Contracts Administrator 2

4P Consulting•Birmingham, AL

83d•Onsite

About The Position

This position will provide daily contracting and sourcing support (request for proposal, negotiations, contract development, risk mitigation, tracking, analysis) to meet the acquisition needs for services and materials. The role involves proactive and continuous engagement with internal business partners, suppliers, peers, and supervisors. Duties include daily support of all sourcing & contracting activities from 'cradle to grave', advising customers on RFI and RFP preparation, leading pre-bid meetings, reviewing offers, cost & price analysis, negotiations, risk assessment, preparing contract documents and agreements, contract administration, incorporation of changes, expediting & follow-up, disposition of claims, and contract closeout. The role also requires leading sourcing projects and assisting in developing and implementing strategic programs for the procurement of Equipment and Services. Outstanding oral and written communications are expected, with the ability to excel in high-level communications with Management at multiple levels. The position involves developing sourcing strategies for low to high risk services, supporting approximately 20-25 active projects concurrently with defined turnaround parameters for all contract-related documents. Managing vendor relationships to ensure efficient and transparent contracting and negotiation processes to reduce costs, improve commercial terms, and reduce duplication of efforts is key. The role requires working cross-functionally to improve and streamline processes, ensuring overall risk is properly controlled and mitigated. A detailed knowledge of Southern Company and Operating Company procurement policies/procedures is expected, with the capability to become a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Building and maintaining knowledge of essential legal provisions, contract common law, contract formation issues, data security issues, remedies, liquidated damages, litigation avoidance, and dispute resolution is also required. Ensuring all required terms and conditions are included in procurement documents and working with legal, risk management, and financial services to resolve contractor exceptions and issues in a timely manner is crucial. Drafting contract language, including special conditions for complex, non-standard purchases, identifying and evaluating new sources of supply (domestic and globally), performing market research and analysis, and building and maintaining knowledge of contracting systems are also part of the role. Conflict resolution and maintaining the primary interface with contractors in an ethical and respectful manner while protecting the company's interests are essential.

Requirements

Contract law and drafting of terms and conditions (required)
Legal and commercial negotiation skills (required)
Self-motivated and ability to work with minimal supervision
Customer focused with ability to build and maintain relationships with internal customers, suppliers, contractors and other key stakeholders
Effectively handle tight deadlines, large workloads, and multiple projects with positive enthusiasm
Superior written and oral communication, to successfully negotiate contract terms and write such contracts in a clear, logical and concise manner
Candidate must have effective influencing and consensus-building skills
Strategic focus on problem-solving
Excellent organizational skills are required to plan and manage assigned workload and customer expectations effectively to meet internal business unit requirements
Ability to think strategically and apply broad seasoned judgment to decisions
Analytical and interpersonal skills
Ability to effectively work and participate in cross-functional and cross-company teams at all levels in the organization to ensure buy-in by multiple companies when working on system projects
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and contract management software.

Nice To Haves

BS in Business, Management, Finance, or Law is preferred
Formal education in contract language and law is highly preferred

Responsibilities

Proactive and continuous engagement and communication with internal business partners, suppliers, peers, and supervisor.
Daily support of all sourcing & contracting activities from 'cradle to grave', including advising customers on Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) preparation, lead pre-bid meetings, review of offers upon receipt from bidders, cost & price analysis, negotiations, risk assessment, preparing contract documents and agreements; assists in contract administration, incorporation of changes, expediting & follow-up, disposition of claims, and contract closeout.
Leading sourcing projects, assisting in developing and implementing strategic programs for the procurement of Equipment and Services.
Develop the sourcing strategy for low to high risk services.
Manage relationships with the company’s vendors and ensure efficient and transparent contracting and negotiation process to reduce costs, improve commercial terms and reduce duplication of efforts.
Work cross functionally to improve and streamline processes.
Ensure that overall risk is properly controlled and mitigated.
Develop a detailed knowledge of the Southern Company and Operating Company procurement policies/procedures and have the capability to become a Subject Matter Expert (SME).
Build and maintain a detailed knowledge and understanding of essential legal provisions, contract common law, contract formation issues, data security issues, remedies, liquidated damages, litigation avoidance, and dispute resolution.
Ensure all required terms and conditions are included in procurement documents and work with legal, risk management and financial services (accounting) to resolve contractor exceptions and issues in a timely manner.
Draft contract language, including special conditions for complex, non-standard purchases.
Identify and evaluate new sources of supply, domestic and globally, when necessary to meet customer needs, including performing market research and analysis.
Build and maintain a fundamental to proficient knowledge of our contracting systems utilized in daily support.
Conflict Resolution, the ability to engage and fix identified issues.
Maintain the primary interface with contractors in an ethical and respectful manner while protecting the company's interests.
Provide advanced support to the contracts management team, leveraging 6-10 years of experience to ensure efficient and effective contract administration processes.
Independently review, draft, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including vendor agreements, client contracts, and other legal documents.
Maintain meticulous records of contracts, amendments, and related documents, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and legal requirements.
Monitor and track contract milestones, deliverables, and obligations, and coordinate with relevant stakeholders to ensure timely fulfillment.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including legal, procurement, and finance, to ensure contract compliance and resolve any issues or discrepancies.
Take a lead role in complex contract negotiations and amendments, demonstrating proficiency in contract law and legal terminology.
Provide guidance and mentorship to junior contracts administrators, as needed, to ensure the team's success.
Contribute to the development and enhancement of contract management systems and databases.