Job Summary

The Manager - Contracts is responsible for the preparation, review and administration of design-related contractual activities performed. He is accountable to safeguard K&A interests in design contracts prepared and administered by the Lebanon design center from the proposal development stage to contract administration during design delivery. This includes preparing design contracts, addressing contractual matters, resolving contractual disputes and providing expert contractual advice. The jobholder is also responsible to attract, develop and standardize contract capabilities within the Lebanon design center. He shall stay abreast of latest contractual trends in the Architecture, Engineering and Planning Industry and adopt best practices, where applicable.

Key Responsibilities (Internal Business Process)

• Provide input to the Director - Contracts for the development of the Contracts Department business plan
• Develop the Contracts Section budget and raise to the Director - Contracts for review
• Track the Contracts Section’s capacity and report on utilization levels of the Section staff as per targets set by the Director - Contracts, and manage resources accordingly
• Provide expert contractual advice to all stakeholder within K&A, including senior management, project teams and Contracts Sections in Regions, as needed
• Provide input to design Project Managers with the development of risk plans as part of the project management plans
• Provide contractual advice to Project Managers and design teams during design projects delivery
• Provide contractual advice to the Quantity Surveying Department during the development of conditions of contract as part of the design deliverables, in coordination with the Director - Contracts, as needed
• Support Contracts Sections in Regions in the preparation and management of supervision contracts, as needed
• Support Contracts Sections in Regions in settling large claims, variation orders and disputes between clients and contractors during construction phase, as required
• Coordinate with Contracts Sections in Regions for the implementation of contractual risk management policies in procedures in supervision contracts
• Assess contractual risks in K&A design contracts in the proposal development stage and devise mitigation measures accordingly
• Prepare / review and recommend contract terms and conditions for K&A design contracts
• Assess and settle claims, variation orders and disputes between clients and K&A related to design contracts
• Manage and support the settlement of claims arising from design changes during the construction supervision stage in coordination with respective design Sector Heads, Geography Managers and Contracts Sections in Regions
• Develop contract terms and conditions for cooperation agreements between K&A and external partners and suppliers and raise to the Director - Contracts for approval
• Assess K&A’s contractual risk exposure on design contracts and project cooperation agreements between K&A and external partners and suppliers and recommend mitigation measures to the Director - Contracts
• Assess and settle claims, variation orders and disputes between K&A and external partners and suppliers and recommend actions to the Director - Contracts
• Liaise with K&A Legal Department to seek expert legal advice, as needed
• Implement risk management policies and procedures in the Contracts Section
• Enforce corporate policies and procedures in the Contracts Section
• Ensure consistency, coordination and high quality service delivery of all contracts resources
• Develop manpower plan for Contracts Section and submit to the Director - Contracts for review
• Recommend hiring and termination of Contract Specialists in the Lebanon design center and raise to the Director - Contracts for review
• Build capabilities within the Contracts Section, develop skills of direct reports, and ensure that training plans are in place to develop the Section’s staff
• Ensure that all new joiners in the Contracts Section are inducted and trained on K&A’s policies and procedures
• Develop training plan and technology upgrade requests for Contracts Section and submit to the Director - Contracts for review
• Oversee the development of an archive of contracts developed for past projects (by Geography, Client, design Sector, etc.) for future reference in coordination with the Director - Contracts
• Establish a healthy work environment for employees

Qualification, Technical Skills and Competencies

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Architecture or Construction Management
• Master’s Degree in Construction Management or Construction Law is an advantage
• Knowledgeable of Architecture, Engineering and Planning Industry trends and competitive landscape in the Middle East
• Familiarity with local laws regulating the engineering / construction sectors in the Middle East
• Knowledge of risk management strategies
• Ability to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of stakeholders, including senior management, clients and various departments
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills
• Proficiency in spoken and written English and Arabic

Overall Experience Required to Execute this Role

• 15+ years of industry experience in the architecture, engineering and planning industry of which at least 5 years are in a leadership role
• Experience in the Architecture, Engineering and Planning Industry in a top tier regional / multinational engineering consultancy firm, specifically in a contracts / contracts administration role
• Experience with standard conditions of contract, including such conditions as those developed by the FIDIC, AIA, EJCDC, ICE, etc.
• Experience in negotiating, writing, and interpreting terms, conditions, and requirements of contractual agreements
• Experience in evaluating and settling claims, and managing disputes
• Exposure to global best practices and trends in the Architecture, Engineering and Planning Industry, in particular related to contracts
• Significant industry experience within the Middle East