Contracts & Commercial Corporate Counsel/AVP

About the role

The ideal candidate will be motivated to develop and build their personal knowledge and skills to assist with the growth and success of the office. We offer a friendly, professional atmosphere with excellent benefits and a salary commensurate with experience.

Responsibilities

• Executive Advisory & Risk Insight
• Review and advise on non-standard contract terms, commercial positions, and, where appropriate, propose deviations to safeguard the organization.
• Extensive role in design-build and alternative delivery contract negotiations.
• Support executive decision-making by clearly articulating risk, opportunity, and mitigation options.
• Act as a trusted challenger on projects and commercial strategies where risk exposure is elevated.
• Commercial & Contract Strategy
• Advise project teams on commercial and contractual strategy for major and high-risk opportunities.
• Work with marketing to address contractual risk during the proposal stage.
• Participate in contract negotiations, supporting executive and project leadership as a senior commercial advisor and negotiator.
• Perform hands-on contract review and provide advice to project managers, with strong legal awareness to assess contract terms, risks, and obligations.
• Serve as a mandatory advisory review point for major bids and complex projects.
• Contribute to the development of commercial frameworks, templates, and guidance.
• Participate with leadership in developing appropriate insurance strategies to manage risk.
• Contract Management
• Review, draft, negotiate, and administer client, consultant, subcontractor, vendor, and supplier agreements.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and risk tolerance standards.
• Maintain contract templates and standard contract language and ensure compliance with laws.
• Negotiate contract terms within established company risk parameters.
• In collaboration with external counsel as needed, help maintain processes to support compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements impacting contracting.
• Project Delivery & Issue Resolution
• Support Project Managers in managing commercial and contractual challenges during project execution.
• Step in to advise or support distressed or high-risk projects as requested by Executive leadership.
• Monitor emerging commercial risks and escalating issues to Executive leadership as appropriate.
• Provide guidance on scope control, variations, and commercial compliance.
• Claims, Variations & Dispute Avoidance
• Advice on the preparation and strategy for claims, variations, and commercial negotiations.
• Perform hands-on, detailed analysis of major claims (as assigned) and prepare materials to defend/settle.
• Participate in and/or lead negotiations with clients to resolve issues and avoid formal disputes where possible.
• Career Development
• Coach and train Project Managers on commercial risk awareness and best practices.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of commercial governance and risk management processes.
• Support knowledge sharing and lessons learned across the organization.
• Aid in the development of AI tools to streamline contractual risk management.

Qualifications

• Minimum Education: Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree from an accredited institution is required.
• Licensure/Bar: Admission to practice law in Arizona is preferred (active member in good standing).
• Candidates admitted in another US jurisdiction with eligibility and intent to seek Arizona admission may be considered.
• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant professional experience. Five (5) years of experience are preferred.
• Strong understanding of contract risk, commercial negotiation, and project delivery dynamics.
• Proven ability to advise senior leaders and influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Demonstrated legal training and experience with commercial contracting and project delivery risk in an engineering/architectural/environmental consulting environment (or similar complex project setting).
• Ability to independently draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements and to identify when escalation to external counsel is appropriate.
• Working knowledge of, or demonstrable ability and readiness to rapidly develop expertise in, professional liability insurance (PLI), Standard of Care, Fitness for Purpose / warranty-of-result exposure, and fixed-price/FFP risk structures and other headline risk areas — including back-to-back and flow-down arrangements across the AE professional services supply chain.
• Self-starting, team player comfortable working at all levels with all levels of awareness.
• Trusted, independent, and commercially astute.
• Confident communicator with executive presence.
• Balanced, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented.
• Able to challenge constructively while enabling the business.
• High professional judgment and integrity.
• Comfort operating as an in-house legal resource-in-training on a path toward broader General Counsel responsibilities.
• Valid Driver's License, with the ability to maintain insurability under the company's insurance carrier.

Skills

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience with contract management software.
• Knowledge of industry-specific regulations and compliance requirements.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, short and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, Paid-time-Off, and a 401(k) plan.

Pay

Salary commensurate with experience.

Schedule

This position will be a hybrid position based in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, as the primary and permanent place of employment, with regional/global support to TYPSA Group, TYPSA US, TYPSA Canada, and TYPSA Australia that will occasionally require availability during Australian business hours.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, short and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, Paid-time-Off, and a 401(k) plan.

Company Overview

TYPSA in the United States is a multi-discipline engineering and environmental consulting firm assisting public and private clients in planning, developing, designing, constructing, and maintaining critical infrastructure projects across the United States. With offices in Arizona and California, TYPSA provides local expertise with the backing of a global network. Originally established in 1992 as AZTEC Engineering Group, Inc., the company began as a two-person DBE firm and grew into a trusted corporation serving clients nationwide. In 2006, AZTEC joined TYPSA Group, an international leader in engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting headquartered in Spain with more than 60 offices worldwide. Today, as TYPSA in the United States, we proudly carry forward the AZTEC legacy while connecting our clients to the resources, innovation, and international experience of the TYPSA Group. This integration allows us to deliver tailored local solutions with the depth and reach of a global firm.

Equal Opportunity Employer

TYPSA, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to affirmative action planning and encourages diversity in the workplace.