Contracts Manager

Digital Prospectors; Vacaville (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Digital Prospectors is seeking a Senior Contracts & Claims Manager to oversee the commercial management of a portfolio of large capital projects, including greenfield and brownfield CAPEX, typically with project spend of at least USD 5 million.

The role partners with engineering, project, procurement, legal, and finance teams to ensure strong contract governance, value-for-money, and schedule adherence across the project lifecycle, while safeguarding the company’s contractual rights.

Qualifications

• Experience in commercial contract management for large capital projects.
• Experience managing or supporting projects with budgets of at least USD 5 million.
• Strong understanding of contract creation, execution, claims management, change control, and risk mitigation.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills with contractors, suppliers, consultants, and other stakeholders.
• Experience supporting cost control processes such as progress measurement, remeasurement, cash flow, guarantees, and back-charges.
• Ability to interpret complex contract terms and identify commercial risks and opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Support the definition of risk mitigation plans and participate in the development of contracting strategies.
• Work with cost control to implement and maintain contract cost controls, including progress measurement, remeasurement, bank guarantees, additional items, claims, cash flow, and back-charges.
• Analyze contract conditions and support project management in the preparation and execution of contracts.
• Review new tenders and contracts with strategic suppliers.
• Support negotiation of major contracts and subcontracts, including final review and document preparation with strategic suppliers.
• Coordinate change orders, delay management, conflict management, and preparation for potential litigation, arbitration, or alternative dispute resolution, including proper documentation and timely contractor correspondence.
• Oversee and support project commercial teams to optimize project returns.
• Identify opportunities for outgoing claims and support claim strategy, notifications, correspondence, negotiation, and settlement.

Skills

Contract management

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Tools

Contract management tools

Job description

The Senior Contracts & Claims Manager will be responsible for the commercial management of a portfolio of large and medium capital projects across greenfield and brownfield CAPEX schemes, typically with project spend of at least USD 5 million. This role will help protect the organization’s contractual rights and entitlements, ensure contractor obligations are fulfilled, support fulfillment of the organization’s own obligations, and drive value-for-money, cost discipline, schedule performance, and quality outcomes in support of growth investments.

The position serves as a commercial expert working closely with engineering, project, procurement, legal, finance, and other internal and external stakeholders to support a consistent supplier approach and strong contract governance across the project lifecycle.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the definition of risk mitigation plans and participate in the development of contracting strategies.
• Work with cost control to implement and maintain contract cost controls, including progress measurement, remeasurement, bank guarantees, additional items, claims, cash flow, and back-charges.
• Analyze contract conditions and support project management in the preparation and execution of contracts.
• Review new tenders and contracts with strategic suppliers.
• Support negotiation of major contracts and subcontracts, including final review and document preparation with strategic suppliers.
• Ensure relevant procurement and engineering processes and standards are followed.
• Lead contract execution to protect contractual rights and entitlements.
• Report contracting plan status and variations to project and procurement stakeholders on a periodic basis.
• Manage the contracting plan during project execution, commissioning, and evaluation, including contractor cost matters in coordination with cost control.
• Prepare concise summaries of key contractual points, including deviations from standard terms, identified risks, and areas of concern.
• Negotiate and agree on contract extensions and change requests.
• Coordinate change orders, delay management, conflict management, and preparation for potential litigation, arbitration, or alternative dispute resolution, including proper documentation and timely contractor correspondence.
• Monitor and safeguard legal rights under the contract.
• Manage warranties and performance guarantees for project assets.
• Ensure all contract review requirements are met.
• Coordinate involvement of legal counsel and external legal counsel as required.
• Support arbitration and alternative dispute resolution procedures.
• Oversee and support project commercial teams to optimize project returns.
• Identify opportunities for outgoing claims and support claim strategy, notifications, correspondence, negotiation, and settlement.
• Analyze incoming claims and support defense strategy, correspondence, negotiation, and settlement.
• Collect, organize, and maintain claim documentation in the company’s claim repository.
• Manage supplier escalations and claims-related issues.
• Support supplier relationship management to promote reliable, high-quality supply.
• Support supplier performance, compliance, and accountability through scorecards and performance metrics.
• Participate in periodic commercial audits of key contractors.
• Engage internal stakeholders across project management, procurement, legal, finance, and related functions.
• Clarify stakeholder requirements and help align commercial and project objectives.

Qualifications:

• Experience in commercial contract management for large capital projects, including greenfield and brownfield CAPEX environments.
• Experience managing or supporting projects with budgets of at least USD 5 million.
• Strong understanding of contract creation, execution, claims management, change control, and risk mitigation.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills with contractors, suppliers, consultants, and other stakeholders.
• Experience supporting cost control processes such as progress measurement, remeasurement, cash flow, guarantees, and back-charges.
• Ability to interpret complex contract terms and identify commercial risks and opportunities.
• Experience working closely with project management, procurement, engineering, legal, and finance teams.
• Knowledge of arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation support processes.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and maintain commercial discipline throughout the project lifecycle.

POST-OFFER BACKGROUND CHECK IS REQUIRED. Digital Prospectors is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Digital Prospectors affirms the right of all individuals to equal opportunity and prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment.

Come see why DPC has achieved:

• 4.9/5 Star Glassdoor rating and the only staffing company (< 1000 employees) to be voted in the national Top 10 ‘Employee’s Choice - Best Places to Work’ by Glassdoor.
• Voted ‘Best Staffing Firm to Temp/Contract For’ 8 consecutive years in a row by Staffing Industry Analysts as well as a ‘Best Company to Work For’ by Forbes, Fortune and Inc. magazine.