Contract Manager- ESS

AESC•Murfreesboro, TN

10d•$88,000 - $110,000•Remote

About The Position

AESC is seeking a remote Contracts Manager to support its utility-scale energy storage (BESS) business. The role owns the contractual lifecycle of BESS projects, from bidding through negotiation, closing, and contract management during project execution. The Contracts Manager works cross-functionally with Sales, Legal, Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Project Management to negotiate balanced contracts with utilities, IPPs, developers, and EPCs, protect the company’s commercial position, and support Sales in driving agreements to signature. The role supports commercial portions of RFP, RFQ, and tender responses; reviews customer templates and term sheets; coordinates pricing inputs and bid risk reviews; leads negotiations of supply, early works, service, and warranty agreements; manages negotiation documentation and approval workflows; and prepares contract handovers to project execution teams. During execution, the role supports project teams with signed contracts, amendments, change orders, variations, and formal correspondence.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Law, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in a primary contract commercial or contract management role covering project bidding, contract negotiation and closing, and post-award contract management.
Proven track record of leading high-value contract negotiations through to signature.
Solid understanding of commercial and legal terms such as payment, liquidated damages, warranty, performance guarantees, liability, indemnity, insurance, security instruments, change, and termination.
Excellent written and spoken English, including the ability to draft precise contract language and correspondence.
Strong negotiation, analytical, and cross-functional coordination skills; detail-oriented and able to manage multiple contracts simultaneously.
Willingness to coach team members in negotiation and contract improvements is a positive attribute.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or legal training.
Experience with capital equipment, EPC, or infrastructure contracts; experience in utility-scale energy storage, renewable energy, power generation, or transmission and distribution is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with U.S. or international contract forms for equipment supply, EPC, and long-term service, such as ESSA, LTSA, and FIDIC.
Knowledge of BESS components and typical guarantee structures, including capacity, availability, round-trip efficiency, and degradation.
Experience with contract risk assessment and deal approval processes.
Knowledge of utility-scale BESS components such as battery containers, PCS, EMS, transformers, and SCADA.
Understanding of grid-connected applications such as frequency regulation, capacity, energy arbitrage, and renewable integration.
Experience supporting EPCs, utilities, IPPs, or project developers.
Familiarity with interconnection processes, permitting, and project development phases for utility-scale ESS projects.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office; use of AI for contract evaluation is a plus.
Mandarin language skills.
Professional certification in contract management, such as WorldCC/IACCM.

Responsibilities

Support Sales with commercial aspects of RFP, RFQ, and tender responses for utility-scale BESS projects, including bid strategy, commercial offers, payment terms, validity, and clarifications.
Review customer contract templates and term sheets and prepare exception and deviation lists in coordination with Legal, Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Project Management.
Coordinate pricing inputs and commercial assumptions and run internal bid risk review processes.
Lead negotiation of supply agreements (ESSA/BESS supply agreements), LNTP/early works agreements, LTSA/service agreements, and related warranty documents.
Negotiate key commercial and legal terms, including price and payment milestones, delivery and schedule, liquidated damages, warranties and performance guarantees, liability, indemnities, title and risk transfer, force majeure, change, suspension and termination, and security.
Manage redline rounds, issue lists, and version control; prepare negotiation positions, fallback options, and management escalation papers.
Drive contracts to signature, including internal approval workflows, signing package preparation, and final document checks.
Prepare contract handovers to project execution teams, including contract summaries, obligations matrices, key dates, and risk registers.
Support execution project teams as the owner of signed contracts.
Manage contract amendments, change orders, and variations and prepare and review formal contract correspondence.

Benefits

401(k) with company match.
Health insurance, including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
HSA and flexible spending accounts.
Company-paid life insurance, with additional voluntary life available.
Paid vacation and 14 paid holidays.
Competitive base salary with performance-based incentives.
Company-paid short- and long-term disability coverage.
Tuition reimbursement.
Inclusive and diverse work environment that fosters professional and personal development.
Comprehensive training in energy storage technologies and market dynamics.
Career growth opportunities within utility-scale sales, project development, or commercial operations.