Lead Contracts Advisor

Motiva • Houston, TX

4d • Onsite

About The Position

At Motiva, our employees’ energy, passion, and dedication to excellence are what make us who we are and what allows us to generate energy that makes a house a home, gets us from point A to point B, and enables our health and wellbeing. We invest in every aspect of our employees’ lives because, at Motiva, our people matter. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Motiva refines, distributes and markets petroleum products throughout the Americas. The company’s Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex in Port Arthur, TX, is comprised of North America’s largest refinery with a total throughput of 720,000 barrels per day, the largest base oil plant in the western hemisphere, and an integrated chemical plant. Under exclusive long-term brand licenses with Shell and Phillips 66 (for the 76® brand), Motiva’s commercial operations supply more than 12 billion gallons of fuel to customers annually. Motiva is wholly owned by Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies. Position Overview: Motiva is seeking a results-driven Lead Contracts Advisor to oversee the commercial and contractual administration of EPC agreements within our Major Capital Projects organization. Initially located in our Downtown Houston office, this role may be co-located at the EPC contractor’s office, serving as Motiva’s lead commercial interface and ensuring disciplined execution of complex, high-value contracts supporting mega downstream projects such as our new Aromatics expansion at the Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex. The Lead Contracts Advisor serves as a strategic advisor to project leadership—leading all aspects of EPC contract management, from change and claims administration to risk mitigation and performance management. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in owner-side contract execution for large-scale refining, petrochemical, or integrated manufacturing projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field.
• 10–15 years of progressively responsible experience in contract management, commercial administration, or project controls for mega projects in the downstream oil & gas or petrochemical sector.
• Proven ability to manage complex owner–EPC relationships and to lead resolution of claims, changes, and performance issues.
• Deep understanding of contract law, commercial risk management, and EPC execution methodologies.
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and negotiation skills; able to influence across technical and leadership levels.

Nice To Haves

• PMP (PMI), CCP (AACE), CPCM (NCMA), CCM (WCC) or similar advanced contract management certification is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the administration and supplier performance management of major EPC contracts, ensuring full compliance with commercial terms and contractual deliverables.
• Manage the change management process, including identification, evaluation, negotiation, and approval of variations and amendments.
• Manage claims and disputes, developing strategy, performing entitlement and quantum assessments, and supporting resolution in coordination with Legal and Project Controls.
• Serve as Motiva’s primary contract management liaison with the EPC contractor, fostering collaborative relationships while protecting commercial and schedule interests.
• Advise project leadership on contractual implications of technical or commercial decisions; Facilitate contractual communications, including formal notices and correspondence.
• Manage contract close-out and documentation handover.
• Mentor and provide guidance to other team member, promoting compliance, contracting and commercial excellence across the MCP organization.
• Contribute to the development of standardized processes, templates, and KPIs to strengthen Motiva’s capital project governance framework.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees