Manager, Contract & Commercial

About the Role

Gradiant is a different kind of water company, offering a full suite of proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment. The company serves mission-critical operations in essential industries such as semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium, critical minerals, and renewable energy. The Contract & Commercial Manager is a key member of the Gradiant Commercial Department ("Global Commercial"), leading commercial administration and change management for a Boise project. This role focuses on reducing late-stage disputes, improving margin protection, and increasing predictability in commercial outcomes while implementing governance and compliance policies.

Responsibilities

• Contract Administration & Change Management
  • Own customer and vendor contract administration throughout project execution.
  • Manage and administer bonds, insurance policies, guarantees, billing (invoice issuance and payment applications), contract notices, completion certificates, and project close-out documentation.
  • Maintain complete and audit-ready contractual records, correspondence, and documentation to support project execution, claims, and dispute resolution.
  • Ensure contract obligations, deliverables, and key milestones are properly tracked and managed.
• Change Management & Variations
  • Lead preparation, negotiation, and commercial justification of Variation Orders (VOs) and Extension of Time (EOT) claims.
  • Track vendor change orders and drive conversion into customer-facing variation orders where contractually justified.
• Commercial Governance & Project Controls
  • Monitor and review Estimate at Completion (EAC), cost forecasts, and budget trends in SAP.
  • Support risk mitigation initiatives to improve margin protection and project outcomes.
  • Maintain accuracy of commercial and contractual information within SAP and other project management systems, including billing plans, forecast completion dates, cost positions, and contract values.
  • Support preparation of commercial reports, management presentations, and executive project reviews.
  • Drive project close-out activities, including final account settlement and commercial reconciliation.
• Vendor & Stakeholder Commercial Management
  • Review and evaluate vendor and subcontractor quotations in collaboration with procurement and project teams.
  • Support flow-down of contractual obligations and risk allocation to suppliers and subcontractors.
  • Serve as the commercial escalation point for disputes and commercial issues involving customers, suppliers, and subcontractors.
  • Support project teams in the interpretation and administration of both customer and supplier contracts.
  • Manage and track vendor compliance and onboarding requirements, including OCIP participation, PLA compliance, and Davis-Bacon reporting.
  • Provide commercial reporting and interface management with senior leadership and project stakeholders.
• Pre-Contract Commercial Support
  • Provide commercially sustainable advice regarding payment milestones, liquidated damages exposure, bonds, guarantees, securities, insurance requirements, and warranty obligations.
  • Review and validate commercial assumptions, pricing structures, risk contingencies, site preliminaries, labor costs, and insurance costs.
  • Support internal commercial governance processes.
  • Participate in contract negotiations and support execution strategy development.

Requirements

• Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Quantity Surveying, Engineering, Business, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
  • Additional contractual, legal, commercial, or project management qualifications are advantageous.
• Skills
  • Strong contract administration and commercial management capabilities.
  • Proficiency in drafting, negotiating, and administering Variation Orders, Change Orders, and EOT submissions.
  • Strong understanding of EPC commercial structures and project delivery models.
  • Proven ability to assess contractual risk and provide commercially sound recommendations.
  • Excellent negotiation, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.
  • Strong understanding of payment mechanisms, cost control, claims management, commercial settlements, and contract flow-down principles.
  • Working knowledge of proposal and project budget development, including BOQs, unit rates, risk contingencies, balance-of-work assessments, and cost estimates.
  • Ability to maintain independence, objectivity, and integrity when providing commercial advice.
  • Proficiency with SAP S/4HANA or equivalent ERP systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and contract management/project controls software.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional collaboration and drive timely decision-making.
• Experience
  • 7–10 years of progressive experience in contract and commercial management within EPC, infrastructure, industrial, semiconductor, water, energy, or construction sectors.
  • Demonstrated experience in contract administration, claims and change management, and billing/payment administration.
  • Proven track record supporting large and complex EPC or construction projects.
  • Experience working directly with owners, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers in a project execution environment.
• Certification
  • Certification in a relevant commercial, contract management, or project management discipline (e.g., PMP, CCP, CIPS, or equivalent) is preferred.