Senior Contracts and Commercial Director

Overview

The Senior Contracts and Commercial Director provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all commercial and contractual affairs across the company's project portfolio from Head Office in Riyadh. This role ensures consistent commercial practices, robust contract administration, effective risk management, and optimized financial outcomes throughout project lifecycles.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Shape and implement the commercial strategy aligned with corporate goals, leading governance frameworks for all business units.
• Standardize commercial policies and procedures to promote industry best practices and drive excellence across projects and subsidiaries.
• Support executive leadership in strategic decisions and participate in business planning and growth initiatives, including commercial digital transformation efforts.
• Oversee contract management, from tender award through project completion, including negotiation of complex EPC, design-build, PPP, framework, and international contracts.
• Develop and maintain standard contract forms, subcontract agreements, and commercial templates, ensuring compliance with regulatory and client requirements.
• Implement enterprise-level commercial risk management systems, review risks before tender submissions, lead contract risk allocation, and devise mitigation for major exposures.
• Lead commercial evaluations and approval of strategic tenders, pricing, and negotiations, ensuring profitable, competitive submissions and managing joint ventures and consortium agreements.
• Monitor and review commercial performance and profitability of projects, ensure timely certification, payment collection, change management, and cost control.
• Manage preparation and negotiation of significant claims including extensions of time, disruptions, accelerations, variations, and dispute resolution activities in close collaboration with legal counsel.
• Establish and enforce corporate commercial governance, internal audit practices, compliance with delegations of authority, procurement policies, and ethical standards.
• Act as executive commercial liaison for key clients, consultants, government agencies, and partners, and represent the company in high-level negotiations.
• Lead and develop the commercial organizational capability, succession planning, employee engagement, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Law, or related fields.
• Advanced qualifications such as MBA or Master's in Commercial Management, Construction Law, or Project Management are preferred.
• Professional certifications like MRICS, MCIOB, FRICS, Certified Cost Professional, Certified Professional Contract Manager, PMP, or FIDIC Certified Contract Manager are advantageous.
• At least 20 years of experience in commercial and contract management within major contracting firms, including a minimum of 10 years in executive leadership roles.
• Proven capability managing mega construction projects valued over USD 500 million across diverse sectors such as EPC, infrastructure, transportation, industrial, utilities, and mixed-use developments.
• Extensive familiarity with international contracting standards including FIDIC, NEC, and other EPC contract formats.
• Demonstrated success leading commercial teams managing multiple simultaneous projects.

Authority and Decision-Making

• Authority to approve commercial strategies and contract positions within delegated limits.
• Lead executive negotiations and recommend contract awards.
• Approve major commercial settlements and escalate significant risks to executive leadership and the Board.