Contract Specialist - Commercial Construction

McCownGordon Construction; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

McCownGordon Construction in Kansas City, MO seeks a contract professional to support the Risk/Legal team with initial review and finalization of construction agreements, assist in vendor setup, and manage contracts and related documents.

You will handle upstream and downstream contract processes, draft and revise master agreements, coordinate exhibits, ensure templates are used, and maintain project calendars and notices; a strong paralegal background in construction is required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a paralegal, contract manager or contracts administrator position in the construction industry.
• Ability to manage review of agreements and elevate as needed.
• Ability to manage a large number of contracts and ensure timely review and responses to internal teams and external clients, if appropriate.
• Ability work independently and think analytically with minimal oversight.
• Database management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and organizational skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products, redlining and document comparison software.
• Construction industry experience required.
• AIA/DBIA and master agreement experience required.

Responsibilities

• Upstream Contract Administration: serves as a primary contact for project teams on timeliness, execution status, and review/analyze agreements.
• Downstream Contract Administration: guides project teams on downstream agreements and oversees Master Agreements in Procore.
• Master Agreement, Owner Agreement and Contract Review: assists with owner contract reviews and finalizes standard construction agreements.
• Vendor Setup and Prequalification Support: assists with master agreement process and vendor prequalification.
• Vendor Oversight & Compliance: conducts vendor due diligence and ensures contract execution and compliance workflows.
• General Administrative: supports risk/legal team and assists with special projects and filings.

Skills

Contract management

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Independent worker

Tools

Microsoft Office

Redlining software

Job description

People love to work here, plain and simple.It's easy to love your job when you're surrounded by driven, passionate leaders. We show up every day and give it our all; not because we have to, but because we want to.

POSITION SUMMARY

Supports the Risk/Legal team by handling the initial review and finalization of construction agreements with escalation to General and Associate Counsel as appropriate based on the company risk profile. Provides administrative support to General and Associate Counsel. Supports vendor setup process, contract administration, database and file management. Supports other Risk and Legal team members as needed.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Upstream Contract Administration Serves as a primary point of contact for Project Teams regarding upstream contract timeliness, requirements, and execution status. Partners closely with General Counsel to manage complex or non-standard Owner Contracts, identifying issues, missing exhibits, or deviations from standard terms prior to execution. Independently prepares, reviews, and finalizes AIA and other standardized agreements, ensuring compliance with current templates, legal requirements, and internal standards. Proactively tracks and reports on upstream contract metrics, trends, and risks; recommends process or documentation improvements. Coaches project teams on upstream contract processes, expectations, and best practices.
• Downstream Contract Administration Provides guidance to Project Teams on selection and use of downstream agreements, escalating unique or high-risk situations to Associate Counsel as appropriate. Oversees execution and organization of all downstream Master Agreements within Procore, ensuring consistency, completeness, and audit readiness. Collaborates with Associate Counsel on drafting, revising, and maintaining Master Service Agreements and related templates. Identifies gaps or inefficiencies in downstream contract workflows and leads improvements to standardize practices across projects.
• Master Agreement, Owner Agreement and Contract Review Supports Associate Counsel by conducting initial review of master agreements returned with comments or redlines. Escalates to Associate Counsel when appropriate for input or approval of requested modifications. Ensures modified master agreements align with company risk profile. Assists SVP/General Counsel and project teams with owner contract reviews as needed, including finalizing AIA/DBIA and other standard construction agreements with Owners and associated exhibits (and ensures correct templates/exhibits are used). Finalizes GMP Amendments and exhibits. Coordinates signature of construction related agreements through DocuSign. Redacts Prime Agreements for inclusion in front end bid documents. Helps ensure redacted Prime Agreement is distributed to Project Team and provided to trade partners. Assists General Counsel and Associate Counsel with notice drafting. Meets deadlines based on project/scope start dates.
• Vendor Setup and Prequalification Support Assists Risk Coordinator with Master Agreement process, inbox and organization as needed. Assists Risk Analyst and prequalification process as needed.
• Vendor Oversight & Compliance Acts as a senior resource for vendor setup, updates, and compliance questions across project teams. Conducts advanced vendor due diligence reviews to validate legitimacy, licensing alignment, and contractual readiness. Partners with Legal, Accounting, and Project Coordinators to resolve complex vendor issues impacting contract execution, payment, or compliance. Oversees vendor communication workflows in DocuSign and shared inboxes; ensures timely follow-ups and issue resolution. Supports continuous improvement of vendor onboarding and maintenance procedures.
• General Administrative Assists Risk Coordinator and Risk Analyst with any tasks requiring extra assistance. Continuously strives to improve efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Assists members of Risk/Legal Team with special projects. Provides legal document filing and support as needed. Assists General Counsel with litigation and deposition preparation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 5+ years of experience in a paralegal, contract manager or contracts administrator position in the construction industry.
• Ability to manage review of agreements and elevate as needed.
• Ability to manage a large number of contracts and ensure timely review and responses to internal teams and external clients, if appropriate.
• Ability work independently and think analytically with minimal oversight.
• Database management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and organizational skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products, redlining and document comparison software.
• Construction industry experience required.
• AIA/DBIA and master agreement experience required.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The position requires work in an office environment.Note: This job description reflects a summary of the job and does not prescribe or restrict the responsibilities that may be assigned. The job description is subject to change at any time.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Females/Disabled/Veterans