Contracts Specialist

Connecticut Water•San Jose, TX

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Contracts Specialist is a key member of the Legal Department responsible for managing the full lifecycle of commercial contracts across a publicly traded investor-owned water and wastewater utility serving customers in California, Texas, Connecticut, and Maine. The Contracts Specialist is responsible for supporting H2O America's contracting activities through the drafting, administration, tracking, and lifecycle management of corporate, commercial, construction, procurement, operational, and real estate-related agreements. The Contracts Specialist combines strong contract administration capabilities with process-oriented thinking to help drive consistency, compliance, efficiency, and risk management across the Company's contract portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree or certification in Business Administration, Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies, Public Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering Management, or a related field.
5-8 years of experience in contract administration, procurement, legal operations, contract management, project administration, or a related field.
Experience supporting commercial contracts within a utility, infrastructure, engineering, construction, energy, or regulated industry environment preferred.
Experience utilizing CLM platforms, workflow systems, or document management technologies preferred.
Understanding of contract lifecycle management principles and commercial contracting processes.
Ability to draft, review, and revise routine contractual documents using standard company templates.
Strong organizational and project management skills.
Excellent attention to detail and document management capabilities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Teams, and contract management systems.
Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments and build productive business relationships.
Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and exercising sound professional judgment.

Nice To Haves

Paralegal Certificate, Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM), Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM), or similar certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Draft, revise and administer routine and standardized a wide array of commercial agreements using approved templates and playbooks, including, but not limited to: Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Professional Services Agreements, Vendor and Supplier Agreements, Construction and Engineering Agreements, Statements of Work (SOWs), Change Orders, Purchase Order Terms and Conditions, Easements, Licenses, Rights-of-Way, and other real estate-related instruments, Amendments, renewals, and termination agreements.
Maintain contract calendars and monitor key milestones, including notice periods, renewal dates, expiration dates, and ongoing contractual obligations.
Coordinate execution processes utilizing electronic signature platforms and maintain executed agreement repositories.
Serve as a liaison between internal stakeholders and external counterparties during the contracting process.
Prepare amendments, extensions, renewals, notices, and related contract documentation.
Redline third-party agreements utilizing company-approved positions and escalation procedures.
Conduct initial contract reviews to identify deviations from approved standards and route issues to Legal Department attorneys as appropriate.
Assist attorneys with contract-related research, due diligence, and document preparation.
Ability to work within CLM workflows to draft, negotiate and execute standard commercial agreements.
Partner with Legal, Shared Services (IT, HR, Water Quality, Communications, Cyber, Customer Service), Operations, and other company teams to develop and implement contracting best practices.
Identify opportunities to streamline contract administration processes, reduce manual effort, and improve user experience.
Assist in the development and maintenance of: Contract policies, Standard operating procedures, Playbooks, Clause libraries, Templates and forms, Training materials.
Support implementation of new technologies and automation initiatives relating to contract management and legal operations.
Participate in cross-functional projects focused on procurement, vendor management, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation.
Prepare legal department reports and support end‑of‑quarter auditor reporting requirements.
Recommend and implement improvements to contracting processes, policies, procedures, and technology.
Support cross-functional initiatives related to procurement, compliance, risk management, cybersecurity, vendor management, and operational excellence.
Assist with legal department special projects.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.