Contracts & Claims Manager

Role Purpose

The Contracts & Claims Manager safeguards the company's commercial interests throughout each project lifecycle, from bid submission to the closure of accounts. This role involves thorough contract reviews to identify risks and liabilities, ensuring entitlements are secured to recover costs and time. The manager also serves as the key contact for Saudi Aramco contracts and EPC agreements, overseeing claim preparation and defenses.

Key Responsibilities

• Examine every contract, subcontract, purchase order, and any amendments comprehensively prior to approval.
• Produce a detailed Contract Review Report for each, recommending whether to sign, sign with modifications, or decline.
• Assess client contract terms against company standards, suggesting negotiation points and required alterations.
• Verify alignment between contract documents, scope, specifications, timelines, and pricing structures.
• Ensure bonds, guarantees, insurances, and payment conditions are feasible and acceptable.
• Identify and highlight clauses posing penalties or risks such as liquidated damages, unlimited liabilities, indemnities, retention and withholding rights, termination and suspension clauses, short notice periods, Saudization, HSE, local content penalties, warranty, defects liability, pay-when-paid terms, and cash flow risks.
• Maintain a comprehensive Contract Risk Register per project, detailing owners, impacts, and mitigation strategies.
• Inform senior management on predominant contract risks before finalizing agreements and project kick-offs.
• Spot every entitlement to claims for additional time or funds, including variations, extension of time due to delays, differing site conditions, force majeure, law changes, suspension, acceleration costs, and price escalations.
• Establish and manage a Notices & Time-Bar Matrix to prevent missed deadlines for claims and notices.
• Timely draft and dispatch notices of delay, claims, and variation requests.
• Prepare, quantify, and submit claims complete with documentation and delay analysis methods such as Time Impact Analysis and windows analysis.
• Defend against client counter-claims, back-charges, and subcontractor claims.
• Lead commercial negotiations, settlements, and facilitate dispute resolution including mediation, adjudication, and arbitration with legal counsel.
• Serve as the focal point for all contractual correspondence with clients and subcontractors ensuring meticulous contract administration.
• Ensure project teams gather and preserve necessary documentation such as daily logs, site instructions, meeting minutes, photographs, and as-built schedules to support claims.
• Track contract compliance, reporting requirements, variation logs, payment applications, and close-out final accounts.
• Provide training to project managers and engineers on contract protocols and notice procedures.
• Draft and negotiate subcontracts that accurately transfer client risks to subcontractors with matching liabilities including liquidated damages, warranties, and bonds.
• Oversee subcontractor variations, claims, and back-charge processes.
• Deliver monthly contract risk reports, claims status, variations, and recovery updates to the CEO, coordinating with the CFO as needed.
• Maintain and update company-standard contract templates and clause libraries.
• Support tender teams with comprehensive commercial risk assessments and pricing of contract risks prior to bid submission.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, Quantity Surveying, or Law.
• At least 12 years of experience in construction contract and claim management with a minimum of 7 years in senior roles.
• Proven expertise in Saudi Aramco contract frameworks including General Conditions (Schedules A–H), Lump Sum Turnkey (LSTK), CSA, and GES+.
• Strong performance record managing EPC and EPCm projects specifically in oil & gas, petrochemical, or industrial sectors.
• Documented success preparing and settling high-value claims with examples to be discussed during interview stages.
• Familiarity with FIDIC (Red, Yellow, Silver Books), NEC, and Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law.
• Good understanding of Saudi Civil Transactions Law and the Saudi Arbitration Law.
• Certifications such as MRICS or FRICS, CIArb membership, PMP, or AACE (PSP/CFCC) are preferred.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English; Arabic language skills considered a significant asset.