Lead Contract Manager, Major Projects

natgridProd•City of Syracuse, NY

4d•$105,000 - $124,000•Hybrid

About The Position

National Grid is hiring a Lead Contract Manager for our New York Electric Major Projects department. This is a Hybrid position and can be based in Syracuse, NY or Albany, NY. Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us the most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live. The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating and our expertise and track record puts us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry. To be successful we must anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business. Why Major Projects at National Grid Join a high performing, inclusive team delivering the critical infrastructure that will shape our clean energy future. You’ll work on some of the largest and most impactful infrastructure investments in the country and be part of a collaborative team committed to safety, innovation, and performance. Job PurposeThe NY Electric Major Projects team delivers some of the most complex, high‑value, and strategically important infrastructure programs across National Grid’s electric transmission system. As a Lead Contract Manager, you will be a key commercial leader ensuring that our major capital projects are delivered efficiently, safely, and with strong commercial discipline. You will manage the end‑to‑end commercial performance of large construction, engineering, and professional services contracts—often under DBB, EPC, and other major project delivery models—and act as a critical partner to Project Directors, Engineering, Construction, and Procurement.

Requirements

Extensive contract management experience supporting large capital projects, preferably in engineering, construction, or major infrastructure.
Strong understanding of major contract forms, commercial risk allocation, and construction delivery models.
Demonstrated experience managing contractors, claims, and negotiating commercial agreements.
Ability to manage change through a continuous improvement mindset.
Outstanding stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence Project Directors, Engineering, Legal, Finance, and external partners.
Strong analytical skills and comfort working with commercial data.
Bachelors Degree preferably in Business Administration or Contract Management
5+ years relevant Experience

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of contract management best practices.
Experience with multi-billion-dollar capital programs or portfolios.
Proficiency with Power BI, AI and advanced reporting structures.

Responsibilities

Support commercial strategy and contract management for complex, multi‑year Major Projects, ensuring alignment with safety, cost, schedule, scope, and regulatory objectives.
Serve as the commercial authority on assigned projects, providing guidance to project leadership teams on contract interpretation, commercial risk, and change strategy.
Drive performance and accountability across delivery partners, ensuring high-quality outcomes and cost-efficient delivery.
Support commercial development of major contract packages including DBB, EPC, and professional services agreements.
Coordinate negotiations for new contracts, amendments, and commercial settlements.
Ensure contracts support the selected project delivery model and mitigate exposure for National Grid.
Support claims defense and resolution, working collaboratively with Project Management, Legal, Project Controls and Engineering.
Manage tier‑1 contractors and strategic partners, ensuring delivery performance aligns with contractual KPIs, safety expectations, and National Grid standards.
Conduct regular performance reviews and ensure commercial levers are applied effectively with the appropriate due diligence and due process.
Lead a solution-oriented approach to contractor performance issues, focusing on proactive dispute and conflict resolution.
Drive a culture of transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement with contractor and supplier partners.
Partner closely with Project Management, Project Controls and Legal to ensure commercial positions are accurately reflected in project reporting, governance reviews, and risk assessments.
Support development of investment papers, cost estimates, regulatory filings, and capital planning inputs.
Ensure adherence to National Grid’s Major Projects governance, commercial assurance processes, and regulatory obligations.
Maintain full auditability of commercial decisions, documentation, and contract correspondence.