Manager Contract Management

Lutech Resources•Sabine Pass, TX

About The Position

Reporting to the Project Director, the Contracts Manager is the focal point for contractual and commercial issues during the execution of large-scale, complex engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) projects. The role supports protection of contractual entitlement and profitable project execution. It acts as deputy to the Project Contracts Manager and leads major or high-risk commercial workstreams, integrating the project’s commercial position and advising senior leadership. The position provides authoritative guidance on contract interpretation, risk allocation, entitlement, negotiation strategy, claims, defenses, and commercial resolution options. It leads significant client correspondence, negotiations, change proposals, claims, and settlement workstreams within delegated authority, while escalating reserved or sensitive matters as appropriate. It also supports project change management, commercial reporting, risk and opportunity processes, subcontract flow-downs, contract administration, and commercial closeout. The role leads and assures the work of contract-management personnel, coaches the team, and allocates priorities. Mobilization to the job site may be required.

Requirements

At least 10 years of project execution experience in the energy and/or construction industries, including at least 5 years in a contracts or commercial management role.
University degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a similar field.
Leadership experience on complex contract-management, claims, or commercial workstreams on major EPC/EPCI projects.
Proven experience advising senior project leadership, leading material negotiations, and integrating cross-functional entitlement and risk positions.
Strong drafting, negotiation, analytical, and record-management skills.
Commercial awareness, sound judgment, and disciplined protection of contractual rights.
Working knowledge of contract-management systems, document-control platforms, and Microsoft 365 tools.
High standards of ethics, confidentiality, compliance, inclusion, safety leadership, and professional conduct.

Nice To Haves

Experience on major EPC projects is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Support the Project Contracts Manager in establishing or refining the project’s contractual and commercial strategy and ensuring its continual implementation during execution.
Act as deputy to the Project Contracts Manager.
Lead major or high-risk workstreams, integrate the overall commercial position, and advise senior project leadership.
Exercise independent judgment on complex, ambiguous, material, and technically or commercially complex issues; establish strategy and recommend a preferred course with alternatives, consequences, and approval requirements.
Draft baseline contract requirements following project award and disseminate them within the project team.
Advise on contract interpretation, risk allocation, entitlement, negotiation strategy, claims, defenses, and commercial resolution options.
Lead significant client correspondence, negotiations, change proposals, claims, and settlement workstreams within delegated authority.
Conduct contractual awareness sessions for project team members.
Identify critical or sensitive contractual issues and act as a conduit for Legal support when required.
Hold readiness reviews with Field Engineers before marine and hook-up operations, focusing on contractual awareness, waiting-on-weather criteria, and Client instructions.
Serve as the initial point of contact with the Client for contractual issues during project execution and establish an effective working relationship with the Client counterpart.
Support the project team in establishing a change-management process and a culture of change identification.
Lead or participate in change-management meetings to identify changes that may provide entitlement to compensation or schedule relief.
With the Project Contracts Manager, evaluate the cost and schedule impact of identified changes individually and cumulatively.
Challenge the project team on scope growth, delay, owner-caused impacts, records, mitigation, and recovery opportunities, and ensure appropriate executive visibility.
Interface with the Project Director, Contracts Director, Legal, Finance, client leadership, partners, and executive governance.
Engage continually with the Client on contractual issues, including outstanding and pending change orders; lead negotiations toward timely resolution of change orders and contract amendments.
Shape negotiation and claims strategy, lead matters within delegated authority, and escalate reserved decisions.
Coordinate resolution of contractual issues within the project and brief the Project Director and McDermott management on sensitive matters; support dispute escalation when required.
Coordinate administration of contractual correspondence with the Client and timely release of notices needed to preserve McDermott’s contractual rights.
Monitor key dates in the main contract and subcontracts and advise the Project Contracts Manager, Project Manager, or Project Director of potential implications of delays.
Assist with weekly and monthly project progress reports for internal and external distribution in accordance with internal and contractual requirements.
Assure the quality of monthly commercial reporting, exposure analysis, opportunity forecasting, decision papers, and governance submissions.
Contribute to project risk and opportunity management processes.
Liaise with Corporate Finance to ensure contractual requirements are understood and necessary insurances and guarantees are provided.
Submit and follow up on applications for Completion Certificates.
Coordinate commercial closeout of the main contract, including bank-guarantee step-down and release of retentions.
Prepare a flow-down clause plan identifying key obligations and liabilities to pass to subcontractors and vendors; ensure back-to-back guarantees, warranties, and insurances are obtained.
Assist Supply Chain Management in coordinating contractual correspondence with vendors and subcontractors.
Lead contractual readiness for completion, acceptance, final account, security release, and warranty handover.
Lead and assure contract-management personnel’s work, coach the team, and allocate priorities.
Escalate matters beyond delegated authority, precedent-setting positions, material departures from approved risk appetite, probable disputes, significant cash exposure, and issues requiring executive or legal-privilege oversight.
Ensure negotiation positions and concessions are documented and approved before commitment.