Contracts & Claims Manager

Purpose of the role: The Contracts & Claims Manager protects the company's commercial position on every project, from tender to final account. He reviews all contracts before signature, flags the risks and penalty exposure, and secures the entitlements that let us recover time and money. He is the company's lead on Saudi Aramco and EPC contract terms and on claims preparation and defence. Key responsibilities 1. Contract review before approval • Read every contract, subcontract, purchase order and amendment in full before it goes for signature. • Issue a written Contract Review Report for each one, with a clear recommendation: sign, sign with changes, or do not sign. • Compare client terms against our standard positions and propose redlines and negotiation points. • Check consistency between the contract, scope of work, specifications, schedule and pricing. • Confirm that bonds, guarantees, insurance and payment terms are acceptable and achievable. 2. Risk and penalty identification • Highlight every clause that can penalise the company, including: • Liquidated damages for delay and performance, and whether they are capped. • Unlimited liability, indemnities, and consequential loss exposure. • Retention, withholding, back-charge and set-off rights of the client. • Termination for convenience or default, and suspension terms. • Short notice periods and time bars that can kill a claim. • Saudization, HSE, quality and local content (IKTVA) penalties. • Warranty periods, defects liability and performance guarantees. • Pay-when-paid terms and cash-flow traps. • Maintain a Contract Risk Register for each project, with owner, impact and mitigation. • Brief the CEO and project directors on the top risks before signing and at kick-off. 3. Claims and entitlement — the doors to recover • Identify every clause that gives us a right to more time or money, including: • Variations and change orders, including instructed and constructive changes. • Extension of time for client delays, late access, late approvals or late free-issue materials. • Differing site conditions, force majeure, and change in law or regulation. • Suspension, disruption, acceleration and prolongation costs. • Price adjustment and escalation clauses. • Prepare a Notices & Time-Bar Matrix at contract award, so no notice deadline is missed. • Draft and issue notices of delay, notices of claim and variation requests on time. • Prepare, quantify and submit claims, with full records and delay analysis (TIA, windows analysis). • Defend the company against client back-charges and counter-claims, and subcontractor claims. • Lead commercial negotiations and settlements; support mediation, adjudication or arbitration with external counsel. 4. Contract administration • Act as the single point of control for all contractual correspondence with clients and subcontractors. • Ensure project teams keep the records needed to support claims: daily reports, site instructions, minutes, photos and as-built schedules. • Monitor compliance with contract obligations and reporting requirements. • Manage the variation log, payment applications, and final account close-out. • Train project managers and engineers on contract awareness and notice procedures. 5. Subcontracts and procurement • Draft and negotiate subcontracts that pass client risks down to subcontractors (back-to-back terms). • Make sure subcontractor LDs, warranties and bonds match what the client requires from us. • Manage subcontractor variations, claims and back-charges. 6. Reporting and governance • Report monthly to the CEO on contract risks( Group CFO notifications through CEO), open claims, variations and recovery status. • Maintain the company's standard contract templates and clause library. • Support tender teams with commercial risk reviews and pricing of contractual risk before bid submission. Qualifications and experience • Bachelor’s degree in civil, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Quantity Surveying, or Law. • 12+ years in construction contracts and claims, with at least 7 years in a senior contract or claims role. • Proven hands-on experience with Saudi Aramco contracts: General Conditions (Schedules A–H), Lump Sum Turnkey (LSTK), CSA and GES+ frameworks. • Strong track record on EPC / EPCm projects in oil & gas, petrochemical or industrial sectors. • Proven claims record: has prepared and settled claims of significant value, with examples available at interview. • Working knowledge of FIDIC (Red, Yellow, Silver Books), NEC, and the Saudi Government Tenders and Procurement Law. • Understanding of Saudi Civil Transactions Law and the Saudi Arbitration Law. • Preferred certifications: MRICS / FRICS, CIArb membership, PMP, or AACE (PSP / CFCC). • Fluent English, written and spoken; Arabic is a strong advantage. Show more Show less