Lead Specialist, Contract Management

CenterPoint Energy; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Transit subsidies

Tuition reimbursement

On-site wellness center

Job summary

CenterPoint Energy is seeking a Contracts Lead - Capital Projects in Houston to source, draft, negotiate and administer EPC contract scopes across multiple capital projects. You will support pre-award, kickoff and execution phases and coordinate contract documents with project teams.

You will work with Legal and EPC partners to structure complex agreements, manage commercial risk, and drive timely contract completion in line with project schedules.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, IT, or Supply Chain or related work experience.
• At least five years of capital project contracting and supply chain experience.
• Understanding of EPC and construction services contract bidding and negotiation.
• Experience with capital projects, plant and site services.
• Experience with program EPC partners; integrated project management teams; open book purchasing/subcontracting preferred.
• Experience with electrical/power projects; equipment preferred.
• Certifications in PM, Sourcing or Procurement a plus.
• Experience with source-to-pay software (Coupa, SAP Ariba, or Ivalua) strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and finalize baseline EPC documents to source and award new work.
• Coordinate change processes for core Exhibits and attachments.
• Participate in project status meetings and track contracting actions.
• Maintain correspondence register and action logs.
• Identify commercial risks and support mitigation actions.
• Engage EPC partners to identify issues early and implement corrective actions.
• Provide contracting progress reports to project leadership to meet schedule.
• Collaborate with Legal to structure complex commercial agreements and mitigate risk.
• Lead market quotation, qualification and bidding in line with procedures.
• Coordinate with procurement and supply chain activities.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Capital project contracting

EPC contracting

Procurement

Sourcing

Negotiation

Project management

Coupa

SAP Ariba

Ivalua

Contract administration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/IT/SC

Tools

Coupa

SAP Ariba

Ivalua

Job description

CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years.

Our Vision: Our vision is to become the most admired utility in the United States through the execution of our long-term growth strategy. We have an unwavering commitment to safely and reliably deliver electricity and natural gas to millions of people.

Our Commitment: CenterPoint Energy is committed to creating an inclusive work environment where business results are achieved through the skills, abilities and talents of our diverse workforce.

At CenterPoint Energy, individuals are respected for their contributions toward our company objectives. We strive for an inclusive work environment across all levels that is reflective of the available workforce in the communities we serve.

Job Summary

The Contracts Lead - Capital Projects is responsible to source, draft, negotiate and administer work scopes for Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contracts across a portfolio of capital projects. This role is part of the portfolio EPC Contracting team, serving multiple project teams during pre-award, kickoff and execution phases.

The role coordinates a variety of contract commitment documents, and supports company teams to organize and track progress and completion of both company and EPC documents, deliverables and correspondence to ensure effective project delivery.

Essential Functions

• Support project team to develop and finalize baseline EPC documents to source and award new work scopes in the program with select EPC Partner(s)
• Coordinate with project controls to process change and revisions to core Exhibits and contract Attachments (Deliv Lists, Milestones, Targets etc)
• Participate in ongoing project status meetings; document and take responsibility for sourcing and contracting action items
• Maintain effective correspondence register, meeting notes, action logs
• Identify and advise needed actions for commercial risks and provide immediate support for individual projects to mitigate priority issues
• Proactively engage EPC partners to identify issues early, and collaborate with project leadership to ensure corrective action, recovery plans where needed
• Provide contracting progress / status reports to project leadership; accountable to drive formation of project scopes and supporting documents to ensure Kick-Off of EPC services to meet project schedule.
• Partner with Legal to structure and finalize complex commercial agreements and mitigate contract risk. Ensure adherence to legal, regulatory, and company policy.
• Lead market quotation, qualification and bidding processes and tasks in compliance with company procedures, systems and policies.
• As part of the EPC implementation process, work with suppliers and support company enablement activities - coordination with company supply chain.
• Prepare and track required evaluations, award recommendations, selection decisions and contract commitment approvals per company requirements.
• Monitor and drive contract completion and related closeout activities.
• Coordinate with EPC and company procurement requirements, related to EPC performance of purchasing and materials management scope of work.
• May perform other job duties as assigned.

Education Description

• Bachelor's degree in Business, IT, or Supply Chain or equivalent work-related experience is required.

Experience

• At least five years of capital project contracting and supply chain experience.
• Thorough understanding of EPC and construction services contract bidding and negotiation
• Background or experience with capital projects, plant and site services.
• Experience working collaboratively with program EPC partners; integrated project management teams, open book purchasing/subcontract is strongly preferred.
• Experience with electrical / power projects and equipment preferred.
• Experience with critical services (Turnarounds, Outages, Commissioning) a plus.
• Certifications in Project Management, Sourcing or Procurement a plus.
• Experience/Certification with source to pay software (Coupa, SAP Ariba, or Ivalua) strongly preferred.

Being a part of the CenterPoint Energy team is more than a career alone. It's an opportunity to make a positive impact. You will be an integral part of enabling everyday life and the pursuit of possibilities for the customers we serve and the communities we share. The vital services we provide are at the core of making our world work, and by sharing your energy with us, we'll create a better tomorrow together.

What we bring to you

• Competitive pay
• Paid training
• Benefits eligibility begins on your first day
• Transit subsidies
• Flexible work schedule, paid holidays and paid time off
• Access to discounts at fitness clubs and an on-site wellness center at our headquarters in Houston
• Professional growth and development programs including tuition reimbursement
• 401(k) Savings Plan featuring a company match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% and a company contribution of 3% regardless of your contribution

Job Type: Full Time
Posting Start Date: 08/27/2026
Posting End Date: 09/11/2026

This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR * 60-1.4(a), 60-300.5(a), and 60-741.5(a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin. Moreover, these regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability.

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