Job Description

Reporting to the Project Director, the Senior Manager Contracts will be the focal point for all contractual and commercial issues encountered during the execution phase of a large scale LNG EPC Project in East Africa. The role is intended for a senior manager-level Contract Manager, reflecting the scale, complexity and strategic importance of this potential mega LNG project.

The project involves complex relationships across the client, JV partners, subcontractors, suppliers and internal McDermott stakeholders. The Senior Manager Contracts will provide leadership across contract strategy, change management, claims, notices, correspondence, commercial risk management, dispute avoidance and close-out.

Key Task and Responsibilities:

• Protect McDermott’s contractual and commercial interests within a complex EPC and JV/consortium environment.
• Lead the development, implementation and continuous refinement of the project contractual/commercial strategy.
• Ensure contract obligations, rights, risks and opportunities are understood and actively managed by the project team.
• Drive disciplined change identification, substantiation, notification, negotiation and resolution with the client and relevant stakeholders.

• Provide senior-level contractual leadership to support project delivery, revenue maximisation, risk mitigation and dispute avoidance.

  Contract Strategy and Governance

• Apply an advanced understanding of McDermott’s business to improve Contracts Management effectiveness and support revenue maximisation.
• Support the Project Director in establishing, refining and implementing the project contractual/commercial strategy throughout execution.
• Upon project award, draft baseline contract requirements and disseminate them within the project team.
• Prepare and maintain a flow-down clause plan highlighting key obligations, liabilities, guarantees, warranties and insurances to be passed through to subcontractors and vendors.

• Contribute to departmental goals, strategies and continuous improvement of contracts management processes, tools and systems.

  Client, JV and Stakeholder Interface

• Act as the initial point of contact with ExxonMobil for contractual issues arising during project execution.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with client counterparts to support timely resolution of contractual issues.
• Manage relationships with key Contracts Management stakeholders, including Project Management, Engineering, Procurement, Subcontracts, Fabrication, Construction, Marine Installation, Hook Up and Commissioning, QHSE, Legal, Finance, Business Line Management, EXCOM, customer/client and JV/consortium partners.
• Support JV-level contract governance and ensure McDermott’s contractual interests are appropriately protected within the consortium environment.

• Provide clear contractual advice to the Project Director and senior project leadership on sensitive matters, escalation items and emerging disputes.

  Contract Awareness and Compliance

• Conduct periodic contractual awareness sessions with project team members to ensure consistent understanding of contract requirements, rights, obligations and notice provisions.
• Identify critical or sensitive contractual issues and act as a conduit for Legal support to the project when required.

• Prior to marine and hook-up operations, hold readiness reviews with Field Engineers to ensure contractual awareness, particularly regarding waiting-on-weather criteria and client instructions.

  Change Management, Claims and Dispute Avoidance

• Support the project team in establishing a robust change management process and culture of proactive change identification.
• Lead and/or participate in change management meetings to identify changes that may give rise to entitlement for compensation and/or schedule relief.
• Together with the Project Contracts Manager, evaluate cost and schedule impacts of identified changes on both an individual and cumulative basis.
• Engage continuously with the client on contractual matters, outstanding and pending change orders, and contract amendments.
• Lead negotiations with the client and work toward timely resolution of change orders, amendments and commercial issues.
• Support development and substantiation of claims that may transition into disputes with the client, suppliers and/or subcontractors.
• Assist Supply Chain Management team to coordinate the administration of contractual correspondence with all Vendors and Subcontractors, including timely backcharges.

• Coordinate resolution of contractual issues within the project environment and support escalation of disputes when required.

  Correspondence, Notices and Contract Administration

• Coordinate administration of all contractual correspondence with the client, including timely release of notices required to preserve McDermott’s contractual rights.
• Assist in preparation of project weekly and monthly progress reports for internal and external distribution in accordance with internal and contract requirements.
• Support Supply Chain Management in coordinating contractual correspondence with vendors and subcontractors.
• Ensure external changes and backcharges are raised with vendors and subcontractors in a timely manner.

• Maintain disciplined records and supporting documentation to enable effective change, claim and dispute management.=

  Risk, Finance, Close-Out and Commercial Controls

• Contribute to project risk and opportunity management processes, with a specific focus on contractual, commercial and JV interface risks.
• Interface with Corporate Finance to ensure contractual requirements are understood and necessary insurances, guarantees and securities are provided.
• Submit and follow up on applications for Completion Certificates.
• Coordinate commercial close-out of the main contract, including step-down of bank guarantees and release of retentions.

• Provide manpower and bid forecasts to Business Line Management as necessary.

  Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, mentor and support contract administration personnel assigned to the project.
• Provide senior-level guidance to project functions on contractual interpretation, obligations, risk, notices and commercial strategy.
• Promote a collaborative but commercially disciplined approach across McDermott, JV partners and client interfaces.

Essential Qualification and Education:

• Minimum 15+ years of project execution experience in the energy and/or construction industries.
• At least 8–10 years of experience within contracts management, commercial management, claims management or equivalent project commercial leadership roles.
• University degree in Contract Management, Quantity Surveying or similar relevant discipline.
• Significant experience in contract management on large-scale EPC projects.
• Strong understanding of EPC contract structures, JV agreements, subcontracting models and project execution risk.
• Highly capable in contractual interpretation, change management, claims development, entitlement assessment, negotiation and dispute avoidance.
• Experience in multi-partner JV or consortium environments.
• Strong knowledge of international contracting principles and dispute avoidance practices.
• Ability to operate effectively in a high-pressure, multicultural and geographically dispersed project environment.
• Prior experience with major multinational oil and gas clients; experience with IOCs is highly desirable.
  

Preferred Qualification and Education:

• Commercial acumen and revenue protection mindset.
• Advanced contractual interpretation and negotiation capability.
• Strong written communication, notices and claims drafting capability.
• Leadership, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Risk identification, mitigation and opportunity management.
• Dispute avoidance and escalation management.
• Attention to detail, planning discipline and documentation control.
• Resilience, sound judgement and decision-making under pressure.
• Cultural awareness and ability to work effectively within JV/consortium structures.
• Able to interface confidently with senior representatives from the client, JV partners, project leadership, legal, finance and executive management.
• Comfortable operating in a high-pressure, multicultural and geographically dispersed project environment.
• Pragmatic, commercially astute and able to balance contractual protection with project delivery imperatives.
  

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