Procurement & Precontracts Manager

Talesca; City of Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Talesca in Melbourne is seeking a Procurement & Precontracts Manager for Renewable Energy Projects. You will develop and execute commercial contracting strategies, manage pre-construction agreements and lead close of key EPC, BOP, TSA, and O&M contracts across wind, solar, storage and hybrids.

You will work with development, delivery, operations, legal, finance and engineering teams to align contract scope, risk and project readiness, while ensuring governance, local content obligations and

Qualifications

• 5–10+ years of experience in contract negotiation and commercial delivery.
• Experience leading and closing wind (preferred) or BESS projects with ownership of lead contract negotiation.
• Involvement in financing processes as they relate to closing procurement contracts incl. insurances.
• Strong knowledge of contract structures and risk allocation in renewable energy project delivery (EPC, BOP, TSA, MSA etc.).
• Desire to work across a range of technologies, with Wind experience an advantage.
• Experience across the project lifecycle from development, pre-construction and contract management.
• Commercial acumen, negotiation experience, and legal literacy.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Capable of working in Melbourne or Sydney offices with occasional regional and interstate travel.

Responsibilities

• Develop fit-for-purpose commercial contracting strategies for utility-scale projects, working with other project leads.
• Lead preparation, review, negotiation and closure of EPC, BOP, TSA, O&M, Grid Connection, and LTSA agreements.
• Ensure downstream contractual requirements, such as offtake/CISA contracts, are carried through to upstream contracts and meet local content obligations.
• Ensure technical requirements, permitting and regulatory obligations are carried into contracts.
• Lead RFP processes and tendering for delivery packages with robust commercial inputs.
• Prepare internal approval and governance documents for award and execution of contracts.
• Close out contracts and schedules to meet project timelines and ensure compliance with policies.
• Maintain compliance with anti-bribery, corruption and modern slavery requirements.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Commercial delivery

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Renewable energy knowledge

Job description

Role: Procurement & Precontracts Manager (Renewable Energy Projects)

Area: Development (with potential support for Delivery and Operations)

Line Management: Head of Procurement

The Role

This role sits within the Commercial team and focused on development. The role is critical to the development, procurement and contracting of renewable energy projects including wind, solar, storage, and hybrids. You will lead the development and execution to of commercial contracting strategies and lead and close key pre-construction agreements to ensure successful project delivery

Pre-Contracts & Procurement

• Develop fit-for-purpose commercial contracting strategies for utility-scale projects, working with other project leads.
• Engage early with counterparties to align on commercial terms and risk allocation and delivery models
• Lead preparation, review, and negotiation and closure of EPC, BOP, TSA, O&M, Grid Connection, and LTSA agreements.
• Ensure downstream project contractual requirements, such as offtake/CISA contracts are carried through to upstream into major contracts. Notably all local content obligations should be strictly required under contracts.
• Ensure technical requirements, and permitting and regulatory obligations are also carried through into contracts.
• Lead RFP processes and support tendering for both primary and secondary delivery packages ensuring commercial inputs are robust and aligned with business objectives.
• Prepare internal approval and governance documents as they relate to award and execution of contracts, this may include requirement of time to time updates to executive and Board.
• Close out contracts and schedules to meet project timelines.
• Ensure compliance with all processes, procedures and policies. Ensure contracts are delivered to the highest ethical standards, with compliance to anti bribery and corruption, and modern slavery requirements.

Project Development

• Lead the preparation of key commercial inputs into internal investment cases and board papers.
• Identify, assess, and advise on key commercial and contractual risks across client’s development pipeline.
• Work with internal stakeholders and external counsel to develop contractual delivery risk mitigation strategies.
• Work within the project team to ensure alignment with project goals.
• Ensure contracts are aligned with internal stage gate requirements and assist in managing approval workflows and contract execution.
• Work cross-functionally with Development, Delivery, Operations, Legal, Finance, and Engineering teams to align on project readiness and commercial objectives.
• Manage external relationships with counterparties, advisors, and consultants during negotiation phases.
• Lend additional expertise to client's portfolio of projects as required

Contract Management

• Establish and manage Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contracts.
• Be a resource to support contract management into construction and commissioning phase.
• Interface with the Technical, Development and Delivery teams to align contract scope, schedule, and risk allocation with project requirements.

Acquisition, deal and transactions

• Assist with M&A activities, due diligence, preparing submissions to offtake or Govt processing and running aspects of our Joint Development Agreement activities

What You’ll Bring

• 5–10+ years of experience in contract negotiation and commercial delivery, preferably in energy, infrastructure, or construction sectors.
• Demonstrated experience of leading and close a split-scope Wind (preferred) or BESS project with ownership of lead contract negotiation responsibility
• Involvement and experience in financing process as it relates to closing of key procurement contracts incl insurances
• Strong knowledge of contract structures and risk allocation in renewable energy project delivery (EPC, BOP, TSA, MSA etc.).
• Desire to work across a range of technologies, with Wind experience an advantage.
• Experience working across the project lifecycle from development, pre-construction and contract management.
• Commercial acumen, negotiation experience, and legal literacy
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Suitable candidates will align with company values, be comfortable working in a lean and ambitious company, be strong team workers and values driven.
• While there's a flexible work policy, preference is for candidates to be capable of working in Melbourne or Sydney offices and able to accommodate occasional regional and interstate travel, given the diverse geographic nature of our projects