Commercial Contracts & Project Delivery Manager

Position Overview

The Commercial Contracts & Project Delivery Manager will oversee and guide commercial, contractual, procurement, and delivery operations across the TSP/NTI project portfolio at KAUST. Collaborating closely with project managers, technical teams, Legal, Procurement, PDEC, and external partners, this role ensures alignment of contracting approaches, procurement strategies, and delivery timelines with project goals, governance standards, and budgets.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in defining project scope, delivery roadmaps, milestone tracking, stakeholder engagement, and reporting supporting TSP/NTI project governance and execution.
• Contribute to procurement planning, tendering, and contracting for goods, services, and works, in accordance with KAUST policies and global best practices.
• Support Legal and Procurement teams in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts under FIDIC and other applicable frameworks for design, construction, consultancy, and operational services.
• Conduct risk assessments advising on risk sharing, payment terms, liquidated damages, warranties, insurance, and performance guarantees.
• Ensure commercial and procurement activities comply with Saudi Arabian laws, KAUST governance, and international standards.
• Monitor contract and project performance metrics including KPIs, deliverables, costs, schedules, and quality standards.
• Manage change control processes addressing variations, time extensions, and claims with thorough documentation and impact evaluations.
• Lead or assist negotiations with contractors, consultants, and vendors to optimize value, resolve disputes, and foster cooperative relationships.
• Provide commercial insights for project controls activities such as budgeting, cost forecasting, scheduling, and progress monitoring.
• Prepare and analyze leadership reports including risk registers, commercial dashboards, status updates, and contract summaries.
• Coordinate cross-functionally among project teams, technical leads, Legal, Procurement, insurers, auditors, and external parties on commercial and contract issues requiring alignment or escalation.
• Develop and enforce commercial procedures, contract administration frameworks, and delivery support processes to maintain consistency and compliance.
• Support operational readiness, business continuity, and risk management via robust commercial and project delivery strategies.
• Represent KAUST in all commercial, contractual, and project delivery engagements with external contractors, consultants, and stakeholders.

Personal Attributes and Competencies

• Demonstrates strong leadership and organizational capabilities managing multiple projects, contracts, and stakeholder groups simultaneously.
• Possesses expert knowledge of FIDIC and other internationally recognized contract forms.
• Experienced in project management disciplines including scope coordination, schedule awareness, risk management, cost control, reporting, and delivery follow-up.
• Analytical thinker capable of evaluating risks and options to reach sound commercial decisions.
• Effective negotiator skilled in constructive resolution of commercial and project delivery challenges.
• Excellent communication skills tailored to both technical and non-technical audiences, with strong interpersonal abilities to build and maintain partnerships.
• Detail-oriented to ensure precise documentation, reporting accuracy, and compliance adherence.
• Adaptable and proactive, thriving in fast-evolving and complex project environments.
• Collaborative problem solver committed to team goals and high professional ethics.
• Proficient in MS Excel for commercial and reporting analysis, as well as Microsoft Project and Primavera P6 for scheduling, supplemented by experience with risk analysis platforms such as OPRA.

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Construction Law, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, or a related field is mandatory.
• An engineering degree or solid engineering project experience is strongly preferred due to project technical complexity.
• PMP certification is required.
• Additional postgraduate qualifications in construction law, contract or commercial management, or project management are advantageous.
• Professional memberships or certifications like MRICS, MCIArb, RICS candidacy, or equivalents are a plus.
• Training in risk management, procurement, project controls, commercial management, or dispute resolution enhances candidate suitability.

Professional Experience

• Six to eight years of extensive experience primarily in commercial, contract administration, project controls, and delivery roles within large-scale construction, EPC, infrastructure, industrial, research, or other technically complex projects.
• Proven expertise in drafting, interpreting, and administering contracts under FIDIC and similar standards.
• Familiarity with managing contract variations, claims, extension requests, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
• Experience developing and maintaining contract risk registers, governance compliance, and project reporting frameworks.
• Strong technical or engineering project background facilitating collaboration with designers, consultants, contractors, procurement, legal, and executive stakeholders.
• Comfortable operating effectively in international or multicultural project environments.