The Contracts Manager will be responsible for leading all contract administration, contractual compliance, claims management, change management, and commercial governance activities for the Projects. The role will ensure effective administration of client, consultant, contractor, and subcontractor contracts throughout the project lifecycle while protecting the commercial and contractual interests of the project.

Your role

Contract Administration & Management

• Lead the administration of all contracts associated with the client.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, project procedures, and client requirements.
• Interpret contract terms and provide contractual guidance to project leadership and project teams.
• Develop and implement contract administration procedures and governance frameworks.
• Monitor contractor, consultant, and supplier performance against contractual commitments.
• Ensure all contractual correspondence is properly managed and documented.
• Maintain contract registers, obligations trackers, and contract compliance records.

Claims & Dispute Resolution

• Assess contractual entitlement and supporting documentation.
• Develop contractual strategies to protect project interests.
• Prepare contractual responses, determinations, and recommendations.
• Support negotiation and resolution of disputes.
• Coordinate with legal and commercial teams during dispute avoidance and dispute resolution processes.

Change Management & Variations

• Establish and manage project change control procedures.
• Review and assess variation requests and change proposals.
• Evaluate commercial and contractual implications of design changes, scope modifications, and construction changes.
• Maintain variation registers and change management records.
• Support negotiations with contractors and consultants regarding variation valuations and contractual entitlements.
• Monitor change implementation and contractual approvals.

Commercial & Contractual Risk Management

• Identify and assess contractual and commercial risks.
• Maintain contract risk registers and issue logs.
• Provide recommendations to project leadership regarding contractual risk exposure.
• Support project contingency planning and risk management workshops.

Procurement & Tendering Support

• Support preparation of tender documentation and contract conditions.
• Review Requests for Proposal (RFPs), tender packages, and procurement strategies.
• Participate in technical and commercial bid evaluations.
• Assess deviations, qualifications, and commercial risks within contractor submissions.
• Support contract negotiations and award recommendations.
• Ensure procurement activities align with project governance requirements.

Payment & Commercial Administration

• Review interim payment applications and contractor assessments.
• Validate compliance with contractual payment provisions.
• Support commercial and quantity surveying teams in payment certification processes.
• Ensure accurate administration of contract milestones and payment mechanisms.
• Monitor financial obligations and contractual deliverables.

Stakeholder & Client Management

• Lead contractual meetings and commercial negotiations.
• Develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders.
• Support executive decision-making on contractual matters.

FIDIC Contract Administration

• Provide expert administration of FIDIC contracts and related contractual frameworks.
• Ensure compliance with contractual notice requirements and time bars.
• Support preparation of contractual notices and communications.
• Advise project leadership on obligations and rights under contract conditions.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and mentor contract administrators, quantity surveyors, and commercial personnel.
• Establish contractual awareness across project teams.
• Provide training and guidance on contractual compliance and best practices.
• Promote collaboration between engineering, commercial, planning, and legal functions.
• Drive continuous improvement in contract management processes.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure contractual provisions relating to HSE, quality, environmental compliance, and project controls are effectively administered.
• Verify contractor compliance with contractual HSE obligations.
• Support project governance and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Promote ethical and transparent contract management practices.

Desired Candidate Profile

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Commercial Management, or a related discipline.
• Master's Degree in Construction Law, Commercial Management, Business Administration (MBA), or Project Management is highly desirable.
• MRICS, MCIArb, or equivalent accreditation is preferred.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum 15 years of experience in contract administration and commercial management.
• Minimum 8 years in a Contracts Manager or senior contract administration role.
• Strong experience administering FIDIC-based contracts on projects exceeding USD 250 million.
• Previous experience with consultant, PMC, client-side, or major contractor organizations.
• Extensive experience within Saudi Arabia and the GCC region is highly desirable.

Key Skills

• Contract negotiation and administration expertise.
• Claims analysis and dispute resolution capabilities.
• Strong commercial and contractual acumen.
• Excellent risk management skills.
• Stakeholder engagement and relationship management.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent report writing and communication skills.
• Leadership and team development capabilities.

Behavioral Competencies

• Strategic and commercially astute.
• High level of integrity and professional judgment.
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Proactive and solutions-focused mindset.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage complex contractual matters.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills.