Contract Manager (PreContract- Rail/Metro)

SYSTRA; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 450,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

SYSTRA is seeking a Contracts Manager in Riyadh to lead pre-contract activities for a landmark LRT project and to coordinate with procurement, legal, and project teams on tendering and contract documentation.

The role requires 15–20 years in major infrastructure or transport contracts, with strong negotiation, risk management, and governance skills. On-site delivery and close cross-functional collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Law, Engineering, Construction Management, Commercial Management, or related discipline.
• Minimum of 15-20 years’ experience in contracts, commercial, or pre-contract management on major infrastructure or transport projects.
• Proven experience managing pre-contract activities for complex projects, including tendering, contract drafting/review, bid evaluation, and pre-award negotiations.
• Strong knowledge of standard forms of contract and bespoke contract structures used in infrastructure and consultancy procurement.
• Experience in rail, metro, LRT, or major transportation projects is strongly preferred.
• Excellent understanding of commercial principles, risk management, and contractual drafting.
• Ability to interpret technical, legal, and commercial requirements and translate them into robust tender and contract documentation.
• Familiarity with internal governance, delegated authority, and approval processes in large organizations.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Professional membership such as RICS, CIArb, or equivalent is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all pre-contract activities for the LRT project, ensuring robust contractual and commercial support through procurement and tendering stages.
• Support the development of contract strategies, packaging approaches, procurement routes, and tender plans for design, consultancy, and related project packages.
• Prepare, review, and finalize pre-contract documentation, including invitations to tender, conditions of contract, special conditions, scope coordination, pricing schedules, bid forms, and commercial requirements.
• Coordinate with technical, procurement, and project teams to ensure tender documentation is complete, consistent, and aligned with project requirements.
• Review and advise on appropriate contract forms, commercial structures, pricing mechanisms, and risk allocation strategies.
• Lead the contractual and commercial review of tender submissions, including qualifications, deviations, exceptions, and compliance with tender requirements.
• Support technical and commercial bid evaluations and contribute to tender evaluation reports and award recommendations.
• Lead or support tender clarifications, commercial discussions, and pre-award negotiations with bidders.
• Identify contractual and commercial risks during the tender phase and recommend mitigation measures prior to contract award.
• Work closely with legal and procurement teams to ensure contracts are compliant with internal governance, approval processes, and applicable policies.
• Prepare and present pre-contract recommendations, tender reports, and approval papers for internal stakeholders and governance committees.
• Ensure proper documentation, audit trail, and records management for all pre-contract activities.
• Provide contractual advice to project teams during the planning and tendering phases.
• Support transition from pre-contract to post-contract teams following contract award.

Skills

Pre-contract management

Tender and contract documentation

Commercial evaluation

Risk identification and allocation

Contract strategy and structuring

Stakeholder coordination

Negotiation and influencing

Governance and compliance

Attention to detail

Analytical and commercial judgment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Law, Engineering, Construction Management, Commercial Management, or related discipline

Job description

SYSTRA is one of the world's leading engineering and consultancy groups specialising in public transport and sustainable mobility. With over 10,300 employees, SYSTRA's mission is to design safe and sustainable transport solutions to bring people together, develop social inclusion and facilitate access to employment, education and leisure throughout the world.

For 65 years, the Group has been working alongside cities and regions to contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their infrastructure and transport systems, throughout the life cycle of their projects. SYSTRA is involved from the earliest stages of design through to the testing, deployment and maintenance phases. The company provides all its services in over 80 countries worldwide and generates 74% of its turnover internationally. With its new services, SYSTRA supports its clients and partners in their digital, ecological and energy transition, in order to invent the mobility of tomorrow.

Context

The Contracts Manager will work closely with procurement, commercial, legal, technical, and project management teams to ensure that all pre-contract activities are structured, compliant, and aligned with project objectives, timelines, and governance requirements.

Missions/Main Duties

• Lead and manage all pre-contract activities for the LRT project, ensuring robust contractual and commercial support through the procurement and tendering stages.
• Support the development of contract strategies, packaging approaches, procurement routes, and tender plans for design, consultancy, and related project packages.
• Prepare, review, and finalize pre-contract documentation, including invitations to tender, conditions of contract, special conditions, scope coordination, pricing schedules, bid forms, and commercial requirements.
• Coordinate with technical, procurement, and project teams to ensure tender documentation is complete, consistent, and aligned with project requirements.
• Review and advise on appropriate contract forms, commercial structures, pricing mechanisms, and risk allocation strategies.
• Lead the contractual and commercial review of tender submissions, including qualifications, deviations, exceptions, and compliance with tender requirements.
• Support technical and commercial bid evaluations and contribute to tender evaluation reports and award recommendations.
• Lead or support tender clarifications, commercial discussions, and pre-award negotiations with bidders.
• Identify contractual and commercial risks during the tender phase and recommend mitigation measures prior to contract award.
• Work closely with legal and procurement teams to ensure contracts are compliant with internal governance, approval processes, and applicable policies.
• Prepare and present pre-contract recommendations, tender reports, and approval papers for internal stakeholders and governance committees.
• Ensure proper documentation, audit trail, and records management for all pre-contract activities.
• Provide contractual advice to project teams during the planning and tendering phases.
• Support transition from pre-contract to post-contract teams following contract award.

Profile/Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Quantity Surveying, Law, Engineering, Construction Management, Commercial Management, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 15-20 years’ experience in contracts, commercial, or pre-contract management on major infrastructure or transport projects.
• Proven experience managing pre-contract activities for complex projects, including tendering, contract drafting/review, bid evaluation, and pre-award negotiations.
• Strong knowledge of standard forms of contract and bespoke contract structures used in infrastructure and consultancy procurement.
• Experience in rail, metro, LRT, or major transportation projects is strongly preferred.
• Excellent understanding of commercial principles, risk management, and contractual drafting.
• Ability to interpret technical, legal, and commercial requirements and translate them into robust tender and contract documentation.
• Familiarity with internal governance, delegated authority, and approval processes in large organizations.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Professional membership such as RICS, CIArb, or equivalent is an advantage.

Key Competencies

• Pre-contract management
• Tender and contract documentation
• Commercial evaluation
• Risk identification and allocation
• Contract strategy and structuring
• Stakeholder coordination
• Negotiation and influencing skills
• Governance and compliance
• Attention to detail
• Strong analytical and commercial judgment

Systra is an equal opportunities company; this position is open to all applicants.

Workplace Type

On-site