Contracts Lead

CONTRACTS LEAD required by our client, within the Oil & Gas industry, a permanent position, located in London – UK. The Contracts Lead is responsible for providing effective commercial and contractual support to both UK and international operations. This role is to support all Company subsidiaries on a range of contracting requirements including group-wide contract opportunities, (re)negotiation of MSAs, placing contracts that leverage regional or global synergies, and subsidiary-specific contract requirements. Most of the company’s SCM staff are employed in the subsidiaries so this role includes supporting and working collaboratively with these teams, in addition to the local end users, to ensure efficient and cost-effective contract strategies are defined and delivered. The role is based within the offices in London (four days in office/one day work from home) with potential international business trips as required.

Responsibilities

• Lead group-wide contract opportunities, leveraging regional and/or global synergies.
• (Re)negotiate MSAs.
• Maintain a strategic, business-focused approach to the full contracting process, ensuring alignment with needs and identifying strategic opportunities for value delivery.
• Lead the full contracts process, from strategy, tendering processes, single-source justifications, contract negotiations, and post-award management.
• Work closely with the subsidiaries to support the SCM teams.
• Work collaboratively with the budget holder(s) throughout the full lifecycle of contracting to ensure alignment with business needs.
• Lead contractual and commercial evaluation of tenders and proposals, working with end users to ensure needs are met, risks are managed, delivery and strategy are optimised and costs controlled.
• Fluent in defining and evaluating a wide range of contracts with a strong understanding of contract structures and risk allocation across all key category areas of spend within a mid-life asset oil and gas operator.
• Negotiate terms and conditions with suppliers and work with all relevant internal stakeholders, including end users, legal, finance and tax where relevant, to reach a mutually agreeable position and present for internal approval in recommendation to award.
• Where applicable, review vendor contracts to ensure conformance to project specifications and identify deviations from accepted company policy/practice and any unusual business or logistical risks.
• Review subsidiary-led high-risk and/or value contracts.
• Maintain an up-to-date demand plan and a plan of activity.
• Support the onboarding process and due diligence of all suppliers, escalating red flags and working with the legal department as appropriate.
• Maintain relationships with existing suppliers.
• Ensure contracts comply with internal policies and governance requirements, maintaining the necessary audit trail.
• Provide practical, timely and productive input into continuous improvement of SCM.

Qualifications

• Excellent commercial and business acumen.
• Confident and effective communicator.
• Ability to project manage.
• Excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a team and in a fast-paced environment.
• Confidence working within a flat, lean and agile organisation, and at least ten years of experience in supply chain and contract administration.
• Working knowledge of upstream operations, preferably within an oil and gas operator, with understanding of industry-standard contracts typical within a mid-life asset operator.
• SAP knowledge.
• Second language skills are desirable but not required (Spanish, Portuguese, French).
• Takes initiative and has good time-management skills.
• BIMCO experience is a plus.
• Excellent standard of written and spoken English.