Contracts Agent

This position will be located in Atlanta, GA.

About the Role

The position exists to support the contracting needs of Southern Company’s business units and to provide guidance to Company organizations to effectively procure and pay for goods and services. The role is responsible for the daily support of all sourcing and contracting activities "from cradle to grave," including managing the sourcing (RFI or RFP) process, negotiation and contracting, through contract closeout.

Responsibilities

• Support all sourcing and contracting activities "from cradle to grave," including advising customers and leading Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) preparation, leading pre-bid meetings, reviewing offers, cost and price analysis, negotiations, risk assessment, preparing contract documents and agreements.
• Assist in contract administration, incorporation of changes, expediting and follow-up, disposition of claims, and contract closeout.
• Support a high volume of projects concurrently with defined turnaround parameters for all contract-related documents (RFPs, Master Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Amendments, Statements of Work, etc.).
• Lead negotiations of all legal and commercial terms to ensure overall risk is properly controlled and mitigated.
• Ensure all required terms and conditions are included in procurement documents and work with Legal, Risk Management, and Accounting to resolve contractor exceptions and issues in a timely manner.
• Build and maintain a detailed knowledge of essential legal provisions, contract common law, contract formation issues, remedies, liquidated damages, litigation avoidance, and dispute resolution.
• Draft contract language, including special conditions for complex, non-standard purchases.
• Identify and evaluate new sources of supply, domestically and globally, when necessary, including performing market research and analysis.
• Collect and coordinate updates of supplier information and required compliance documentation (safety records, certificates of insurance, etc.).
• Build and maintain proficiency in sourcing, contracting, procurement, and payment systems (GEP, Maximo, Oracle).
• Resolve conflicts during contract performance, including negotiating contractual revisions.
• Communicate effectively with business partners at all management levels regarding contract terms, status, and processes.
• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and provide guidance on Southern Company procurement policies and procedures.
• Maintain ethical and respectful interactions with contractors while protecting the company’s interests.
• Manage relationships with vendors to ensure efficient and transparent contracting and negotiation processes, reducing costs and improving commercial terms.

Technology-Specific Responsibilities

• Negotiate Software License Agreements, Software as a Service Agreements, Subscription Service Agreements, Master Technology Equipment Purchase Agreements, etc.
• Lead sourcing projects and assist in developing and implementing strategic decisions for the procurement of Technology Services, Software, Software as a Service, and Hardware.
• Apply a strong understanding of IT security-related risks and mitigation strategies to address data breaches, malicious code, security vulnerabilities, etc.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Formal education or experience in contract language is preferred.
• Experience in procurement or contracts preferred.
• Experience with negotiating technology-related contracts is highly preferred.

Skills

• Contract law and drafting.
• Legal and commercial negotiation.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Customer-focused with the ability to build and maintain relationships with internal customers, suppliers, contractors, and other key stakeholders.
• Ability to handle tight deadlines, large workloads, and multiple projects with enthusiasm.
• Superior written and oral communication for negotiating and drafting clear, logical, and concise contracts.
• Excellent organizational skills to plan and manage workload and customer expectations.
• Strategic thinking and broad, seasoned judgment in decision-making.
• Effective communication skills for high-level interactions with management.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work and participate in cross-functional and cross-company teams to ensure stakeholder buy-in.
• Effective influencing and consensus-building skills.
• Ability to acquire proficiency in supply chain and business technology tools (procurement systems, SharePoint, etc.).

Behavioral Attributes

• Demonstrates behaviors consistent with Southern Company values.
• Self-motivated and customer-focused.
• Strong work ethic with a sense of urgency.
• Promotes teamwork and practices ethical behavior.
• Displays creativity, initiative, and flexibility.
• Learns from and utilizes experience.

Schedule

This position will report to a company location in-person a minimum of 4 days per week.

Benefits

Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes:

• Competitive base salary.
• Annual incentive awards for eligible employees.
• Health, welfare, and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being.
• Eligibility for additional compensation, such as incentive programs.

A summary of benefits can be found here. Additional details about total compensation and benefits will be provided during the hiring process.