Senior Contract Specialist

NES Fircroft; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

NES Fircroft is seeking an experienced Contract Analyst to support the Contracts and Confirmations Team in Houston. You will draft, review, and negotiate master agreements, framework contracts, and confirmations for physical and financial trading of hydrocarbons, with close collaboration across Legal, Credit, Risk and Compliance.

Strong negotiation and risk assessment skills are required. The role emphasizes timely contract execution, maintaining records, and mentoring junior analysts in the

Qualifications

• At least five years' experience in contract analysis and negotiation in energy trading or related logistics.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Law, or equivalent practical experience in energy markets.
• Strong written and oral communication, analytical skills, and ability to coordinate with multiple teams.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and review contract provisions with internal and external counterparties.
• Interpret non-standard contracts and assess risks of changes to clauses.
• Coordinate with Legal, Credit, Regulatory Compliance, Marine, Risk, Insurance, and Tax teams.

Skills

Contract analysis

Negotiation

Risk management

Stakeholder management

MS Office 365

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or Law

Tools

Salesforce

Energy Trading Software

Job description

The Contracts and Confirmations Team further enables the team to coordinate and leverage short to medium term commercial trading opportunities.

The Contract Analyst provides contract advice and support regarding physical, financial, and other risks associated with the following types of agreements:

• term supply and purchase agreements
• physical and financial broker agreements
• joint general terms and conditions
• land and marine logistics agreements (including truck and rail leases, pipeline throughput, storage, terminal, exchange, marine vessel spot and time charter parties, contracts of affreightment, and master transportation agreements
• energy and industrial gases agreements (including utility contracts)
• transaction confirmations for marketing and trading of hydrocarbons, with a focus on crude, refined products, petrochemicals, and environmental products.

The incumbent will be expected to have knowledge and proficiency in the skills of negotiating master enabling agreements such as NAESBs, LEAP, LEAP/RINs, ISDAs, term and spot purchase and sales contracts, and experience drafting and negotiating domestic and international logistics agreements.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate and review new contract provisions directly with internal stakeholders and external counterparties.
• Interpret key elements of non-standard contracts and analyze the risks associated with requested changes to clauses in standardized agreements and/or counterparty Agreements. Interface with commercial and functional support teams to reach consensus on terms, including Legal, Credit, Regulatory Compliance, Marine, Risk and Insurance, and Tax departments.
• Ensure agreements accurately reflect the terms and conditions of related transactions, influencing where possible to limit changes to standard form agreements to reduce risks.
• Negotiate Master Agreements, framework agreements, and side letter agreements directly with third parties on behalf of the client.
• Draft confirmation purchase reply templates to enable the Confirmations team to transact quickly and efficiently.
• Review and approve non-standard spot agreements and Confirmations drafted by the Confirmations Analysts.
• Consult with other Contract Analysts and the Sr. Manager when analyzing terms and negotiating contracts.
• Interface regularly with commercial and trading teams and keep appraised of transaction status and any related special conditions.
• Meet tight deadlines and work under pressure in a dynamic environment with frequently changing requirements to optimize trading.
• Participate in regularly scheduled contract prioritization meetings with commercial and functional support teams and communicate status of pending contracts.
• Ensure the Contracts records database (Apttus) is maintained and updated in a timely manner so that other departments (Legal, Credit, Commercial) and staff remain continuously apprised of contract negotiation status.
• Provide mentoring and guidance to the Confirmations Analysts who support the Contract Analysts regarding contracts and the contracting process. Take an active role in the Confirmations Analysts' learning and development.
• Follow established company and departmental contract processes and procedures. Identify and suggest updates/improvements to procedures, as necessary. Ensure compliance with established records retention policy.
• This role has the opportunity to be part of the expansion of responsibilities and enhancement of system capabilities. Significant demands will be placed in this position as we quickly enhance systems and compliance oversight to ensure effective business support in a constantly changing business environment.
• We are interested in attracting people to our business that share our core working values of honesty, integrity and have respect for others. We also want those who can build on our business vision, are prepared to accept accountability and can achieve great results through teamwork.

Basic Qualifications

• At least five years' experience in contract analysis and negotiation related to the marketing and trading of physical hydrocarbons (crude, natural gas, chemicals, or refined products) and related logistics contracts for the storage and transportation of physical hydrocarbons
• A Bachelor's degree in Business, Law or equivalent practical experience in the energy marketing and trading industry
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as strong reading comprehension, organization, and analytical skills
• Contract Drafting and Negotiation
• Trading industry experience
• Team-oriented with the ability to be self-directed and work independently
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills including the ability to interact with all levels of staff and management
• Comfortable working with Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, and energy trading risk management software

Preferred Qualifications

• JD or equivalent from an accredited university
• Basic understanding of trading in energy commodities
• Experience in process maintenance and improvement
• Risk management/mitigation and internal control
• Business partnering
• Strategic perspective
• Project, change management and time management skills
• Manage and Support OTC Policies & Processes - Data Quality & Controls
• Experience with Microsoft Power Platform