Legal Specialist – Support to Procurement & Contract Management

Oriental Consultants Philippines, Inc.; Metro Manila; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Oriental Consultants Philippines, Inc. seeks a licensed lawyer/attorney with extensive procurement-related experience to provide legal advice and support on government procurement matters and infrastructure contracts.

The role involves reviewing bids, contracts, and related documents to ensure compliance with Philippine laws and project requirements. The ideal candidate has at least ten years of legal practice, with five years in advisory roles for public procurement and construction projects.

Qualifications

• Licensed lawyer/attorney with Philippine Supreme Court license.
• Procurement-related training covering government procurement laws and rules.
• Training in legal aspects of procurement, infrastructure contracts, construction law, contract administration, or dispute resolution.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of professional legal experience.
• At least five (5) years of relevant experience advising on public procurement, infrastructure and construction contracts, and contract administration.
• Experience in infrastructure/building projects is highly preferred.
• Experience supporting government agencies, project management offices, consultants, or contractors.
• Strong knowledge of Philippine procurement laws and regulations; contract laws and construction policies.
• Knowledge of FIDIC is an advantage.
• Experience reviewing/drafting bidding documents, contracts, notices, and related documents.
• Strong research, analytical, negotiation, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Ability to work with procurement, contract management, engineering, financial, and project management teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and support to the Procurement and Contract Management Specialist on procurement and contract-related matters.
• Review and provide legal guidance on procurement documents, bidding documents, tender requirements, contracts, agreements, and related project documents.
• Ensure that procurement activities comply with applicable Philippine laws, government procurement rules and regulations, and project-specific requirements.
• Provide legal advice on the interpretation and application of procurement laws, regulations, policies, and contractual provisions.
• Review draft contracts, amendments, notices, memoranda, agreements, and other legal documents related to the project.
• Assist in identifying and addressing legal and contractual risks associated with procurement and implementation of the building retrofitting works.
• Provide legal support in the preparation, evaluation, negotiation, and award of contracts, as required.
• Review contractual provisions relating to scope of work, obligations, payments, performance security, warranties, liquidated damages, termination, insurance, variations, claims, and dispute resolution.
• Provide legal advice on contract variations, change orders, extensions of time, claims, and other contractual matters.
• Assist in the prevention and resolution of contractual disputes, claims, and disagreements between stakeholders.
• Review and provide legal comments on contractors’ and consultants’ claims and other contractual submissions.
• Conduct legal research and prepare opinions, memoranda, assessments, and recommendations on procurement and contract-related issues.
• Assist in ensuring procurement and contract management procedures are transparent, compliant, properly documented, and legally defensible.
• Review applicable laws, regulations, and regulatory requirements affecting the project.
• Coordinate with government agencies, legal offices, procurement units, project management teams, consultants, contractors, and stakeholders on legal matters.
• Assist in addressing audit observations and legal/compliance issues related to procurement and contract administration.
• Maintain proper records of legal opinions, contracts, correspondence, claims, notices, and dispute-related documents.
• Provide guidance on contract close-out, final settlement, termination, and other legal matters at project end.
• Support development/improvement of procurement and contract management procedures, templates, and legal documentation.
• Participate in procurement meetings, contract negotiations, technical meetings, dispute-resolution meetings, and other project activities as required.
• Provide legal guidance to project personnel on procurement and contractual compliance.

Skills

Procurement laws

Legal research

Contract administration

Dispute resolution

Negotiation

Regulatory compliance

Construction law

Bidding documents drafting

Legal opinions

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Licensed lawyer/attorney

Job description

• Licensed Lawyer/Attorney, with a valid license issued by the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
• Must have completed procurement-related training, preferably covering government procurement laws, rules, and regulations.
• With relevant professional training in legal aspects of procurement, infrastructure contracts, construction law, contract administration, regulatory compliance, or dispute resolution.
• Minimum of ten (10) years of professional legal experience.
• At least five (5) years of relevant/similar experience providing legal advisory services on:
  • Public procurement
  • Infrastructure and construction contracts
  • Contract administration
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Contract interpretation
  • Claims and dispute prevention/resolution
• Experience in infrastructure, building construction, rehabilitation, or retrofitting projects is highly preferred.
• Experience in providing legal support to government agencies, project management offices, consultants, contractors, or other public-sector infrastructure projects is an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of applicable Philippine procurement laws, implementing rules and regulations, contract laws, construction-related regulations, and other relevant government policies.
• Knowledge of FIDIC or other international construction contract conditions is an advantage, particularly for foreign-funded projects.
• Experience in reviewing and drafting bidding documents, contracts, agreements, legal opinions, notices, claims, and other procurement/contract-related documents.
• Strong legal research, analytical, negotiation, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Ability to work effectively with procurement, contract management, engineering, financial, and project management teams.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide legal advice and support to the Procurement and Contract Management Specialist on procurement and contract-related matters.
2. Review and provide legal guidance on procurement documents, bidding documents, tender requirements, contracts, agreements, and related project documents.
3. Ensure that procurement activities comply with applicable Philippine laws, government procurement rules and regulations, and project-specific requirements.
4. Provide legal advice on the interpretation and application of procurement laws, regulations, policies, and contractual provisions.
5. Review draft contracts, amendments, notices, memoranda, agreements, and other legal documents related to the project.
6. Assist in identifying and addressing legal and contractual risks associated with procurement and implementation of the building retrofitting works.
7. Provide legal support in the preparation, evaluation, negotiation, and award of contracts, as required.
8. Review contractual provisions relating to scope of work, obligations, payments, performance security, warranties, liquidated damages, termination, insurance, variations, claims, and dispute resolution.
9. Provide legal advice on contract variations, change orders, extensions of time, claims, and other contractual matters.
10. Assist in the prevention and resolution of contractual disputes, claims, and disagreements between the implementing agency, contractors, consultants, and other project stakeholders.
11. Review and provide legal comments on contractors’ and consultants’ claims and other contractual submissions.
12. Conduct legal research and prepare legal opinions, memoranda, assessments, and recommendations on procurement and contract-related issues.
13. Assist the Procurement and Contract Management Specialist in ensuring that procurement and contract management procedures are transparent, compliant, properly documented, and legally defensible.
14. Review applicable laws, regulations, administrative issuances, and regulatory requirements affecting the building retrofitting project.
15. Coordinate with relevant government agencies, legal offices, procurement units, project management teams, consultants, contractors, and other stakeholders on legal and contractual matters.
16. Assist in addressing audit observations and legal/compliance issues related to procurement and contract administration.
17. Maintain proper records of legal opinions, contracts, correspondence, claims, notices, dispute-related documents, and other legal records.
18. Provide guidance on contract close-out, final settlement, termination, and other legal matters arising at the end of the project.
19. Support the development and improvement of procurement and contract management procedures, templates, and legal documentation.
20. Participate in procurement meetings, contract negotiations, technical meetings, dispute-resolution meetings, and other project-related activities as required.
21. Provide legal guidance to project personnel on procurement and contractual compliance.