Senior Contract Manager

Harvest Technical Services, Inc.; Vacaville (CA); On-site; USD 103,000 - 112,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvest Technical Services, Inc. is seeking a Senior Contracts & Claims Manager to lead the commercial management of CAPEX projects with minimum $5M USD spend and to protect the company’s rights under contracts.

The role involves optimizing value-for-money, reducing contract risk, and ensuring on-time, in-cost delivery. You will coordinate with Global SGIE and local project teams, manage change orders and claims, and support arbitration while driving cost control and schedule adherence across

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master preferred, with focus on Purchasing, Engineering or Legal.
• 10+ years with major contractors/consultants in change management, cost, claims and disputes.
• Experience with EPCMV/EPC contractors and senior project roles.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with project teams and legal/finance.
• Regulated industry experience is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of contracts to protect company rights and entitlements.
• Report contracting plan status and variations to Project & Procurement.
• Manage contracting plan through execution, commissioning and evaluation stages.
• Coordinate change orders, delays, disputes and potential litigation prep.
• Oversee supplier relationships and performance through scorecards.
• Support arbitration and ADR procedures.
• Identify opportunities for claims and develop strategies.
• Engage with internal stakeholders (Legal, Finance, Global SGIE).

Skills

10+ years experience in commercial/cos

Contract strategy development

Negotiation & settlement

International contracts

Claims management

Cost management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Tools

e-procurement systems

Job description

• As a member of the Global Capital Sourcing team, a Senior Contracts & Claims Manager is sought to be responsible for the commercial management of a variety of projects within large and medium green or brown field CAPEX schemes (CAPEX project sizes/spend of min 5 m USD).
• The aims are to protect the company’s rights and entitlements as provided in the contracts, ensure the Contractors’ obligations are fulfilled, ensure the company is fulfilling their obligations, optimizing value-for-money, reducing contract risks, lowest Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), on time/schedule delivery, quality and in-cost project purchases to support the goal for the company’s growth investments.
• He/she is in position to mitigate risks related to the contract creation / execution, identify cost benefit solutions to complex contractual matters (including regular delivery and close out of complex negotiations with extremal Stakeholders and Consultants).
• The position is expected to act as a commercial expert working in close cooperation and coordination together with the Global Engineering team (SGIE), the local project team and any other relevant internal or external stakeholder, ensuring a common company approach to suppliers.
• Lead the execution of contracts to secure our the company contractual rights and entitlements.
• Responsible to report contracting plan status and variations to the Project & Procurement on a periodic basis.
• Manage the contracting plan during project execution, commissioning and evaluation stages, including the contractor's cost in cooperation with Cost Control.
• Prepare a summary of key contractual points (deviations from norms, identified risks, of concern to the company) generated by a review such that they can be readily identified and addressed.
• Negotiate and agree contract extensions & change request.
• Coordinate activities such as change orders, delay management, conflict management, preparation for potential litigation / arbitration / ADR in terms of proper documentation, timely responses to the contractor as per contract.
• Monitor and safeguards the legal right as per the provisions of the contract.
• Manage the Warranty and performance guarantees of the project assets.
• Ensuring all requirements of the company, are met with respect to contract review.
• Coordinating the involvement of legal counsel and/or Client legal counsel in reviews as required.
• Support in Arbitration and in Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedures.
• Overseeing, managing, directing and supporting the project commercial teams to ensure optimization of project returns.
• Identifying opportunities for outgoing claims, development of claim strategies, supporting/preparing notifications/correspondence as well as negotiation and settlement.
• Analysis of incoming claims, development of defense strategies, supporting/preparing response/correspondence, claim negotiation and settlement.
• Collection and registration of all claim related documentation in company’s claim repository.
• Manage escalation of issues and claims management with supplier.
• Develop the supplier relationship according to the expectations per supplier segment.
• Support supplier relationship management and to ensure reliable high quality supply.
• Support the supplier performance, compliance and accountability through supplier scorecards and performance metrics.
• Involved in periodic commercial audits of main contractors.

Stakeholder Management:

• Identify and engage with internal stakeholders, including Project Management,
• Global SGIE, Global Procurement and Corporate Functions (mainly Legal and Finance).
• Clarify stakeholder requirements.
• Drive proactive communications.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education:

• Degree (required)* A higher commercial background equivalent to a Bachelor (BSc/BA), preferably Master degree (MSc/MBA) or equivalent and a good thorough technical understanding and knowledge.
• Field of Study: Purchasing, Engineering or Legal, Quantity Surveying or Cost Consulting.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience with major contractors / consultants in roles dealing with management of project change procedures, cost management, claims and variations, negotiation and settlement of disputes with owners and subcontractors.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing contract strategies that have yielded measurable business results.
• Has preferably overseen, sourced from or worked for EPCMV / EPC contractors.
• Experience operating at a senior level on a major project or in a Commercial / Claims Manager role in a large construction company.
• Experience in a regulated industry (i.e. pharmaceutical, food) advantageous.
• Ability to work cross functionally in project work and project management.
• Highly Experienced - 10+ years.

Skills:

• Business and financial acumen.
• Contracting strategy & execution, strategic sourcing expertise, procurement/sourcing knowledge/experience for large CAPEX projects.
• A strong understanding of construction technology, sequencing and practices.
• Exceptional problem solving and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated project management skills.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing sourcing strategies that have yielded measurable business results.
• Ability to work cross functionally in project work and project management.
• Has overseen, sourced from or worked for EPCMV contractors.
• Skills in all procurement processes including commodity management, supplier management, negotiations, contract management and e-procurement systems.
• Research, analysis, summary recommendation skills.
• Strong negotiating and influencing skills on international level.
• Experience managing global relationships, both internal and external.
• Experience with international commercial contracts and agreements.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills and ability to build business relationships and to work in multifunctional team.

The hiring rate for this position is $75 to $80.81/per hour. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity, and may also vary depending on candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience amongst other factors.

Harvest Technical Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, Sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.