Contracts Manager

THE ROLE

The Contracts Manager will report into the O&M Contracts Manager and, working with the wider Technical Operations and Commercial teams, the role will primarily be focused on driving and diligently managing WiseEnergy’s end to end in-house Intermediate and Final Acceptance Certification (IAC and FAC) process with Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) contractors. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Contract Management:
  • Review of clients’ EPC (and Operations & Maintenance (O&M)) contracts and obligations
  • Understanding clients’ contractual and legal position
  • On behalf of clients, negotiate contractual positions to a commercial outcome autonomously, gaining any necessary stakeholder approvals when required.
• Identification and resolution of plant defects incl.:
  • Managing and working with Technical and Planning & Property advisors by providing relevant background project information and arranging site visits as required
  • Reviewing advisor findings, seeking clarifications where required and distilling material issues to raise as defects with EPCs and stakeholders
  • Raising and communicating defects to EPCs by issuing Defects Notices with legal support in accordance with EPC contract
  • Leading discussions and meetings with EPCs and stakeholders, sometimes on contentious matters
  • Ensuring defects are remedied and signed-off as required
  • Negotiating and agreeing a commercial resolution to defects that cannot be remedied
  • Managing Warranty Bonds and associated warranty claims
• Complete plant document:
  • Managing data rooms and documents
  • Reviewing documentation onboarded at acquisition, quality checking and working, sometimes with remote teams, to manage document collation
  • Identifying missing documentation key to achieving IAC-FAC and liaising with EPCs to complete the document suite
  • Working with business unit heads to sign-off technical, financial and commercial items
  • Negotiating and agreeing a commercial resolution to documentation that cannot be located
• Where relevant, completing relevant contractual/technical conditions to pass FAC:
  • Management of site-specific conditions agreed at acquisition to complete the FAC process
  • Working in-house with Technical, Commercial and Finance teams to undertake condition requirements as required and with legal and/or advisor support, as required
  • Presenting clients’ position to EPCs
  • Negotiating and agreeing a contractual - commercial resolution, where required
• Project management of plants through in-house FAC sign-off stage gates:
  • Managing multiple workstreams and working across business units to progress plants through FAC
  • Providing regular internal FAC progress updates to senior managers and stakeholders
  • Determining impact of defect(s) on a plant and identifying risk mitigation strategies as well as considering any impacts on the broader business
  • Drafting FAC Packs including final payment amounts and any retentions secured through commercial agreement
  • Presentation of FAC Pack to senior managers and clients to gain sign-off
  • Managing required supporting documentation, e.g. Side Letters, Variations to Agreements as relevant with support from the commercial, finance, technical teams, legal and technical advisors, as appropriate
• Closure of post-FAC items: 
  • Working with EPCs / technical advisors / business units to complete outstanding actions post issuing FAC
  • Managing release of retention amounts to EPC
  • Collating evidence to sign-off outstanding items
  • Tracking expenditure where relevant and release of retention monies held to EPCs
• Ensure the effective tracking of Share Purchase Agreement (“SPA”) obligations for newly acquired assets and lead on the resolution of claims in relation to the SPA;
• Operate and develop the company’s in-house asset management platform (“AMP”) to reflect O&M and EPC information as required
• Ad hoc commercial and technical projects
• Continuously identify and implement process improvements;
• Support the WiseEnergy team in establishing and maintaining an environment of internal control, cohesion and integrity;

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills (in English and Spanish/Portuguese advantageous) - you must be able to organize your thoughts in a way that others find clear and compelling. You will be expected to put together well-written, grammatically correct emails, presentations and other communications. When communicating verbally – whether over the phone, on video calls, in person or in meetings – you will need to be articulate and engaging.
• Time management & prioritization skills - the ability to effectively manage yourself and your workload is critical.
• Fast Learner – Our US portfolio spans multiple states (New York, Virginia and North Carolina) with differing PPAs and regulatory requirements in each. Being able to quickly digest, learn and adapt to these differing challenges is key
• Flexibility - being an effective team player means being flexible in your approach and open to getting involved with new things, even if they are not spelt out in your job description.
• Delivery focus – it may sound obvious, but the ability to proactively churn through work at pace and deliver quality outputs really matters.
• IT literacy - you need to be comfortable with IT systems and working with data, particularly Excel.
• Passion for our mission ‘to generate a more sustainable future by leading the transition to clean energy.
• Our values: be a leader, build trust, be responsible, be innovative and ‘bring your alpha’.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS 

• 3-5 years experience as a Contracts Manager/Asset Manager/O&M Manager/similar in the renewable energy market, preferably solar
• Bachelor’s Degree (e.g., Engineering, Law, Environmental Science, Economics, etc.)
• Good understanding of contract law

WHAT WE OFFER

• A busy role in a supportive team, with plenty of opportunities to learn.
• International scope – we operate in over 8 countries.
• Hybrid working – we will need you in the office at least twice a week, but you will normally be able to work remotely for the remainder of the week.
• Private health insurance. 
• Annual discretionary bonus.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this opportunity, please follow the link to apply or send your application to careers@nextenergygroup.com. If you have been shortlisted for the next stage, we will be in contact within 14 days. 

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Our approach to diversity and inclusion is a natural extension of our values. Our entrepreneurial culture inspires us to try new things, be open to different viewpoints and be bold. Our Group is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of connectedness that values difference and gives space for individual expression. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent and hard work form the bedrock of who we are and who we aspire to be.

We are committed to equal employment and advancement opportunity irrespective of race, color, ancestry, social background, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability and gender identity.