Brunel has partnered with Hatch to support the hiring of a Contracts Manager to join their team. Hatch is a globally recognized engineering, project delivery, and professional services firm, committed to the pursuit of a better world through positive change. With over 70 years of expertise across mining, energy, and infrastructure, Hatch delivers innovative and sustainable solutions worldwide.

Through this partnership, we are seeking a Contracts Manager  to join Hatch’s Project Delivery Group (PDG)—a dynamic and globally integrated team delivering world-class projects. The PDG combines deep expertise in sustainable studies, asset development, and operations, leveraging industry-leading methodologies, governance, and systems.

About the role

The Contracts Manager is involved in a project from the proposal/study (FEL1, FEL2 and FEL3) phases up to the project close-out and handover of the FEL4 project execution phase. The major interfaces are with project management, engineering, project controls and construction management up to contract award and project management, engineering, construction management and contractors during constructions phase. 

The Contracts Manager leads a team of contract specialists, contract administrators and administrative support staff focused on the management of construction, services and material/equipment supply and installation contracts during the execution of EPCM projects and has vital responsibilities in carrying a project to an on-time, on-budget completion. The Contracts Manager is the owner of the entire contracting process, both pre and post award activities.

Contract management includes negotiating the terms and conditions in contracts and ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions, including documenting and agreeing on any changes that may arise during its implementation or execution. It can be summarized as the process of systematically and efficiently managing contract formation, execution / administration, and analysis for the purpose of maximizing financial, scope and schedule related performance and minimizing risk.

This is a 12-month contract position and requires onsite presence 5 days per week.

Key Responsibilities

Drafting of contracting strategies (in consultation with the relevant construction, project controls, engineering, project management and other procurement team members) including possible prices basis and contractor selection strategies to be included in the Project Execution Plan (PEP).
Participation in the development of the sourcing plan, final bidders list and the active management of the prequalification process.

Managing the contracting team towards the following objectives and deliverables:

 Formation:

• Implements the contract management plan, documented as part of the PEP.
• Management of processes within the appropriate procurement systems.
• Draft package plan and strategy and obtain client approval.
• Management of the bidding process.
• Review contract terms and conditions and consider and recommend special terms and conditions as required in liaison with contraction management.
• Prepare and award contracts for execution
• Handover to site administration.

Administration:

• Contractual change control.
• Management of contractual processes within the appropriate Hatch core system.
• Program monitoring and progress meetings.
• Payment certification.
• Claims administration.
• Develop, process and implement contractual documents and change notices in a timely manner.
• Administrate contracts in accordance with general requirements of contractual terms and conditions.
• Maintain various contract registers and as per project specific instructions.
• Proactive management and report of forecasted final costs and cash flow contracts.
• Management of bonds/guarantees.
• Closeout and handover over to the client.
• Ensure the application of contractor’s performance evaluation.

General managerial duties:

• Supervision, training and assistance of team members.
• Conduct regular meetings with team members to discuss status quo and any issues within the group.
• Liaise with Procurement Manager to assess personnel.
• Communication within project.
• Self-assessments of team in order to verify alignment to all the Hatch and the client’s governance and procedural compliance.
• Assist the Procurement Manager with resource planning.

Essential Skills and Attributes

Essential:

• Extensive experience (15-20 years) in an EPCM project environment on capital projects, specifically in the management of construction and services contracts.
• Contracts/legal related training as well as general project and management related training.
• Experience with the drafting of commercial terms and conditions and an understanding of accompanying legal implications.
• Negotiation and communication skills.
• Excellent understanding of procurement processes, contract management and corporate governance principles.
• Knowledge and a working history and understanding of the local environment and contractors.
• Experience with, and excellent understanding of contracting strategies.
• Proven managerial skills.
• Proven experience with and knowledge of contractor management.
• Knowledge and understanding of quality systems, environmental, health and safety regulations, and procurement systems reporting tools
• Excellent knowledge of contract change management including schedule change management.
• Experience with dispute resolution and dispute resolution mechanisms.
• Prior site-based experience in the administration of construction contracts.
• Ability to fit into a team environment and personal skills to compliment teamwork development.
• Leadership skills.

Preferred:

• Appropriate tertiary qualification.
• Legal or arbitration certification.
• International experience in a similar role.

Hourly range: $72 - $100

Why join Hatch?

• Work with high-performing, collaborative teams making a real impact
• Be part of innovative, global projects across industries
• Engaging and collaborative office environment
• Long-term career development opportunities
• “Think globally, work locally” culture