Contracts Manager

Company Overview Golden Pass LNG, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil, has the mission to become the premier LNG export company in North America by bringing clean energy from Texas to power the world. We seek to do this in a way that values safety, integrity, our people, community, and the environment. To achieve those goals, we are mobilizing a diverse team of experienced and talented professionals. Headquartered in Downtown Houston, Golden Pass LNG commenced operation of Train 1 in 2026 and continues to progress construction and commissioning on Trains 2 and 3. Once fully operational, Golden Pass LNG will have the capacity to produce over 18 million metric tons of LNG per year. Job Summary / Purpose The Contracts Manager will report to Director, Supply Chain General Servis and will be responsible for the following: Commercial Strategy and Value Creation Define and execute sourcing strategies for all contracts, including competitive bidding, renewal strategy, sole source justification, and make/buy analysis. Require and document objective evidence of cost competitiveness for every applicable agreement — through bid results, rate benchmarking, market comparison, historical analysis, or a documented negotiation record. Absence of this evidence is not acceptable at submission. Lead and direct all commercial negotiations. Ensure the team actively challenges rates, compensation structures, overtime provisions, and commercial terms. Acceptance of supplier-proposed language without documented review is not consistent with this role. Continuously identify and implement cost savings and commercial improvements across the contract portfolio. Proactive Contract Lifecycle Management Maintain a live, fully current contract pipeline covering expiration dates, renewal triggers, sourcing lead times, and risk flags for every active agreement. No contract is permitted to lapse without a successor in place. Ensure renewal or replacement sourcing is initiated no less than 90 days prior to contract expiration, or earlier where scope complexity requires it. Own end-to-end contract execution from requirements definition through close-out: scope development, bidding, evaluation, negotiation, award, execution, and handover. Own the pre-submission quality review gate for every contract, amendment, RFP, and order before it is routed — directing verification of commercial terms, scope obligations, template completion, defined terms, approval routing, and executive name and title accuracy. This gate is the Contracts Manager's direct accountability. Business Integration and Stakeholder Partnership Conduct regular structured alignment meetings with Operations leadership and other supported functions to translate business priorities into contract strategies, advisor workload assignments, sourcing plans, and expiration calendars. Present commercial portfolio status, risk summaries, and cost competitiveness data to senior leadership on a defined cadence. Surface risk and elevate early — leadership should not encounter issues for the first time at a Contracts Committee meeting. Build and maintain a visible, trusted presence across all supported functions. Key stakeholders at every level should be clear on what the Contracts Manager does, what value the function delivers, and how to engage it effectively. Provide responsive, solution-oriented support to business owners. When a stakeholder has a contracting need, the Contracts Manager drives the answer — not the escalation path. Team Leadership and Capability Development Lead, direct, and develop a team of 4–6 contract advisors and buyers. Set individual expectations, conduct regular performance reviews, and maintain accountability for quality, delivery, and conduct. Own the training, coaching, and development of the team on contracting process, commercial skills, governance, and SAP. When a process gap is identified and explained, it does not recur. Repeated transfer of ownership to other teams is not an acceptable resolution. Build and maintain practical operating guides, work instructions, and quality checklists that enable the team to execute consistently and independently. Design operating models for complex structures — including variable-price OLAs and call-off frameworks — and direct the team to document these models and translate contract terms into SAP/ERP guidance usable by the field. Provide backup coverage for advisor and buyer functions as required. Governance, Controls, and Approval Integrity Ensure all contracts and approval submissions comply with TOFA authority levels and the company's approval routing protocol. No item is routed for approval without confirmed endorsement from every required organizational level. This requirement has no exceptions. Direct the team to maintain the contracts activity log with meaningful entries: status, next action, owner, target date, and risk flag — updated at minimum weekly. Stale entries and closed tasks without confirmed deliverables are not acceptable. Manage task and planning tools with integrity. Due dates are not changed unilaterally. Tasks are not closed until the associated deliverable is confirmed complete and verified. Lead the team's participation in internal assessments and audits. Own the remediation of identified gaps — design the fix, implement it, and verify it holds. Essential Duties / Functions Lead and direct a team of 5 – 8 Contract Advisors; set individual performance expectations, conduct regular reviews, and maintain accountability for quality, delivery, and commercial standards Define and execute contract and sourcing strategies for all agreements, including competitive bid, renewal, sole source justification, and make/buy analysis. Require and document objective evidence of cost competitiveness for every applicable agreement — through bid results, benchmarking, market comparison, or a documented negotiation record. Lead and direct commercial negotiations; ensure the team actively challenges rates, compensation structures, overtime provisions, and commercial terms. Maintain a live contract pipeline with expiration dates, renewal triggers, sourcing lead times, and risk flags. Initiate renewal or replacement sourcing no less than 90 days prior to expiration. No contract is permitted to lapse without a successor in place. Own end-to-end contract execution from requirements definition through close-out: scope development, bidding, evaluation, negotiation, award, execution, and handover. Own the pre-submission quality review gate for every contract, amendment, RFP, and order before routing — directing verification of commercial terms, scope obligations, template completion, defined terms, approval routing, and executive name and title accuracy. This gate is the Contracts Manager's direct accountability. Ensure all approval submissions comply with TOFA authority levels and routing protocol. No item is routed for approval without confirmed endorsement from every required organizational level. This requirement has no exceptions. Conduct regular alignment meetings with Operations leadership and supported functions to translate business priorities into contract strategies, advisor workload plans, sourcing schedules, and expiration calendars. Present commercial portfolio status, risk summaries, and cost competitiveness data to senior leadership on a defined cadence. Surface risk and elevate early. Build and maintain the Contracts function's visibility across supported organizations. Key stakeholders at every level should clearly understand the value the Contracts Manager delivers without requiring escalation to obtain results. Own the training, coaching, and development of the team on contracting process, commercial skills, governance, and SAP/ERP. When a process gap is identified and corrected, it does not recur. Design operating models for complex contracting structures, including variable-price OLAs and call-off frameworks; direct the team to document these models and translate contract terms into SAP/ERP-level process guidance usable by the field. Direct the team to maintain the contracts activity log with meaningful entries — status, next action, owner, target date, and risk flag. Identify and implement process improvements and quality control frameworks across the contracting lifecycle. Act as the subject matter expert for contracting governance; own the design, implementation, and verification of every process correction. Direct the team to support business owners in the development of Scopes of Work; ensure SOWs contain measurable obligations, clear deliverables, and defined handover requirements. Direct and oversee supplier qualification, covering financial standing, safety record, technical capability, IT risk, references, and conflict of interest considerations. Lead the Contracts team's participation in internal assessments and audits; own the remediation of identified gaps through to verified resolution. Maintain documentation and records per the company's records retention policy; maintain SAP and ERP data integrity across the contract portfolio. Ensure backup coverage is available for buyer or contract advisor functions as required; direct the team's participation in Procure-to-Pay activities and identify opportunities for process efficiency and improvement. Minimum Requirements Minimum Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business administration or other related discipline Minimum Experience Required Of The Position 10+ years related contracting / procurement / supply chain experience Minimum Knowledge, Skills And Abilities Required Of The Position. Demonstrated commercial negotiation skills with evidence of rate challenge, cost competitiveness analysis, and supplier managemen Knowledgeable in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and SAP Proficiency in SAP or equivalent ERP; ability to translate contract structures into system-level process guidance for field execution Ability to design and document operating models, work instructions, and practical quality control frameworks Strong analytical and commercial assessment capability, including compensation structure analysis and benchmark review Clear written and verbal communication at all levels of management, including executive-level reporting and presentation Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop a team of contract advisors and buyers, including performance management Strong planning, organizing, and pipeline management discipline; reliable task and log hygiene without exception Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and task management tools (e.g., Microsoft Planner) Required Job Competencies For This Position Commercial Acumen and Negotiation Discipline Proactive Planning and Structured Execution Business Integration and Stakeholder Partnership Team Leadership, Coaching, and Accountability Governance Rigor and Controls Integrity Practical Process Design and Problem Solving Confident, Effective Communication at All Levels of Management certificates, licenses, etc. CPSM, CPCM, or equivalent professional certification Working Conditions Normal office environment – Monday to Friday 8-4 / 9-5 Physical Requirements Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times Other Not all aspects of the job are covered by the description – may require “other duties as assigned” Job may change over time in accordance with business needs Job description does not guarantee employment #J-18808-Ljbffr