Head of Contracts, MEAC

EHIF; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 400,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

Wood is seeking a Regional Head of Contracts - MEAC to lead a multi-location contracts team across the Middle East, Caspian and Africa. You will steer complex client negotiations, governance, and risk controls while aligning with business objectives and policy frameworks.

You will partner with senior stakeholders, oversee contract reviews, and advance contract lifecycle management across diverse project portfolios, ensuring compliant, profitable outcomes for Wood.

Qualifications

• Degree required in one of: Law, Quantity Surveying, or Business Degree.
• Proven experience in contract review, drafting and negotiation in engineering/consultancy environments.
• Strong leadership and multi-location team management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day management and development of regional Contracts team.
• Lead client contract reviews in accordance with policy and risk balance.
• Provide guidance on contracting terms and commercial strategies to stakeholders.
• Develop and implement contract governance and lifecycle management improvements.
• Collaborate to ensure timely input to tender governance and award proposals.
• Drive continuous improvement and adoption of CLM/AI tools where applicable.
• Represent the company in industry initiatives and contract standardisation efforts.

Skills

Leadership

Contract negotiation

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Education

Law / QS / Business degree

Tools

NEC

FIDIC

JCT

LOGIC

Job description

Job description

You will be a key member of the commercial function, managing the regional contracts team, leading complex client contract negotiations and providing strategic contractual and commercial guidance across a diverse portfolio of projects and markets. From client agreements and framework arrangements to financial instruments and confidentiality agreements, you will help drive commercial success while effectively managing contractual risk.

As Regional Head of Contracts - MEAC, you will provide contractual and commercial leadership over a diverse portfolio of projects and business activities across the Middle East, Caspian and Africa. You will manage contract review workloads across the region, advise stakeholders on contractual matters, drive best practice contract management, and support the delivery of commercial objectives while minimising risk. Working closely with the Heads of Contracts, Regional Head of Commercial and key regional leadership, you will also lead a team of contract professionals located across the region and multiple business, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and act as a trusted advisor on contract law and contract and commercial governance.

Working across a broad range of business functions, you will partner with internal stakeholders, clients and suppliers to provide contractual leadership and support successful project delivery. You will lead contract management activities within your portfolio, influence commercial decision-making, and operate with a high degree of autonomy.

Wood is a global leader in consulting, engineering and operations for the energy and materials sectors. With 33,000 people in around 50 countries, Wood supports clients across the full asset lifecycle, delivering safe, predictable outcomes while enabling resilient operations and a lower carbon future. Wood forms the Energy & Materials pillar of Sidara - a global partnership uniting leading multidisciplinary engineering, design, and project management companies. www.woodgroup.com

Diversity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer that recognises the value of a diverse workforce. All suitably qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment on the basis of objective criteria and without regard to the following (which is a non-exhaustive list): race, colour, age, religion, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or other characteristics in accordance with the relevant governing laws.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the day-to-day management and development of the regional Contracts team members and coordination of priorities to support each business
• Undertake and oversee client contract reviews in accordance with Wood's contracting policy
• Oversight of proposed contract qualifications in conjunction with other functions, as required, to ensure the balance of risk is appropriate for the associated services and remuneration mode
• Provide overviews of contract T&Cs and associated issues to senior management and execution teams, as applicable
• Ensure the timely provision of contracts input into the Tender Governance Process and proposals
• Provide guidance to the assigned business(es) on client contracting & negotiation strategies and terms and conditions
• Assist the commercial function with the timely provision of commercial deliverables (e.g. bonds, PCG's, evidence of insurance) in accordance with contract requirements and Wood Policies
• Manage the preparation, negotiation, establishment, and administration of unincorporated Joint Ventures and / or Partnering agreements
• Develop, build, and maintain internal relationships with stakeholders and collaborate with functions to identify strategies to avoid / mitigate risks associated with contract terms and Contracting Policy deviations
• Provide input to commercial handovers to the execution teams for successfully awarded contracts
• Manage and deliver continuous improvement across the function and look for innovative ways of working including the advancement of an existing Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system and the future implementation of AI legal tools.
• Ensures that key relevant Commercial policies are understood and correctly applied within assigned business(es)
• Provide robust client contracts, governance and assurance across the assigned business(es) and recommend corrective actions
• Develop main contract flow down requirements for supplier NDA's, PO's and subcontracts, in conjunction with supply chain
• Assisting the pursuit of Wood's assertive claims and/or defending claims against Wood
• Represent Wood in industry wide contracts initiatives, seminars and workgroups

Qualifications

• Degree required in one of: Law, Quantity Surveying, or Business Degree

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Line management experience of a team located across multiple international locations
• Contract & Commercial experience in engineering (consultancy, FEED, EP and detail design) and construction (EPC, CM, PMC, EPCM) projects in one or more of the following: oil & gas, mining, power, infrastructure and environmental industries.
• Demonstrable experience and proven track record of contract review, drafting, and negotiation in a service company environment.
• Experience across industries in which Wood operates which would allow a good understanding of associated risks and exposure
• Experience in the negotiation and set up of JVs, MOUs, bidding agreements, and consortium agreements
• Expert knowledge of contract terms, contract principles, and drafting and rollout of contracting policies
• Working knowledge of the Company Finance and HR systems
• Awareness of all relevant corporate and project procedures
• Excellent understanding of Client contract structures, principles, and policies
• Extensive experience with standard contract model forms (including NEC, FIDIC, JCT, LOGIC or regional equivalents)
• Relevant Client-Facing Contracting Experience
• High level of commercial / business acumen supported with SME contractual knowledge

Personal Attributes

• Acts with integrity and consistently demonstrates sound ethical judgement
• Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to influence outcomes effectively
• Proven leadership and people management capabilities, with the ability to motivate and develop others
• Strategic mindset, able to contribute to and shape operational improvements
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage at all levels
• Highly organised, with strong planning and prioritisation skills
• Builds strong relationships, with a clear client-focused approach and ability to establish trust
• Committed to continuous improvement and driving positive change
• Collaborative team player with a proactive, solutions-focused attitude
• Effective mentoring and coaching skills to support team development
• Works well under pressure, with the ability to meet deadlines and manage competing priorities