This full-time Contracts Manager position manages commercial agreements for equipment, materials and contracts throughout the project lifecycle in cooperation with SSA Procurement function.
The role ensures the company’s interests are protected in contract execution, change management, and risk mitigation during development, construction, and commissioning.
Reporting directly to the Procurement Category Manager, this employee must be a team player who partners effectively with Corporate, Support Functions, and Operations to achieve project goals.
- Draft, review, and administer all purchase orders issued directly by the Owner team, from consultancy and technical services through EPC, commissioning, and handover, ensuring alignment with Company’s policies and risk appetite.
- Interface with our Procurement team and EPCM/PMC Procurement Manager for project Procurement (Equipment, Materials and Contracts).
- Monitor the use of good practices by the EPC(M) for the purchase orders and contracts under its direct responsibility.
- Support the negotiation of permits, EPC, and other major contracts in close coordination with Legal and Procurement teams.
- Maintain a comprehensive contract register with key dates, obligations, and deliverables to ensure proactive management.
- Lead the evaluation, negotiation, and resolution of change orders, claims, and disputes with contractors, vendors, and consultants.
- Lead the payment review and approval process of contractor/consultant invoices related to the project.
- Establish and oversee management protocols to ensure timely review and approval of contractual changes.
- Escalate high-impact commercial or legal issues to SSA Procurement and our Company executives with recommended courses of action.
- Liaise with SSA’s Legal, Insurance, and Compliance teams to ensure adequate coverage and compliance with regulatory, contractual, and corporate requirements.
- Maintain a live risk register, identifying potential exposures and recommending mitigation measures to protect the Company’s interests.
- Monitor contractor and vendor performance against contractual obligations, KPIs, and milestones; escalate deviations and recommend corrective actions.
- Support SSA in preparing regular reports on contract & procurement status, and claims for executives, governance forums, and Board reviews.
- Oversee the orderly closeout of contracts during commissioning and handover, ensuring all obligations, warranties, and guarantees are properly recorded and transferred to SSA Operations.
- Capture lessons learned from contract activities to improve the organization's project delivery framework on future projects.
- Other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s degree in law, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Advanced degree or certifications (LL.M., MBA, PMP, Certified Contract Manager, or equivalent)
- Minimum 5–10 years of progressive experience in contract administration, procurement, and risk management for large-scale infrastructure, port/marine terminal, or heavy industrial projects, with recent years on Owner Team.
- Proven track record managing complex agreements exceeding USD 100M.
- Demonstrated success in administering contracts and purchase orders through all stages of project lifecycle to include feasibility and permitting through EPC execution, commissioning, and handover.
- Significant experience with change orders, claims management, dispute resolution, and contractor and supplier performance monitoring.
- Familiarity with environmental, social, and regulatory permitting processes and how these intersect with contracts.
- Strong knowledge of contract law, risk allocation, and insurance requirements.
- Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate legal, financial, and commercial risks in complex projects.
- Proficiency in developing and maintaining contract registers, risk registers, and performance dashboards.
- Excellent negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills to resolve contractor and supplier claims and execution risks.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to interface with executives, legal counsel, insurers, contractors, and regulators.
- Strong understanding of QEHS standards and how contractual obligations support safety and environmental compliance.
Base Pay Range: $125,000 - 145,000 per year
We are Equal Opportunity Employer
Pay Range$125,000 - 145,000 per year
Compensation & BenefitsEligible employees (and their families) may qualify for medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as having basic life and accidental death insurance, paid disability insurance, including paid parental leave if eligible, and an Employee Assistance Program. Employees will receive paid sick and vacation time, and company holidays if eligible. The company also offers paid bereavement leave, and paid jury duty. Eligible employees can enroll in our company's 401k plan, as well as a retirement plan. Employees will be eligible for discretionary and/or metric-based bonuses dependent on their position.Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in law, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline
- Minimum 5-10 years of experience in contract administration and procurement
- Experience managing agreements exceeding USD 100M
- Knowledge of contract law and risk allocation
- Strong negotiation and analytical skills
What We Do
Founded by Fred R. Smith in 1949 as Bellingham Stevedoring Company, we began our first cargo handling operations in a small corner of Washington State. Driven by a pioneering spirit, our family-owned company saw steady growth over the years, expanding up and down the West Coast to operate a significant market share of the major international terminals in the eastern Pacific. Today, we have become a global enterprise spanning more than 260 locations across five continents. We continue to broaden our reach by developing new locations and upgrading existing facilities, providing some of the most technologically advanced facilities in the world. We partner to move commerce with efficiency, flexibility, and integrity. With operations across five continents and a vast network of interconnected transportation solutions, we open new opportunities that accelerate the growth and pace of global business. Improving the customer experience is at the heart of everything we do, so we make purposeful investments in people, facilities and technical innovations that deliver the greatest customer value.









