Commercial Defect Manager

RATP WSA (West Sydney Airport); Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

RATP Dev Western Sydney Airport (RDWSA) is responsible for delivering critical rail operations for the Parklife Metro project in NSW. The Commercial Defects Manager will oversee contract administration, claims management, and risk mitigation arising from technical defects across the program.

The role bridges engineering and contract law, translating defect data into robust notices and driving cost-recovery strategies in collaboration with Legal Counsel and the wider commercial team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree required in related discipline.
• Experience in contract administration within major infrastructure.
• Strong drafting and negotiation capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial claims process end-to-end, evaluating defects against agreements.
• Draft formal Contract Notices and defect notifications with Legal Counsel support.
• Audit costs and coordinate reimbursement claims to maximize recovery.
• Secure warranty handover and provide surge support to the commercial team.

Skills

Contract administration

Claims management

Construction law

Risk mitigation

Commercial drafting

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Law

Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying

Master of Laws (Construction Law/Dispute Resolution)

Tools

Maximo

TeamBinder

Aconex

Job description

RATP WSA (West Sydney Airport) – St Marys NSW

RATP Dev Western Sydney Airport (RDWSA) is a subsidiary of the RATP Group, a global leader in high-capacity urban rail and the world's third largest public transport operator.

Our 25,000 people design, operate, maintain and modernise urban and interurban transportation networks. We serve more than 100 cities in 17 countries, delivering tailored mobility solutions that address each community's unique environmental, social, and economic challenges.

We build, deliver and commit for the best of public transport every day, everywhere, for everybody, making it the natural choice for cities and passengers.

As an Operator & Maintainer to the Australian Federal and NSW Governments, Parklife Metro is leading a transformative metro project connecting St Marys to Bradfield and the new Western Sydney Airport.

The Parklife Metro (PLM) consortium, comprising Plenary, RATP Dev, Siemens and Webuild, is delivering the Stations, Systems, Trains and Operations & Maintenance (SSTOM) package for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project.

RDWSA will proudly operate and maintain six new stations, 12 metro trains, core rail systems, and a state-of-the-art stabling and maintenance facility at Orchard Hills for 15 years following commencement of operations.

About Us

RATP Dev Western Sydney Airport (RDWSA) is a subsidiary of the RATP Group, a global leader in high-capacity urban rail and the world's third largest public transport operator.

Our 25,000 people design, operate, maintain and modernise urban and interurban transportation networks. We serve more than 100 cities in 17 countries, delivering tailored mobility solutions that address each community's unique environmental, social, and economic challenges.

We build, deliver and commit for the best of public transport every day, everywhere, for everybody, making it the natural choice for cities and passengers.

As an Operator & Maintainer to the Australian Federal and NSW Governments, Parklife Metro is leading a transformative metro project connecting St Marys to Bradfield and the new Western Sydney Airport.

The Parklife Metro (PLM) consortium, comprising Plenary, RATP Dev, Siemens and Webuild, is delivering the Stations, Systems, Trains and Operations & Maintenance (SSTOM) package for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project.

RDWSA will proudly operate and maintain six new stations, 12 metro trains, core rail systems, and a state-of-the-art stabling and maintenance facility at Orchard Hills for 15 years following commencement of operations.

About the Role

Reporting primarily to the Defect Manager, with a secondary reporting line to the Commercial Director, the Commercial Defects Manager plays a key role in contract administration, commercial claims management, and risk mitigation arising from technical defects across the project.

In this role, you will bridge the gap between engineering and contract law. Working in tight lockstep with our technical teams, you will safeguard RDWSA's commercial interests under our project deeds and O&M agreements, translating technical defect data into robust, contractually compliant notices and successful cost-recovery strategies.

Key Responsibilities may include:

• Claims & Contract Administration: Lead the commercial claims process end-to-end, evaluating technical defects against project agreements to establish clear contractual positions and issuing notices within strict timelines.
• Commercial Drafting: Own the drafting of formal Contract Notices and defect notifications, partnering with Legal Counsel to manage risk and protect business rights.
• Cost Capture & Recovery: Audit work orders in Maximo to ensure all direct costs (labour, subcontractors, spares) are accurately tracked, and coordinate reimbursement claims to drive maximum cost recovery.
• Warranty Handover & Support: Secure the transfer of subcontractor and manufacturer warranties to protect permanent operations, and provide strategic surge support to the wider commercial team.

About You

You are a highly collaborative, decisive, and strategically-minded commercial professional with extensive expertise in contract administration, construction law, and claims management within major infrastructure or PPP environments. You have a proven track record of synthesizing technical engineering inputs into robust legal-commercial arguments.

You will bring:

• Minimum 8–10 years of experience as a Commercial Manager, Claims Manager, or Senior Contract Administrator in rail, transport, or heavy civil construction projects.
• Deep expertise in contract administration, claims formulation, and managing complex multi-million dollar disputes within a PPP or O&M interface structure.
• Excellent commercial drafting skills, with the ability to write precise, contractually robust notices, letters, and dispute packages.
• High-level commercial acumen, with experience in direct cost tracking (e.g., Maximo, TeamBinder, Aconex), financial modeling, and commercial quantum calculations.
• Strong cross-functional coordination skills, with the ability to extract and synthesize technical inputs from engineers to build airtight commercial arguments.
• Essential: Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Quantity Surveying, Business, Commerce, Construction Management, or a related discipline. A Master of Laws (Construction Law/Dispute Resolution) is highly desirable.

At RATP Dev, we believe great public transport is delivered by diverse people with diverse perspectives. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds - including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, people living with disability, veterans, and the LGBTQIA+ community. We hire based on capability, potential, and values, and we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, supported, and empowered to thrive.