Contract Claims Manager

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2023 revenue of approximately $9.2 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

 

The Role

 

As Supply Chain & Contract Manager will play a critical role in supporting the capital procurement team in the day-to-day business and take responsibilities, especially in the area of suppliers, contracts, logistics, and claim management of $1B+ capital projects supporting the Circular Economy Growth Platform and other large capital projects in the future.  This role reports to the Director, Mega Projects Capital Procurement and will be based in Kingsport, Tennessee.

 

Responsibilities

 

• Work with legal, procurement, project management, operations and engineering to maintain existing contracts and enter into new contracts 
• Experience with Capex Suppliers, Fabricators and Vendors in downstream chemicals markets
• Experience with project logistic providers such as freight forwarders, break bulk shipping vessels, and over dimensional / heavy haul transportation.
• Experience with trade compliance (export and import requirements) out of India and China.
• Define terms and conditions and ensure that technical scope is contractually embedded to secure risk- and cost-efficiency.
• Lead the commercial execution of contracts, including approving payments, allocating and reporting cost, support the Commercial Managers for the budget planning.
• Develop, negotiate and execute variations and amendments, including defining related scope and conditions, negotiating cost.
• Execute claim management, including defect notification processes, claims preparation, claims coordination in collaboration with the legal department.
• Create and maintain overview of contracts and main commercial contractual parameters (e.g. warranties, securities, liabilities, etc.) together with the legal team.
• Support commercial teams in the optimization of contracts, risks, costs and processes.
• Identify risk and opportunities arising out of contracts and pro-actively address them to the risk and opportunity management process.
• Ensure strong communication with the cross functional partners and project team.
• Collect and spread lessons in capital project supply chain, contracts, and logistics learned across the company.

 

Requirements

 

• Relevant technical, legal or commercial education.
   
• Good negotiation and management skills.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience with contract and claim management for large capital projects both as EPC/Turnkey Contractor or PMC/ Owner side from project inception/ development, FEED, Delivery & Construction, Commissioning to Operations is required.  
• Experience in EPC projects under a variety of contracts. 
• Comfortable flagging problems when they arise and asking for help when needed.
• Ability to be proactive while working independently.
• Team player and strong communicator with internal and external parties.