Contracts Manager

ssacareers; Washington; On-site; USD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

SSA is seeking a full-time Contracts Manager to oversee commercial agreements for equipment, materials, and contracts across the project lifecycle. You will work with Procurement, Legal, and Operations to protect the company’s interests during development, construction, and commissioning.

You will draft and administer purchase orders, negotiate change orders and claims, maintain a live risk and contract register, and ensure timely approvals of contractual changes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in law, business, engineering or related discipline required.
• Advanced degree or certifications (LL.M., MBA, PMP, Certified Contract Manager) preferred.
• Minimum 5–10 years of progressive experience in contract administration, procurement and risk management for large-scale projects.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and administer all purchase orders issued by the Owner team.
• Interface with Procurement and EPCM/PMC Procurement Manager for project procurement.
• Monitor best practices by EPC(M) for orders and contracts under responsibility.
• Lead evaluation, negotiation, and resolution of change orders, claims, and disputes.
• Maintain contract register with key dates, obligations, and deliverables.
• Oversee payment reviews of contractor/consultant invoices.
• Escalate high-impact commercial or legal issues to SSA Procurement and executives.
• Liaise with Legal, Insurance, and Compliance teams to ensure coverage and compliance.
• Monitor contractor/vendor performance against obligations and milestones.
• Prepare regular contract & procurement status reports for governance boards.
• Closeout contracts during commissioning and handover, recording obligations and warranties.
• Capture lessons learned to improve project delivery framework.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Negotiation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in law / business / engineering

Advanced degree or certifications (LL.M., MBA, PMP, Certified Contract Manager)

Job description

This full-time Contracts Manager position manages commercial agreements for equipment, materials and contracts throughout the project lifecycle in cooperation with SSA Procurement function.

The role ensures the company’s interests are protected in contract execution, change management, and risk mitigation during development, construction, and commissioning.

Reporting directly to the Procurement Category Manager, this employee must be a team player who partners effectively with Corporate, Support Functions, and Operations to achieve project goals.

• Draft, review, and administer all purchase orders issued directly by the Owner team, from consultancy and technical services through EPC, commissioning, and handover, ensuring alignment with Company’s policies and risk appetite.
• Interface with our Procurement team and EPCM/PMC Procurement Manager for project Procurement (Equipment, Materials and Contracts).
• Monitor the use of good practices by the EPC(M) for the purchase orders and contracts under its direct responsibility.
• Support the negotiation of permits, EPC, and other major contracts in close coordination with Legal and Procurement teams.
• Maintain a comprehensive contract register with key dates, obligations, and deliverables to ensure proactive management.
• Lead the evaluation, negotiation, and resolution of change orders, claims, and disputes with contractors, vendors, and consultants.
• Lead the payment review and approval process of contractor/consultant invoices related to the project.
• Establish and oversee management protocols to ensure timely review and approval of contractual changes.
• Escalate high-impact commercial or legal issues to SSA Procurement and our Company executives with recommended courses of action.
• Liaise with SSA’s Legal, Insurance, and Compliance teams to ensure adequate coverage and compliance with regulatory, contractual, and corporate requirements.
• Maintain a live risk register, identifying potential exposures and recommending mitigation measures to protect the Company’s interests.
• Monitor contractor and vendor performance against contractual obligations, KPIs, and milestones; escalated deviations and recommend corrective actions.
• Support SSA in preparing regular reports on contract & procurement status, and claims for executives, governance forums, and Board reviews.
• Oversee the orderly closeout of contracts during commissioning and handover, ensuring all obligations, warranties, and guarantees are properly recorded and transferred to SSA Operations.
• Capture lessons learned from contract activities to improve the organization's project delivery framework on future projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in law, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Advanced degree or certifications (LL.M., MBA, PMP, Certified Contract Manager, or equivalent)
• Minimum 5–10 years of progressive experience in contract administration, procurement, and risk management for large-scale infrastructure, port/marine terminal, or heavy industrial projects, with recent years on Owner Team.
• Proven track record managing complex agreements exceeding USD 100M.
• Demonstrated success in administering contracts and purchase orders through all stages of project lifecycle to include feasibility and permitting through EPC execution, commissioning, and handover.
• Significant experience with change orders, claims management, dispute resolution, and contractor and supplier performance monitoring.
• Familiarity with environmental, social, and regulatory permitting processes and how these intersect with contracts.
• Strong knowledge of contract law, risk allocation, and insurance requirements.
• Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate legal, financial, and commercial risks in complex projects.
• Proficiency in developing and maintaining contract registers, risk registers, and performance dashboards.
• Excellent negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills to resolve contractor and supplier claims and execution risks.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to interface with executives, legal counsel, insurers, contractors, and regulators.
• Strong understanding of QEHS standards and how contractual obligations support safety and environmental compliance.

Pay Range: $125,000 - 145,000 per year

The posted compensation range is based on the applicable geographic market for the position and may vary depending on factors such as related experience and skill set. Final compensation will be determined based on these items and other relevant factors.

We are Equal Opportunity Employer