Principal Procurement Contract Specialist

Principal Procurement Contract Specialist

Play an integral role in delivering complex industrial, energy, chemicals, and resources projects by providing advanced commercial and contractual expertise throughout the procurement and subcontract lifecycle. As a Principal Procurement Contract Specialist, you will serve as a trusted advisor on contract formation, negotiation, post-award administration, change management, contractor performance, and claims strategy.

Working closely with project management, procurement, construction, legal, commercial, client, and contractor stakeholders, you will help protect contractual rights, manage commercial risk, and ensure contracted services support safe, efficient, and successful project execution. Your expertise will directly influence commercial outcomes, contractor performance, cost management, and overall project success.

Purpose of the role

The Principal Procurement Contract Specialist is responsible for executing and administering contractual activities across all phases of assigned procurement and subcontracting requirements. This role applies extensive knowledge of commercial terms and conditions, contract principles, project execution, and risk management to develop agreements that support Worley and customer objectives.

You will provide specialist expertise from contractor identification and solicitation through negotiation, award, post-award administration, change management, claims support, payment, and closeout. Where Worley administers contracts on behalf of a customer, you will work closely with authorized customer representatives to ensure commercial decisions and correspondence protect contractual rights and remedies while supporting successful project execution.

You will be responsible for

- Managing contract and subcontract assignments across the full commercial lifecycle, from acquisition strategy and solicitation through award, administration, and closeout.
- Identifying, soliciting, evaluating, and recommending qualified contractors to provide consulting, specialty, construction, and project services.
- Preparing, reviewing, and negotiating contracts, subcontracts, commercial terms and conditions, scopes of work, and related contractual documentation.
- Applying strong commercial judgment to contract negotiations while balancing project requirements, risk allocation, schedule, cost, and customer objectives.
- Administering post-award contracts and monitoring contractor compliance with contractual obligations, performance requirements, and delivery commitments.
- Managing contract changes, amendments, variations, and commercial correspondence throughout project execution.
- Analyzing contractor correspondence and developing responses that appropriately preserve applicable contractual rights and remedies.
- Identifying potential claims exposure and supporting the development of claims defense, mitigation, and resolution strategies.
- Engaging Legal and other specialist resources when required to support complex claims, disputes, contractual interpretations, and risk-management strategies.
- Collaborating closely with customer representatives when administering contracts on behalf of clients.
- Monitoring contractor performance and working with project stakeholders to address commercial, contractual, schedule, and service-delivery concerns.
- Reviewing invoices and supporting documentation and providing appropriate approvals or recommendations for payment in accordance with contractual requirements.
- Coordinating with procurement, construction, engineering, project controls, finance, legal, supply chain, and project management stakeholders.
- Identifying commercial trends, emerging risks, and opportunities and translating analyses into actionable recommendations.
- Preparing contract reports, commercial analyses, correspondence, presentations, and recommendations for project and business leadership.
- Providing specialist consultation and technical guidance to project teams and less experienced contract and procurement personnel.
- Reviewing work for contractual accuracy, completeness, and alignment with established policies and project requirements.
- Supporting continuous improvement of contract management systems, processes, tools, templates, and commercial practices.

About us

Worley is a global company of energy, chemicals and resources experts headquartered in Australia. We partner with our customers to deliver projects and create value across the life of their assets. We specialize in consulting, engineering, procurement and construction across the project lifecycle, with services extending through to operations and decommissioning. Leveraging extensive experience and AI-enabled delivery, we support customers in navigating complexity as they meet today's needs and transition to more sustainable solutions.

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What you’ll bring to the role

You are a seasoned contracts professional with strong commercial judgment and extensive experience supporting procurement and subcontracting activities in complex project environments. You combine advanced contract administration expertise with the analytical capability to recognize patterns, anticipate commercial issues, and develop practical strategies that protect project and customer interests.

Key qualifications include:

- University degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, Construction Management, Engineering, Commerce, Law, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Typically 10+ years of relevant experience in procurement contracts, subcontract administration, commercial management, contract management, construction, or major project delivery.
- Extensive knowledge of contract formation, commercial terms and conditions, negotiation, post-award administration, change management, claims, and contract closeout.
- Experience supporting subcontracting activities within environmental, engineering, construction, EPC, EPCM, energy, chemicals, resources, infrastructure, or major capital project environments.
- Demonstrated ability to identify, evaluate, solicit, and negotiate with contractors providing consulting, specialty, and construction services.
- Strong experience analyzing contractual correspondence and developing commercially sound responses.
- Experience supporting claims defense strategies, contractual dispute resolution, and coordination with Legal resources.
- Strong knowledge of contractor performance management, invoice review, payment support, and contractual compliance.
- Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to identify trends, anticipate issues, and develop practical commercial solutions.
- Proven ability to prioritize complex matters with potential project, multi-project, or organizational impact.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to provide specialist consultation to project and functional stakeholders.
- Excellent negotiation, communication, presentation, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Advanced understanding of contract management systems, procurement processes, reporting tools, and commercial work practices.
- Ability to provide technical guidance, assign activities where appropriate, and review work for accuracy and adequacy.
- Commitment to integrity, commercial discipline, collaboration, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

Feel the energy at Worley with access to a range of benefits including: paid-time off, holiday pay (usually 8 per year in the US), and eligibility to participate in the medical, life, dental, and vision insurance plans, as well as 401K plan.

Apply today

If you are ready to apply your contract expertise to complex projects where strong commercial judgment makes a meaningful difference, we encourage you to apply. Join a global organization where your negotiation skills, contractual knowledge, and strategic insight will help strengthen contractor performance, manage commercial risk, and deliver successful outcomes for Worley and our customers.

Moving forward together

We want our people to be energized and empowered to drive sustainable impact. So, our focus is on a values-inspired culture that unlocks brilliance through belonging, connection and innovation. We're building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. Creating a space where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, and are heard.

And we're not just talking about it; we're doing it. We're reskilling our people, leveraging transferable skills, and supporting the transition of our workforce to become experts in today's low carbon energy infrastructure and technology. Whatever your ambition, there's a path for you here.

And there's no barrier to your potential career success. Join us to broaden your horizons, explore diverse opportunities, and be part of delivering sustainable change.

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