Director of Contracts - Supply Chain

Blue Energy; Chevy Chase (MD); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Energy seeks a Director of Contracts to lead the commercial backbone of its supply chain. You will set contracting strategy, run competitive sourcing, negotiate and execute complex agreements, and manage post-award performance with a global supplier base including yards, OEMs, EPC/EPCM partners, and logistics providers.

You’ll translate nuclear quality and regulatory requirements into actionable supplier obligations, while preserving cost and schedule discipline and driving value across

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in contracts, procurement, commercial management, or supply chain leadership for large industrial or energy projects.
• Proven success negotiating and managing complex agreements across full lifecycle from pre-award to post-award.
• Experience with EPC/EPCM contracting, supplier qualification, and performance management; strong risk and terms knowledge.
• Collaboration with engineering/project controls to align scope, schedule and cost baselines; change-management discipline.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to influence executives and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Define contracting strategies by package (EPC/EPCM/EPCCM, OEM supply, fabrication, construction, installation, logistics, services).
• Lead end-to-end sourcing events; RFP/RFQ, vendor qualification, clarifications, evaluations, awards.
• Negotiate high-value agreements including long-term framework and master service agreements.
• Partner with Engineering and Project teams to drive value engineering, standardization, and cost-down opportunities.
• Own contract administration, change orders, notices, payment provisions, deliverables tracking, and closeout.
• Establish disciplined change management and dispute-resolve support; conduct supplier reviews and performance management.
• Translate QA/regulatory requirements into supplier obligations and audit criteria; ensure compliance.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Vendor qualification

EPC/EPCM contracting

RFP/RFQ management

Change management

Regulatory alignment

Executive stakeholder communication

Cost/schedule risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Supplier performance management

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/engineering or related field

Job description

Company Overview

Blue Energy’s mission is to unlock energy abundance, energy affordability, energy security, and turn-key decarbonization by developing the fastest path to deploying new nuclear MWs at scale. We are utilizing shipyard manufacturing supply chains and techniques from offshore oil and wind to reduce the cost of nuclear plants by over 60% and the manufacturing timeline to 24 months. Blue Energy is a platform technology that makes use of the latest NRC-approved reactors and is in negotiations with existing nuclear and industrial sites, enabling a much faster regulatory pathway to deploy our first unit. With our innovative centralized shipyard manufacturing approach, we can put nuclear power on a cost-reduction learning curve akin to wind, solar, and lithium-ion batteries.

Role Summary

Reporting to the VP of Supply Chain, the Director of Contracts will lead the commercial and contracting backbone of Blue Energy’s supply chain. You will set contracting strategy, run competitive sourcing, negotiate and execute complex agreements, and manage post-award performance across a global supplier base (fabrication yards, shipyards, OEMs, EPC/EPCM partners, logistics providers, and specialty contractors). You will also help translate nuclear quality and regulatory requirements into clear, auditable supplier obligations without losing cost and schedule discipline.

Key Responsibilities

Contracting strategy & governance:

• Define contracting strategies by package (EPC/EPCM/EPCCM, OEM supply, fabrication, construction, installation, logistics, services).




• Select pricing and risk models (lump sum, unit rates, T&M, target cost, cost-plus) and align them to scope maturity and delivery risk.




• Build and maintain contract templates, commercial terms, flow-down requirements, and approval workflows.

Sourcing & negotiation leadership:

• Lead end-to-end sourcing events (market scan, vendor qualification, RFP/RFQ, clarifications, commercial evaluation, award recommendation).




• Negotiate and execute high-value agreements, including long-term framework agreements and master service agreements.




• Partner with Engineering and Project teams to drive value engineering, standardization, and cost-down opportunities.

Post-award contract management:

• Own contract administration, including notices, correspondence, change orders, payment provisions, deliverables tracking, and closeout.




• Establish disciplined change management and claims-avoidance practices; support fact-finding and resolution of disputes when needed.




• Run supplier business reviews and performance management (quality, schedule, cost, safety, responsiveness).

Supplier quality & regulatory alignment:

• Translate nuclear QA/regulatory requirements into supplier-facing requirements, audit criteria, and contract language.




• Coordinate supplier qualification, audits, and corrective-action follow-up with Blue Energy QA and Regulatory teams.




• Right-size QA rigor by commodity and safety significance to expand the supply base while maintaining compliance.

Team & stakeholder leadership:

• Build and lead a high-performing team across contracts, sourcing, and supplier performance as the function scales.




• Serve as a key interface with executive leadership and cross-functional partners; communicate trade-offs and recommendations clearly.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in contracts, procurement, commercial management, or supply chain leadership for large industrial or energy projects (e.g., LNG, offshore wind, petrochemical, mining, power generation, heavy construction).




• Demonstrated success negotiating and managing complex agreements across the full lifecycle (pre-award strategy through post-award execution).




• Working knowledge of EPC/EPCM contracting, supplier qualification, and performance management; strong command of risk allocation and commercial terms.




• Experience partnering with engineering and project controls to align scope, schedule, and cost baselines; disciplined approach to change management.




• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to influence across functions and levels, including executive stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in regulated industries (nuclear, aerospace, oil & gas) and/or implementing supplier QA programs, audits, and documentation controls.




• Professional certifications such as PMP, CPCM/CCM, MCIPS, or equivalent; familiarity with contract law and claims management.




• Experience building framework agreements and strategic supplier partnerships for long-lead equipment or large construction scopes.




• Lean/Six Sigma training or demonstrated experience improving procurement/contracting processes and cycle time.




• International sourcing experience and comfort operating across cultures, geographies, and time zones.

We look forward to your application and helping foster an era of safe, clean, affordable, and abundant energy.

Blue Energy is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every requirement, we encourage you to apply anyway. You might be the right candidate for this or other roles at Blue Energy now or in the future.