Sr. Contracts Engineer

Role Overview

This position is focused on managing the complete contract journey from pre-award activities through post-award follow-up. The role supports sourcing, tendering, bid evaluation, negotiations, and contract administration while aligning with procurement and contracting objectives, internal standards, and compliance requirements.

Job Context

Job Role: Buyer

Role Variant: Sr. Contracts Engineer

Reporting To: Contracts Manager

Value Stream: Money, Materials & Compliance

Job Family: Procurement & Contracts

Sub-Job Family: Procurement & Contracts

Location: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Purpose of the Role

The position exists to manage contracts end to end by understanding business needs, identifying suitable pre-qualified vendors, preparing tenders, inviting bids, and handling both technical and commercial negotiations in line with organizational contracting standards and procurement goals.

Key Responsibilities

Pre-award activities

• Support the Category or Contract Manager in sourcing key contracts by identifying and evaluating vendors, shortlisting target suppliers, planning timelines for assigned packages, and preparing the contracting approach in line with agreed terms.
• Help complete vendor pre-qualification by defining sourcing events and carrying out technical checks with internal stakeholders.
• Prepare internal cost estimates using the defined process and approved procedures.
• Release RFQs through digital RFX tools and coordinate clarification meetings whenever needed.
• Review supplier quotations and prepare comparative statements to support vendor selection, pricing optimization, and better commercial terms.
• Take part in commercial discussions, negotiate pricing, and finalize offers according to the scope of work.
• Escalate significant commercial or contractual risks to the right authority and work toward practical solutions within contract rules and standards.
• Use digital tools such as e-auction and reverse auction to improve speed, transparency, and efficiency.
• Ensure purchase orders are created as per established procedures.
• Use SAP effectively to support efficiency and cost control.

Post-award activities

• Arrange kick-off meetings with internal teams and vendors.
• Track mobilization progress on time and participate in periodic review meetings.
• Join vendor site visits to confirm compliance with agreed contractual terms.
• Collect input from contractors, expediting teams, and suppliers to identify improvement opportunities and implement agreed resolutions.
• Manage change control in line with guidelines, including approvals for time extensions and quantity variations.
• Coordinate with project engineers, plant engineers, and FC&A teams to resolve issues such as performance security payments and GST-related queries.
• Examine claims received, submit them to the Engineer In Charge, and coordinate meetings and documentation to support timely settlement.
• Identify possible disputes among vendors or contractors and take preventive action in accordance with approved procedures.

Supplier relationship management

• Maintain regular engagement with vendors to communicate business requirements and address constraints.
• Collect and analyze feedback from the Engineer In Charge and suppliers, then share consolidated insights with the Project Category Manager and Contracts Lead to support continuous improvement.
• Monitor vendor performance against end-user expectations and share recommendations with the Contract Manager to help meet overall objectives.

Process and policy adherence

• Support the Contract Manager in building procurement strategy and executing the overall contracts plan.
• Handle daily contract activities while following all applicable policies, procedures, SOPs, and instructions so work remains controlled and consistent.
• Stay updated on best practices, market developments, and supplier trends, and contribute to improving procurement systems, processes, and procedures.

Success Metrics

• Contracts are awarded within the planned timeline and approved budget.
• Change management is completed within the required timelines.
• Claims are managed effectively.
• For O&M teams, major ordering through ARC (Annual Rate Contracts) is also a performance measure.

Operating Network

Internal stakeholders: P&C, Construction Managers, Project Management Team, FC&A, HR & IR, Engineering Teams, Legal

External stakeholders: Vendors, Consultants

Qualifications and Experience

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Technology. An MBA is preferred. The ideal candidate should have 5 to 8 years of experience in construction, operations, maintenance, exploration sites, or a similar environment.

Functional Competencies

• Strong techno-commercial judgment
• Capability in cost estimation
• Market intelligence and supplier awareness
• Ability to work on SAP or similar platforms
• Understanding of legal and contractual terms

Career Path

Feeder role: Contracts Engineer

Next role: Contracts Manager