Contracts Specialist

Description

The Contracts Specialist will play a pivotal role in overseeing contract management, mitigating risks, and driving commercial excellence on large-scale EPC projects. This person will be responsible for contract negotiation, risk assessment, and stakeholder engagement to ensure successful project execution. Key responsibilities include contract review and administration, change management, governance and oversight, and financial compliance. The Contracts Specialist will play a critical role in mitigating risks, driving commercial excellence, and enhancing project performance and profitability.

Ideal candidates will bring experience in high-value contract and commercial management, with advanced knowledge of EPC project work processes and a strong business acumen. This role requires exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills to navigate complex contractual frameworks and deliver strategic outcomes.

This position offers the opportunity to work in a dynamic and collaborative environment focused on operational excellence and continuous improvement. The Contracts Specialist will be based at our Houston office, with occasional travel required to support project needs. This position will report to the Manager of Procurement Contracts.

Requirements

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to prepare a consolidated analysis of contracts, highlighting areas of risk, opportunities, and proposed mitigations
• Lead the development and execution of the project contracting plan, incorporating advanced contract management strategies and best practices
• Oversee and ensure the thorough review of all contract documents, including attachments and exhibits (e.g., scope, schedule, commercial, exceptions, rely-upon information)
• Maintain comprehensive understanding of obligations across all project agreements, including prime contracts, subcontracts, major purchase orders, and any incorporated client agreements
• Monitor and act on changes impacting taxes, treasury, and financial considerations (e.g., changes in law or updates to client-obtained exemptions)
• Facilitate regular reviews of major risk allocation issues with the Project Team and ensure alignment on risk ownership
• Ensure clarity in risk allocation between all contractual parties and proactively recommend risk mitigation measures
• Ensure the project team understands and adheres to contractual schedule obligations, including guaranteed completion dates, change notifications, interim milestones, and progress measurement
• Ensure key client obligations and deliverables (such as notice, review, and approval periods) are consistently incorporated across contract terms, exhibits, and attachments
• Lead the preparation of project setup and knowledge transfer sessions with Legal, Functional Managers, and Project Management
• Collaborate with Legal to develop tailored templates for notices, change order requests, change orders, and RFIs
• Develop tools to monitor commercial project risks and associated costs, ensuring trends, delays, overruns, and opportunities are communicated to project leadership
• Actively engage with the project team to identify, notify, and manage changes to scope, schedule, or execution plans
• Collaborate with Finance to ensure compliance with all project financing requirements
• Support Risk Management in the development and compilation of documentation to substantiate claims
• Lead efforts to identify, track, mitigate, and escalate commercial issues, ensuring visibility across project teams
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management or Business-related field
• 5-10 years of progressive experience in project contract/commercial management, with a focus on large-scale EPC projects
• Strong business and commercial acumen, with demonstrated leadership in high-value contract negotiations
• Extensive knowledge of contract structures, scope definition, risk analysis, negotiation strategies, and commercial management plans
• Proven ability to manage complex stakeholder relationships and interfaces with executive leadership
• Familiarity with joint ventures, alliances, and consortiums, including development of EPC work processes and structures
• Expertise in lump sum, reimbursable, and hybrid contract models
• Experience in risk analysis, contingency evaluation, and lessons learned/best practices implementation
• Clear understanding of estimate/proposal review processes
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Consistent, reliable attendance
• Strong ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams
• Strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem-solving
• Experience procuring services for Oil & Gas or Geothermal industry
  
  

Location

Fervo Energy is headquartered in Houston, TX. This position will be eligible for some hybrid work flexibility, but regular in-office presence at the Houston office will be required. Some travel is required for this position.