Overview
The Senior Contracts Manager leads the commercial contract strategy, negotiation, administration, and risk management activities for the organization’s Services and Solutions businesses. This role serves as a senior leader and trusted advisor to executive leadership and cross-functional teams, including business development, operations, finance, compliance, and legal.
This position oversees complex customer, subcontractor, supplier, and strategic partnership agreements, ensuring commercial terms align with risk tolerance, profitability objectives, and long-term business strategy. The role also supports revenue growth initiatives, develops commercial standards and best practices, and leads contract management personnel.
This role can be fully remote or hybrid with regular in-office presence; specific location details and expectations will be discussed during the interview process.
Responsibilities
Strategic Contract Leadership
- Lead commercial strategy, negotiation, and administration of complex customer, supplier, subcontractor, and strategic partner agreements.
- Serve as the primary commercial lead for high-value, high-risk, and strategically significant contracts.
- Develop and implement commercial contracting strategies that support organizational growth, profitability, and risk management objectives.
- Provide strategic guidance and recommendations to senior leadership regarding contractual risks, obligations, and business opportunities.
- Partner with Legal to develop, negotiate, and finalize commercial agreements that balance business objectives with risk mitigation.
Contract Negotiation & Risk Management
- Lead negotiations involving complex contractual provisions, commercial structures, pricing mechanisms, performance guarantees, indemnities, limitations of liability, warranties, and dispute resolution provisions.
- Identify, assess, and mitigate commercial, operational, financial, compliance, and regulatory risks throughout the contract lifecycle.
- Establish risk assessment methodologies and contract review frameworks to support consistent commercial decision-making.
- Review and approve contract exhibits, amendments, change orders, and commercial modifications.
- Escalate significant business risks and recommend mitigation strategies to executive stakeholders.
- Maintain familiarity with union and non-union contract requirements.
- Maintain familiarity with federal and state specific regulatory regulations (e.g. FEOC, IRA, RETA, IPA, NYSERTA).
Cross-Functional Business Partnership
- Collaborate with Business Development, Operations, Finance, Procurement, Compliance, Legal, and Executive Leadership to ensure contract terms support organizational objectives.
- Support proposal development and strategic pursuits by identifying commercial opportunities and contractual risks during the bid process.
- Advise stakeholders on contract interpretation, dispute resolution, and commercial decision-making.
- Facilitate alignment between commercial obligations and operational execution.
Financial and Commercial Analysis
- Evaluate contract terms, liquidated damages, and pricing structures to optimize profitability and long-term business value.
- Analyze contractual obligations and financial impacts to support informed business decisions.
- Monitor contract performance to identify trends, risks, and opportunities to improve contract terms and financial outcomes.
Contract Governance & Compliance
- Establish and maintain contract governance processes, standards, and controls to ensure compliance with contractual obligations and corporate policies.
- Oversee contract repositories, document retention processes, milestone tracking, and contract lifecycle management systems.
- Ensure timely identification and management of key contractual obligations, deliverables, notices, renewals, and claim rights.
- Lead contract audits and support compliance reviews as required.
Process Improvement & Organizational Development
- Drive continuous improvement across contract management processes, systems, templates, and tools.
- Develop and implement best practices, standard operating procedures, and commercial playbooks.
- Champion digital solutions and contract management technologies to improve efficiency, visibility, and reporting.
- Establish KPIs and reporting metrics to measure contract performance, compliance, and business outcomes.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop contract management personnel, fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Coach and guide teams on contract strategy, negotiations, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
- Support workforce planning, succession planning, and professional development within the Contracts Management function.
- Promote effective communication and collaboration across departments and business units.
Industry Expertise
- Maintain expertise regarding industry practices, regulatory developments, market conditions, and commercial trends affecting renewable energy and operations and maintenance sectors.
- Advise leadership on emerging contractual risks, opportunities, and market developments that may impact the organization.
- Stay abreast of industry changes, codes and regulations, tariffs, and best practices, including participation in industry workgroups (e.g. SEIA and ACP).
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, Construction Management, Law, or related discipline, or similar experience.
- Minimum of 10+ years of progressively responsible contract management, commercial management, or related experience.
- Minimum of 10+ years leading complex commercial negotiations and managing contract management professionals.
- Significant experience within utility-scale renewable energy, solar, battery energy storage systems (BESS), High Voltage, power generation, EPC, or industrial services industries preferred.
- Proven experience negotiating high-value customer service agreements, subcontract agreements, master service agreements, and strategic commercial contracts.
- Professional certifications such as CPCM, CCM, PMP, or equivalent are preferred.
- Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring employer sponsorship now or in the future.
Compensation & Benefits
Compensation Range
- $125,392 - $166,772 (Salary)
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance (employees and their families).
- 401(k) plan.
- Vacation, sick, and holiday pay.
Equal Opportunity Employment
The organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to prohibiting discrimination and harassment of any kind against applicants or employees based on protected characteristics.
Additional Information
Management may assign essential functions as needed; this job description does not prescribe or restrict tasks that may be assigned.
Job Number: J14021