Sr. Contracts Administrator

LJA Engineering, Inc.; Houston, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO

Comprehensive Benefits

Education support

Tuition reimbursement

Volunteer days

Internal mobility

Fun culture

Career growth

Job summary

LJA Engineering, Inc. is seeking a Senior Contracts Administrator in Houston to support a high-volume portfolio of commercial agreements.

The role focuses on drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and efficiently handling contract lifecycle tasks within an in-house legal team. The ideal candidate has 7+ years of experience in commercial contracts, strong drafting and negotiation skills, and a practical, business-focused approach.

Qualifications

• 7+ years’ work experience in commercial contracts.
• In-house legal department, corporate contracts function, or law firm practice focused on commercial transactions.
• Strong knowledge of common commercial contract provisions and risk allocation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication to non-lawyers.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to multitask under deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and AI-assisted contracting tools.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, revise, and negotiate commercial contracts and related documents in line with company policies and objectives.
• Analyze contract language to identify key legal and commercial issues (scope, payment, indemnity, IP, liability, termination).
• Provide practical guidance to internal partners on requirements and risk mitigation options.
• Support standard templates, clause libraries, and training materials.
• Coordinate signatures, file retention, and post-execution administration as needed.
• Assist with process improvements in contract management and legal operations.

Skills

Contract drafting

Contract negotiation

Communication skills

Organizational skills

MS Office

AI contracting tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

AI-assisted contracting tools

Job description

WHAT MAKES LJA DIFFERENT

LJA is offering an exciting opportunity that will allow you to reach your full career potential. The structure of our organization is designed to amplify your capabilities while gaining the benefits of being an employee-owner. What truly sets this opportunity apart is the chance to collaborate every day with dedicated, skilled, and supportive leaders. Whether you are in the office, in the field, or behind the scenes, working at LJA gives you the chance to grow through hands-on experience and exposure to a broad range of clients and services.

At LJA, our employee-owners take pride in their work and their workplace. We’re guided by leaders who foster a culture of respect, collaboration and a shared vision of success. Our difference is evident in the experiences and opportunities we provide:

• Employee-owned. Client-focused
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Consistently ranked as a Top Workplace
• Internal recruitment team, in-house training, and a marketing department specific to our industry
• We celebrate flexibility, allowing every team and office to lead with their proven approach
• Our culture champions continuous learning and personal growth
• We believe success comes through constant evolution and communication
• We are passionate about having fun and making money, all while creating impact

POSITION OVERVIEW: LJA Business Solutions is seeking a Senior Contracts Administrator to support the company’s high-volume commercial contracting needs across multiple business units and divisions. This role is part of a collaborative in-house legal and contracts team focused on practical risk management, efficient contract execution, and responsive business support in connection with project operations.

This position is well suited for a highly organized, responsive, and detail-oriented professional who is comfortable managing a substantial contract workload in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will bring strong drafting, review, negotiation, and issue-spotting skills, along with sound business judgement and the ability to work effectively within established legal, operational, and commercial frameworks. Candidates with law degrees and relevant in-house or law firms commercial contracts experience are encouraged to apply.

A TYPICAL DAY MIGHT INCLUDE:

• Reviewing, drafting, revising, and negotiating a high volume of commercial agreements, including professional services agreements, subconsultant agreements, master services agreements, vendor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, amendments, work orders, and other operational contracts.
• Coordinating contract intake, review, negotiation, execution, and file management across multiple business units and divisions
• Identifying legal and commercial risks in proposed contract terms and recommending practical, business-oriented solutions
• Escalating complex legal, compliance, insurance, indemnity, limitation of liability, intellectual property, data use, and dispute-related issues as appropriate
• Working closely with internal stakeholders, including operations, procurement, finance, risk management, project managers, and business leadership, to support timely and effective contract execution
• Supporting internal legal and contracting processes, templates, clause libraries, playbooks, and approval workflows
• Assisting with interpretation of contractual obligations, deliverables, notices, claims, and related project documentation
• Collaborating with in-house counsel and outside counsel, when needed, on legal issues, contract disputes, and specialized negotiations
• Helping drive consistency, efficiency, and continuous improvement in the contract lifecycle management process
• Maintaining accurate contract records and ensuring compliance with internal policies and procedures

Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, revise, and negotiate commercial contracts and related documents in accordance with company policies, risk tolerances, and business objectives
• Analyze contract language to identify key legal and commercial issues, including scope, payment, schedule, indemnity, insurance, warranties, limitation of liability, termination, confidentiality, intellectual property, and dispute resolution provisions
• Provide practical guidance to internal business partners on contract requirements, deviations from standard terms, and risk mitigation options
• Support the development and maintenance of standard contract templates, fallback positions, negotiation guidance, and training materials
• Track open issues, negotiation status, approvals, and execution requirements to help ensure timely turnaround and operational alignment
• Coordinate signatures, document retention, and post-execution administration as needed
• Assist with process improvement initiatives relating to contract management, workflow efficiency, and legal operations
• Support special projects and other duties as assigned in connection with the company’s contracting and legal support functions

REQUIRED EDUCATION/LICENSE/CERTIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree (may be substituted with 7+ years’ work experience)
• Legal, paralegal, or business law education required

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 7+ years’ work experience
• Significant experience in commercial contract drafting, review, and negotiation, preferably in an in-house legal department, corporate contracts function, professional services environment, engineering or construction-adjacent industry, or law firm practice focused on commercial transactions
• Strong knowledge of common commercial contract provisions and risk allocation concepts
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain legal and business issues clearly and concisely to non-lawyers
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously under deadline pressure
• Sound judgment, professionalism, and a practical, solutions-oriented approach
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and AI-assisted contracting tools

LEVEL UP WITH LJA

At LJA, we’re 100% employee-owned. This drives results, rewards ambition and supports long-term success for every team member. With almost 100 locations and 3,000+ employee-owners (and growing), we’re building something big! We want you to be part of it. Your future grows here.

• Generous Time Off: PTO, paid holidays, and a full office closure between Christmas and New Year’s.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Multiple plan options for health, dental, and pets. Along with mental health support.
• Family Support: Paid maternity and parental leave to help you focus on what matters most.
• Education Support: Tuition reimbursement and in-house courses provided by our Learning and Development team.
• Referral Bonuses: Know great talent? Get rewarded for helping us grow.
• Community Impact: Company-sponsored volunteer days and philanthropic initiatives.
• Professional Development: Memberships to industry organizations to keep you connected and growing.
• Career Growth: Great internal mobility opportunities to advance your career.
• Fun Culture: LJA social events, employee sports teams, bring your kid to work day, etc.

To Executive Search Firms & Staffing Agencies: LJA, Inc. and its subsidiaries do not accept unsolicited resumes from any agencies that have not signed a service agreement. All unsolicited resumes will be considered LJA's property. This includes resumes submitted directly to hiring managers without contacting LJA's Human Resources Talent Department.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.