Head of Contracts (Project Delivery & Contract Management)

Terracotta is currently recruiting an experienced Head of Contracts on behalf of a leading organization within the UAE's power and energy infrastructure sector.

This is an excellent opportunity to play a key role in the delivery of major capital projects, providing strategic contract management, governance, and commercial support across the project lifecycle. The successful candidate will work closely with senior stakeholders, supporting project delivery from both a corporate and project-level perspective.

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE (On-site)

Employment: Long-term Consulting Assignment (Until August 2027, with potential extension)

Key Responsibilities

1. Contract Governance & Portfolio Oversight

• Oversee and guide the Project Company's contract management framework and overall contractual performance across a portfolio of major infrastructure projects from the corporate/head office perspective.
• Ensure effective sponsor/shareholder protections through proactive risk monitoring, governance, and escalation.
• Review, challenge, and assess EPC contractor claims and dispute strategies to safeguard the owner's commercial and contractual interests.
• Prepare governance-level reporting and provide contractual advice and decision support to senior leadership and key stakeholders.

2. Interim “Fronting” Role (Project Company/Owner Contract Manager)

• Act as the interim Project Company Contract Manager on the Owner's side, operating with a high degree of autonomy and seniority during the initial stages of project execution.
• Manage the full lifecycle of contract administration, including:
• Drafting and issuing contractual notices and correspondence.
• Preparing, evaluating, and responding to contractual claims.
• Managing contractual interfaces and ensuring compliance with contract obligations.
• Maintaining accurate contractual records and supporting dispute resolution where required.
• Thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure project environments with evolving priorities and limited structure.

3. Business & Project Development

• Support project development activities through the review of EPC term sheets and key contractual documentation.
• Assess contractual risk allocation and project bankability, including:
• Alignment between EPC and PPA/WPA agreements.
• Liquidated Damages (LD) regimes.
• Force Majeure (FM) and Excusable Delay (EGAI) provisions.
• Interface management and performance risk allocation.
• Lead or make significant contributions to project development and business development activities from a contract management and project delivery perspective.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Law, or a related discipline.
• 15+ years of experience in contract management on large-scale infrastructure or energy projects.
• Strong experience administering EPC contracts throughout the full project lifecycle.
• Extensive knowledge of FIDIC contracts, contract administration, claims management, variations, and dispute resolution.
• Experience representing the Owner, Developer, Sponsor, or Project Company is highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of contractual risk allocation and commercial governance.
• Experience supporting executive-level decision making and governance reporting.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced project environment.

Preferred Industry Experience

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in

• Power Generation
• Utilities
• Renewable Energy
• Transmission & Distribution
• Major Infrastructure
• EPC Projects