Job Description Summary

The Commercial Contract Staff Manager will provide functional leadership to a team of contract management professionals supporting commercial and project execution activities. In this role, the leader will be responsible for driving excellence in pre- and post-contractual support, including contract terms and conditions, claims management, contractual risk identification and mitigation, and negotiation strategy.

The Commercial Contract Staff Manager will serve as a key leader for the contracts’ function, ensuring effective support to business and project teams while driving consistency, rigor, and process discipline across the organization. This role will also be responsible for developing team capability, standardizing contracting practices, and partnering closely with commercial, project, legal, and business leadership to support successful business outcomes.

This role operates within established operating policy objectives and requires strong functional expertise, people leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to influence across a matrixed organization.

Job Description

Roles and Responsibilities 

  • Provide leadership, direction, and development for a team of contract managers supporting commercial and project teams

  • Drive effective pre- and post-contractual management across the team’s scope of responsibility, including RFQs, contract formation, contract administration, change orders, claims, and customer contractual matters

  • Serve as the primary escalation point for complex or significant contractual issues, including claims, disputes, high-risk negotiations, and customer-facing commercial matters

  • Guide and oversee the drafting, review, and negotiation of contract language for a broad range of commercial arrangements, including sales contracts, proprietary information agreements, consortium agreements, claim settlements, and commercial correspondence

  • Lead the team in identifying, assessing, and managing contractual and commercial risk, and in developing practical mitigation strategies in support of business objectives

  • Partner closely with legal counsel and business leadership to obtain and implement legal guidance, as appropriate, on significant contractual matters

  • Provide leadership in the development of negotiation strategies, alternatives, and recommendations for leadership review and decision-making

  • Drive standardization and continuous improvement of contract management tools, templates, processes, and operating mechanisms

  • Ensure appropriate resource planning, prioritization, and workload management across the contracts team to support business needs

  • Build organizational capability through coaching, mentoring, performance management, and development of contract management talent

  • Promote a culture of compliance, accountability, collaboration, and operational rigor within the contracts function

Qualifications/Requirements 

  • Juris Doctorate

  • Minimum of 12 years of experience aligned with the listed essential responsibilities

  • Significant experience in contract negotiation, contract management, claims management, and commercial risk management 

Desired Characteristics 

• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including leading, coaching, and developing professional talent

  • Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally, as required

  • Strong functional expertise in commercial contracting, contract terms and conditions, and contractual claims and dispute resolution

  • Demonstrated ability to lead teams and influence across a matrixed business environment

  • Outstanding written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively at all levels of the organization

  • Strong operational judgment and commercial acumen

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex issues in a dynamic business environment

  • Experience developing and implementing process improvements, standard work, and functional tools

  • Power industry contracting experience, including direct interface with customers or prime contractors

  • Proven ability to partner effectively with legal counsel, commercial leaders, and project teams to drive business outcomes

This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. If applicable, final offers will be contingent on ability to obtain authorization for access to U.S. export-controlled information from the U.S. Government.

Additional Information

GE Vernova offers a great work environment, professional development, challengin