Senior Contract Management Spec

Job Overview:

Reporting to the Project Contracts Manager, the Senior Contracts Management Specialist will support the management of contractual and commercial matters during the execution phase of large-scale, complex EPC projects, including engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover, primarily in the onshore energy sector.  
The project environment may involve complex relationships across the client, JV partners, subcontractors, suppliers and internal McDermott stakeholders. The Senior Contracts Management Specialist will contribute to contract strategy, change management, claims, notices, correspondence, commercial risk management, dispute avoidance and close-out, with the level of autonomy and leadership adjusted to the candidate’s experience and grade.

The role will be within McDermott’s onshore energy sector and may be assigned to one of a number of ongoing projects or newly awarded projects. It is also favorable for the candidate to be open to travel and potential assignment at project site locations in the future, including remote or challenging environments for short or longer-term rotations as required.

Role Purpose 

The Contracts Management specialists within the Contracts Management function are responsible for protect McDermott’s contractual and commercial interests during Project execution throughout the project lifecycle from pre-award, FEED through EPC execution, completion and handover.  Where applicable, this will involve management of the contract within partnership JV or consortium environments.  The role entails supporting the development and implementation of project contractual/commercial strategy; as well as ensuring contract obligations, rights, risks and opportunities are understood, communicated and actively managed. Support disciplined change identification, substantiation, notification, negotiation and resolution with the client and relevant stakeholders. The role encompasses providing flexible contracts.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

•    Commercial strategy throughout project execution
•    Upon project award or mobilisation, assist in disseminating key contract requirements, obligations and commercial controls within the project team
•    Support the identification, analysis and management of critical or sensitive contractual issues, escalating matters as appropriate
•    Develop and maintain effective working relationships with the Project team, partners and client teams as well as other stakeholders, to support timely resolution of contractual issues
•    Support the project team in establishing and maintaining the change management process, promoting a culture of early change identification and robust substantiation
•    Lead or participate in change management meetings to identify changes that may result in entitlement to compensation, schedule relief or other contractual remedies, commensurate with experience level
•    Together with the Project Contracts Manager and relevant project controls functions, evaluate cost and schedule impacts of identified changes on both individual and cumulative bases
•    Support the resolution of contractual issues within the project environment to the extent possible; brief the Project Contracts Manager on sensitive issues and support escalation of disputes when required
•    Support the administration of contractual correspondence with the Client, including timely issue of notices required to preserve McDermott’s contractual rights
•    Support preparation of inputs into project reports for internal and external distribution in accordance with internal and contractual requirements
•    Support project risk and opportunity management processes, including identification, recording, mitigation and commercial opportunity capture
•    Coordinate with Supply Chain Management to support the assessment of contractual matters relating to the prime contract and associated correspondence with Vendors and Subcontractors
•    Support timely notification and management of external changes, claims or backcharges to Vendors and Subcontractors
•    Provide contracts support and interface with all other project departments positioned in potentially multiple locations, including site interface with construction, project controls, supply chain, subcontract administration and client representatives
•    Maintain accurate records, contract registers, change logs, notice registers and supporting documentation to enable effective audit trail and dispute avoidance
•    Contribute to lessons learned and continuous improvement of contracts management processes across the wider team
Essential Experience 
•    Project execution experience in the energy and/or construction industries
•    Contracts management, commercial management, claims management, quantity surveying, subcontract administration or equivalent project commercial experience
•    For Senior Specialist level, 7+ years of relevant experience, with demonstrated capability in independently managing contractual and commercial matters on complex projects
•    University degree in Quantity Surveying, Contract/Commercial Management, Engineering, Construction Management, Law or a similar relevant discipline is preferred
•    Experience in contract management on EPC, construction, infrastructure or energy projects is desirable; large-scale EPC experience is strongly preferred for Senior level
•    Understanding of EPC contract structures, subcontracting models, change management, notices, claims, entitlement assessment and project execution risk
•    Experience in JV, consortium or multi-stakeholder environments is desirable
•    Knowledge of international contracting principles and dispute avoidance practices
•    Ability to operate effectively in a high-pressure, multicultural and geographically dispersed project environment
•    Prior experience with major multinational oil and gas clients or IOCs is desirable, particularly for Senior level
•    It is preferable to have a strong willingness and ability to travel internationally and undertake temporary or rotational site assignments, including potentially remote project locations
Key Competencies 
•    Commercial acumen and contractual protection mindset
•    Contractual interpretation, negotiation and drafting capability appropriate to level
•    Strong written communication, notices and claims drafting capability
•    Stakeholder management, influencing and collaboration skills
•    Risk identification, mitigation and opportunity management
•    Mindset to seek commercial resolution and closure of matters, and an ability to support escalation management and mitigate avoidable disputes
•    Attention to detail, planning discipline and documentation control
•    Resilience, sound judgement and decision-making under pressure
•    Cultural awareness and ability to work effectively in multicultural, JV/consortium and site environments
•    Ability to interface confidently with client representatives, JV partners, project leadership, legal, finance, supply chain and construction teams
•    Comfortable operating in geographically dispersed teams and project site environments, including remote or developing-region locations
•    Pragmatic, commercially astute and able to balance contractual protection with project delivery imperatives
•    Flexible, adaptable and willing to support multiple projects or mobilisation phases as business priorities evolve
 

Essential Qualifications and Education:

• Minimum 7+ years of project execution experience in the energy and/or construction industries for Senior Specialist level
• University degree in Quantity Surveying, Contract & Commercial Management, Engineering, Construction Management, or similar is preferred
• RICS Qualified is preferable, or on the path to qualification

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