Contract Specialist, Construction and Development

Role Description

We are looking for a Contract Specialist to join our Legal team reporting into the Senior Manager, Legal Operations. The Contract Specialist is responsible for managing the full development and construction contracting lifecycle, including drafting and negotiating agreements, processing change orders, overseeing financial reporting, and ensuring contractual, invoice and payment compliance. The role will also assist with vendor pre-qualification and compliance monitoring.  The Contract Specialist role will be part of a small and mighty Legal team where you are closely involved in the day to day operations of the business, and work collaboratively with our Development, Construction and Finance teams.  

Core Responsibilities

• Own the full contract lifecycle for development and construction projects, from initiation through execution and closeout

• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts for general contractors, subcontractors, engineers, and vendors (using templates and playbooks); coordinate with internal teams and outside counsel on complex or elevated-risk matters

• Independently review and redline vendor agreements within an established contract playbook

• Manage and process contractor and vendor change orders, additional service requests, and monthly progress billings; resolve discrepancies independently and escalate systemic issues

• Manage contract schedules of values and billing across core systems (Procore, NetSuite, Excel, and other platforms)

• Maintain mechanic's lien tracking and lien releases

• Lead vendor onboarding, including collection and review of insurance documentation, certificates, and endorsements; identify and resolve compliance gaps

• Track and maintain vendor and contractor compliance requirements, including insurance and prevailing wage documentation

• Assist with the pre-qualification of external consultants and contractors by reviewing financial reports, insurance qualifications, safety ratings, and other criteria; serve as the primary interface during onboarding

• Drive process improvement initiatives for contracting workflows and contract management software utilization; maintain platform data integrity across systems

• Coordinate signature collection; ensure fully executed contracts are properly labeled and stored in contract management software

• Contribute to the development of training materials and reference guides for contracting processes and tools

Core Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience 

• 5+ years of experience in contract administration, contract management, or a related role in a construction, development, commercial real estate, or infrastructure environment

• Experience reviewing, redlining, and negotiating contracts with the ability to identify commercial and legal risks 

• Ability to work independently and apply appropriate escalation judgment

• Proficiency in Smartsheets (or similar tools) for construction contract and project management

• Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Excel, Word) and Google Workspace

• Working knowledge of vendor insurance requirements, including certificates of insurance, and preferably policy documentation and endorsement forms

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to independently manage multiple contracts and deadlines simultaneously

• Clear written and verbal communication skills with high attention to detail

• Proficient in using AI-powered tools (e.g., Copilot, Claude) to enhance productivity and streamline contract workflows; applies sound judgment in reviewing and validating AI-generated outputs

Preferred Qualifications