Contracts Manager - Data Centers

SLB•Houston, TX

23h

About The Position

SLB New Energy & Industrial (NEI), a division of SLB, focuses on energy innovation, including carbon capture, geothermal power, energy storage, sustainable battery-grade lithium, hydrogen, and Data Center infrastructure solutions. Their Data Center infrastructure solutions business provides innovative and cost-effective methods for building faster, smarter, and more resilient data centers. These modular solutions scale AI and cloud computing capacity while minimizing capital risk and deployment delays, covering design, supply chain, commissioning, and operations. By standardizing components and relocating labor to controlled offsite environments, they aim to reduce costs, improve lead times, lower construction risk, and ensure quality and global repeatability. SLB is seeking a highly qualified and motivated Contracts Manager to oversee all contractual and commercial activities for Data Center projects. This role acts as the central link between client contracts and all subcontract agreements, maintaining full visibility of project execution and continuously referencing events against contractual obligations. As the project's commercial advisor, the Contracts Manager ensures client and subcontractor relationships align with contractual terms, proactively protecting the company's position and facilitating smooth project delivery. The role involves ownership of contract compliance, change management, and commercial risk mitigation throughout the entire project lifecycle, including early works, phased construction, commissioning, and contract close-out, with proven experience in GMP and progressive GMP delivery models with open-book cost management.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Construction Management, Law, or Business Administration.
15+ years of demonstrable experience managing large-scale construction or industrial projects including commercial risk management under compressed schedules and evolving scope.
Strong experience managing both client and subcontractor contracts simultaneously within active project environments.
Proven capability in understanding contract law, interpreting contract terms and translating them into actionable project guidance.
Demonstrated success tracking, drafting and managing claims, variations, and correspondence under tight timeframes.
Hands on in managing commercial exposure associated with delays, variations, and interface risks, acting as a senior escalation point for contractual conflict resolution.
Familiarity with project controls systems and cost management principles.
Proven experience delivering projects under GMP, progressive GMP, or cost‑reimbursable/open‑book models, including client audit support and contingency governance.
Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
Candidates must be able to legally work and reside in the US, without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience delivering large-scale data center or mission-critical facility projects is highly preferred.
Professional certification in Contract or Commercial Management (e.g., MRICS, CICES, or IACCM) is preferred.
Experience with industry‑standard contract templates used in North American data center projects, including AIA, ConsensusDocs, and bespoke owner (hyperscaler) forms, in addition to FIDIC or NEC where applicable is preferred.

Responsibilities

Administer the prime contract in accordance with contractual notice, certification, and response timeframes, including tracking, assessing, and managing all changes through a disciplined change order process.
Maintain awareness of daily project activities, linking site events and decisions to contractual requirements and obligations.
Provide timely advice to the Project Manager and functional leads regarding entitlement, risk exposure, and compliance with notice requirements.
Lead contractual assessment of changes, variations, and potential claims, including entitlement evaluation, valuation of work performed, and tracking through resolution.
Prepare and issue formal correspondence, notifications, and claims to clients and subcontractors in line with contractual procedures.
Lead review and negotiation of subcontract terms and variations, ensuring consistency with client contract requirements.
Coordinate with project controls to align change management, cost, and schedule impacts with contractual submissions.
Supervise and mentor Contract Administrators managing day-to-day administration of client and subcontract agreements.
Administer contracts executed under GMP, progressive GMP, or cost‑plus fee structures, including validation of allowable costs, fee application, contingency drawdown, and reconciliation processes.
Coordinate closely with Project Controls and Cost Management teams to ensure alignment between GMP development, forecast‑to‑complete, and contractual entitlements.
Ensure all required bonds, warranties, insurances, and commercial undertakings are in place and compliant with contractual requirements.
Support establishment and operation of open‑book commercial processes, including cost transparency, backup validation, and management of client audit interactions.
Assist the commercial close‑out activities, including final account negotiations, contingency reconciliation, shared savings calculations, and settlement of outstanding claims or variations.