Contracts Specialist

Mission for this Position:
About Us

At Baffinland, we work and live beyond the Arctic Circle, mining iron ore at our Mary River Property, located in the Qikiqtani Region of Nunavut on Baffin Island; one of the world’s most captivating and seldom seen destinations. We are a unique company with a strong management who have amassed specialty experience on northern mining projects through all phases of Inuit consultation, permitting, construction and operation. Our workforce brings together the modern practice of safe, sustainable mining and the enduring value of a traditional culture, which is rapidly advancing. The result is a work and community experience you won't find anywhere else. We are looking for people ready to share, build, and grow with our company.

Reporting to the Procurement Manager, the Senior Contracts Specialist will be responsible for leading the formation, administration, and closeout of major construction contracts and service agreements, including pre-qualification of bidders, drafting Requests for Proposal (RFPs) to negotiating, awarding, and administering major procurement packages and logistics service agreements. He/she will also be responsible for ensuring all procurement and contracting activities are in compliance with Baffinland’s stakeholder expectations and HSE (health, safety, and environmental) commitments, including the Mary River Inuit Impact and Benefits Agreement. This role is based in our office in Oakville, Ontario Canada.

Main Accountabilities:

- In consultation with relevant Project stakeholders and Baffinland departments, develop contracting strategies and negotiate contracts and service agreements with the goal of achieving cost savings and advantageous terms and conditions for the Project in compliance with the company’s HSE standards and requirements.
- Develop Request for Proposal (RFP) documents and lead the contract formation process, including the negotiation of contractual terms and conditions with the ultimate goal of achieving contracts that can be managed and operated effectively and efficiently post-award.
- In collaboration with the Project Logistics counterparts, develop, negotiate, and award Requests for Proposal for project logistics and transportation services, including all marine charter parties and aviation services.
- Identify and pre-qualify potential contractors, including Inuit-owned firms as required by the Mary River Inuit Impact and Benefits Agreement, to develop a pool of capable, qualified, and competent contractors, which Baffinland can draw from for Project implementation (construction, commissioning, and start-up).
- Ascertain all contractual commitments are properly documented and recorded, including in Baffinland’s ERP system (SAP). Manage changes to the scope of services and / or contractual terms and conditions with relevant internal and external stakeholders with a view to minimizing commercial and Project execution risks.
- Monitor contractor / supplier performance, and enforce warranties and other contractual clauses as necessary to ensure the delivery of quality goods and services on schedule and within budget.
- Establish key performance indicators for contractors to enable progress monitoring and reporting. Provide such reports to management and end-user departments on a regular basis; flag deviations or instances of non-compliance and implement corrective action, including enforcing contractual provisions where necessary.
- In collaboration with the project’s insurance broker, implement a comprehensive insurance program for the Project, including integrating them into individual contracts. Ensure contractual terms and conditions are aligned with the Baffinland insurance program. Clearly define coverage responsibilities between Owner and Contractor in Project procurement packages / documents. Process insurance claims as necessary.
- Consult with relevant Project teams / Baffinland departments and legal counsel to support management of claims and disputes as they arise during the course of each contract with the view to achieving favourable outcomes for the company and its stakeholders.
- In consultation with relevant Baffinland discipline leads, support the implementation of necessary systems, processes, and controls to ensure contracting activities are carried-out in compliance with company policies and procedures, including the Mary River Inuit Impact and Benefits Agreement.
- Mentor junior procurement specialists and provide training in the contract formation and administration process as well as in the use of Baffinland’s procurement systems and tools.
- Identify opportunities to improve contracting practices, including improvements to contracting processes and continuous development of standardized contract documents, templates, and terms and conditions.
- Support the review and approval of contractor / supplier invoices for payment, including using SAP. Support the Project Controls team in cost forecasting and analy