Contract Conformance Specialist IV

Contract Conformance Specialist IV Location: Houston, TX, Hybrid schedule. 12 months. High Level Description This position provides senior-level Supply Chain Management (SCM) Contracts Center support for a range of supplier contracting activities across Client. The role is accountable for drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and finalizing contractual terms using Client-approved templates, established legal positions, documented precedents, and applicable policy requirements. The Specialist will support agreement creation, supplier redline negotiation, choice-of-contract guidance, supplier onboarding terms and conditions acceptance, and contract execution readiness, while partnering with SCM, Legal, Contract Owners, Business Units, and suppliers to deliver consistent, risk-informed, compliant, and efficient contracting outcomes. Specific Accountabilities Independently draft, review, revise, and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including, but not limited to, EPC Agreements, Services Agreements, and supplier paper agreement. Review supplier redlines and prepare practical, risk-informed responses using approved templates, alternate clauses, prior precedents, and Legal guidance. Facilitate supplier negotiations on contractual terms and conditions within defined risk parameters, escalating non-standard terms, material deviations, high-risk positions, or significant business impacts to Legal and SCM leadership as appropriate. Advise SCM and business stakeholders on appropriate contract type selection by interpreting scope, risk profile, value, inspection level, business unit requirements, entity considerations, joint venture requirements, and applicable SCM guidance. Coordinate internal input from Buyers, Category Managers, Contract Owners, Business Units, Legal, Risk, Insurance, Safety, Tax, and other functional stakeholders to resolve contract issues and align positions before supplier communication. Engage business stakeholders to confirm scope, urgency, value, risk acceptance, contract owner information, legal entity details, operating unit requirements, and other facts needed to support accurate contract drafting and negotiation. Document business decisions, Legal feedback, negotiation rationale, approved deviations, and status updates in Contracts Center systems to support auditability, knowledge sharing, and leadership reporting. Create and maintain contract records in Oracle and other designated systems, including contract numbers, draft records, execution status, contract uploads, and handoff to Buyers or SCM teams for purchase order or master agreement release. Identify recurring contracting issues, supplier negotiation trends, template gaps, process inefficiencies, and opportunities for master agreements, playbooks, alternate clauses, or improved intake guidance. Promote consistent application of Client-approved contract language, policies, procedures, governance frameworks, and Contracts Center best practices across SCM contracting activities. Scope/Dimensions Works independently on complex, time-sensitive, and business-critical contracting matters that require judgment, stakeholder coordination, and interpretation of established policies, templates, and legal guidance. Exercises discretion in assessing contractual risk, determining when business input is required, and identifying when matters should be escalated to Legal or senior SCM leadership. Supports a broad range of SCM areas, including Direct Category Management, PDC-related contracting requests, corporate functions, operations, projects, joint venture work, materials, field services, consulting, engineering, construction-related services, and master agreement opportunities. Manages multiple contracting deliverables at one time while maintaining accurate status information, timely stakeholder communication, and appropriate prioritization. No direct people leadership accountability; however, may provide technical guidance, process guidance, peer support, and mentoring to other Contracts Center team members. Knowledge, Skills Required: A minimum of a university degree, paralegal degree, or equivalent combination of education and related experience. A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in supply chain, contract management, procurement, commercial contracting, legal operations, or as an in-house paralegal, preferably in the energy, utilities, oil and gas, construction, engineering, or industrial services sector. Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex supplier agreements and redlines using prepared templates, approved fallback language, and established negotiation parameters. Strong understanding of contracting principles, including indemnity, limitation of liability, insurance, warranty, confidentiality, assignment, termination, payment, scope, entity, and purchase order terms. Ability to interpret scope, value, risk profile, business requirements, contract type guidance, and policy requirements to recommend an appropriate contracting approach. Advanced written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain contractual concepts in clear, practical language to business stakeholders and suppliers. Strong judgment, attention to detail, accuracy, organization, and ability to document decisions and status updates clearly for auditability and reporting. Ability to manage competing priorities, urgent requests, multiple negotiations, and stakeholder expectations in a fast-paced environment. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Teams, Adobe or electronic signature tools, and enterprise systems such as Oracle; experience maintaining contract records and workflow/status tracking tools preferred. Preferred: International Association for Contract & Commercial Management, World Commerce & Contracting, Supply Chain Management Professional, paralegal, procurement, or contract management certification. Experience with energy infrastructure contracting, joint ventures, master agreement strategy, supplier onboarding terms, contract playbooks, alternate clause libraries, process improvement, or negotiation trend analysis Contacts/Working Relationships Works closely with SCM Buyers, Category Managers, Contract Owners, Business Units, Legal, Risk, Insurance, Safety, Tax, Supplier Management, and other functional stakeholders to support contracting activities. Interacts directly with suppliers and supplier representatives to clarify proposed changes, negotiate acceptable contract positions, and move agreements toward execution. Partners with Business Units to clarify scope, urgency, commercial context, operational risk, contract value, entity requirements, and willingness to accept business-owned risk positions. Coordinates with Legal to obtain guidance on non-standard terms, high-risk deviations, joint venture implications, entity issues, technology or personal information considerations, and matters outside approved SCM parameters. #J-18808-Ljbffr Spectraforce Technologies