Senior Legal and Contracts Manager

Pele Energy Group is seeking a talented, highly motivated, and self-driven Senior Contracts Manager, reporting directly to the General Counsel. The Senior Contracts Manager will head up the contract management department, develop and lead the contract management team and managing the implementation of the company’s IPP projects via selected EPC contractors and partnerships from Financial Close (FC) through to COD and final takeover.

Requirements

The key tasks will include, but not be limited to:

• Manage a portfolio of complex initiatives that span over one or multiple lines of business milestones.
• Report on project success criteria results, metrics, test and deployment management activities.
• Work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment demonstrating teamwork, innovation, and excellence.
• Collaborate with Engineering Division teams for optimal project scope.
• Participate in establishing practices, templates, policies, tools and partnerships to expand and mature the contract management capabilities for the organisation.
• Provide status reporting regarding project milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks and issues, communicating across leadership.
• Manage project scope and changes.
• Participate and/or drive feasibility studies, vendor selections, and proposals for evaluation by appropriate key stakeholders.
• Manage ongoing quality control and participate in quality issue resolution.
• Ensure that safety is key focus and paramount importance in all projects and shall be delivered in full compliance with local legislation and company policy an adherence/compliance to applicable standards, rules, and regulations (local and international).
• Assist in dispute, negotiation, arbitration or litigation, as needed.
• Support formal/informal schedules to manage the engagement contract.
• Set and continually manage project and programme expectations while delegating and managing deliverables with team members and stakeholders.
• Monitor, track and control outcomes to resolve issues, conflicts, dependencies, and critical path deliverables.
• Develop and deliver progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation and presentations to various audiences, including project teams, sponsors, EXCO and key stakeholders.
• Coach, mentor, motivate and supervise the contract management team.
• Ensure that projects and programmes are proceeding according to scope, schedule budget and quality standards.
• Manage project and programme issues and risks to mitigate impact to baseline.
• Provide leadership for the contract management team by building and motivating team members to meet project goals, adhering to their responsibilities and project.
• Establish practices, templates, policies, tools and partnerships to expand and mature these capabilities for the organisation.
• Report all Environmental Health Safety findings via the internal reporting systems.
• Critically analyse our objectives and those of the stakeholders to ensure universally successful outcomes and communicate effectively to all the stakeholders with accurate information.
• Critically examine our project impact on operations and align with key stakeholders so that impact on operations is minimised to balance project delivery and operations.
• Execute projects cost effectively and deliver revenue, profit, and cash targets to the business.
• Regular reporting/updates to management advising of project progress to plan, KPIs. Advise on areas requiring escalation, decision for resolution and non-conformance.
• Effective management of risk, opportunities, contract and claims through risk mitigation measures.

Contribute to Project Management Processes:

• Updating of projects as per contractual agreements from the tender stage to operation & maintenance - full project cycle.
• Update the risk and opportunity matrix, focusing on contract execution and mitigation measures.
• Provide support to the implementation project risk management procedure for identifying project risks during the project lifecycle.

Change Order Control and Management:

• Implement and oversee the change order procedure, validating requests and maintaining records.
• Manage claims in collaboration with internal and external legal teams.
• Coordinate claim investigations, prepare counterclaims, and participate in litigation as needed.
• Conduct preliminary due diligence on suppliers, major & subcontractors to ensure compliance with project specifications.
• Provide guidance to contract administrators/project team when dealing with various contracts, including asset management, and tracking of progress in line with the applicable contract schedule.

Contractual Awareness and Communication:

• Familiarize and provide updates to all employees/stakeholders with key contracts, agreements, and obligations.
• Provide permanent support to reinforce commercial and contractual awareness.
• Direct the contract management activities of project team members in the execution of projects.
• Support the project managers in preparing reports to the Lender’s Technical Advisor and co – ordinate with the Contract Administrator/Proposal engineer to ensure all supporting documentation is provided timeously.

Desired Skills & Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering, Project Management, Business Management or related field (Law Degree ideal, but not mandatory)
• 10+ years of contract management experience, including tracking and planning projects
• 10+ years of experience working with business stakeholders within a cross functional matrix environment.
• 5+ years of experience with full product lifecycles with understanding of development lifecycle and various technology methodologies that support that lifecycle.
• Proficiency with MS Project, Excel, Visio, PowerPoint and SharePoint with experience presenting to stakeholders and / or Senior Leadership
• Proven ability to demonstrate a drive for results and accountability of business needs.
• Proven ability to work in an ambiguous environment and collaborate across multiple areas to achieve a common business objective.
• Interpersonal skills to influence and spur change, facilitate and enhance performance within a cross - functional environment. • Demonstrate decisiveness in resolving business problems, making decisions and identifying priorities.
• Extensive understanding of project and programme management principles, methods and techniques.
• Strong understanding and application of business drivers, financial reporting standards.
• Ability to multitask. • Excellent planning and time management skills.
• Valid Driver’s license

Competencies

Leadership Capabilities:

• Participative Leadership
• Planning & Organizing
• Monitoring & Measuring

Cognitive Capabilities:

• Analysis & Attention to detail
• Problem Solving
• Critical thinking

Interpersonal Capabilities:

• Assertive
• Methodical
• Drive & Action Oriented
• Flexibility
• Excellence & Quality Orientation