of Projects in a Contracting Environment

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