Principal Contracts Engineer - Decommissioning & Wells

HAVE YOU GOT SPIRIT?
 
Succeeding in today’s energy landscape requires collaboration, agility and the courage to challenge established ways of working. At Spirit Energy, we are redefining what good looks like in mature basin operations — focusing on safe, responsible asset stewardship, value maximisation and the delivery of an orderly energy transition.
 
Achieving this requires a broad mix of skills, experience and perspectives. Our people are central to how we operate — bringing curiosity, accountability and pragmatism to complex technical and commercial challenges. If you are ready to take the next step in your career with a forward‑thinking team committed to doing things better and differently, we would like to hear from you.
 
THE OPPORTUNITY – PRINCIPAL CONTRACTS ENGINEER – DECOMMISSIONING & WELLS
 
The Principal Contracts Engineer is an important role within the team in ensuring that value is delivered to Spirit Energy for all Decommissioning and Wells Spend areas.
The role works closely with others in the SCM team, and with senior internal stakeholders and external third parties and continuously seeks to improve value. The role ensures SCM is perceived as a positive, significant, value adding integral partner to Spirit Energy.
 
Location: Aberdeen
Duration: 2-year contract
Contract Type: PAYE
Day Rate: TBC - For your application to be progressed, please ensure you provide a PAYE day rate banding expectation. 
 

• Please only apply if you have existing right to work in the UK.
• Please outline notice period/availability to start.

 
Spirit Energy currently have a non-contractual hybrid working arrangement for all office-based workers. 4 days must be worked in the office with compulsory days being Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The fourth day worked in-office (either Monday or Friday) is of the worker’s choosing but should be in keeping with what is most efficient and effective for their team. The office is open 5 days a week for full time, in-office working if this is the contractor’s preference.  
 
 
AND NOW FOR THE TECHNICAL BIT…
In role, you will be required to:
 
End-to-end Contract Lifecycle Management

• Provides a deep knowledge and understanding of end-to-end Contract Lifecycle Management. Ensures value is maximised throughout the category and contracting process.
• Supports delivery of the annual contracts plan.
• Works as a partner with business stakeholders to understand and support delivery of their needs
• Proactively develops robust strategic sourcing strategies for specific categories, contracts and projects, delivering breakthrough results and year on year continuous improvement.
• Undertakes category, contracts and project-related assessments to generate innovative opportunities and robust strategic sourcing plans
• Working as a Business Partner with key internal stakeholders, manages all contracting activity across designated Decommissioning and Wells category. This includes the creation and implementation of contract and category plans that will ensure delivery in line with business objectives, regulatory requirements and the landing of all value negotiated

 
External Market Expertise:

• Be seen by the business and externally as a Supply Chain Management expert for assigned categories and contracts
• Deep knowledge of assigned and related categories, providing leadership and insight for the business on all aspects

 
Team Contribution

• Supporting identification of improvement opportunities, helping define and drive change with peers across Supply Chain Management. From time to time, standing in for Line Manager.
• Supporting Line Manager in delivering key strategic strategies and projects.
• Coaching other team members to increase the knowledge base of the team.

 
Contracting

• Source and procure highly complex contracting requirements with high criticality impact for Spirit Energy, ensuring optimum value for money within defined service and quality criteria, lead and evaluate competitive tenders negotiating with major suppliers on all commercial and contractual matters and applying judgement as to what constitutes an acceptable level of contractual risk and supply
• Provide support in complex negotiations through data, market or other
• Draft, negotiate and obtain agreement to highly significant commercial contracts ensuring that operational and commercial risks to business are fully understood and mitigated.

 
On-going improvements & delivery of value add

• Identify and achieve significant defined improvement to the bottom line and cost saving targets by examining total acquisition costs and working closely with internal stakeholders and
• Forecast future expenditure patterns within key business units, developing appropriate strategies to ensure budgeted value improvements are proactively identified and implemented with appropriate pace.
• Contribute, optimise and challenge business plans where alternate opportunities exist to deliver higher value outcomes, ensuring all options have been duly evaluated

 
Supplier Management

• Within the End-to-end Contract Lifecycle Management framework, lead the development, building and maintenance of supplier engagement through appraisal and performance monitoring, value analysis, continuous improvement, supplier / supply base development, compliance and demand management.
• Lead engagement with multiple stakeholder interfaces/touch points across the business to ensure a consistent
• Ensure compliance to contract terms, both legal and commercial (including value delivery) and management of contractual risk. Lead solutions with stakeholders to ensure remediation or reduction of risk.
• Manage a comprehensive overview of supplier performance across assigned business unit(s).
• Resolve contractual and supplier disputes where they occur, protecting the interests of the business at all times. Engage legal team if required and gain remedial/recompense for the business if appropriate.
• Consult and provide input to the budgeting process in relation to supplier spend and engage on supplier cost saving initiatives, leading where
• Proactively challenge requirements and re-negotiate contracts as necessary during the contract period and build strategies to manage end-of-contract term options appropriately for Spirit Energy.
• Negotiate the terms and conditions of the Contract in line with Spirit Energy’s Contract Deviation processes and get appropriate input from Legal, Compliance, Tax and Insurance experts.

 
Safety and Compliance

• Identify any operational and regulatory risks, escalating as
• Operate information systems to the required standard to maintain accurate and secure
• Understand and adhere to the company and department standards, policies and
• Adhere to the Competence and Training procedures.

 
Develop and maintain strong positive working relationships with internal stakeholders, ensuring their requirements are understood and being addressed and that communication channels with them are clear and effective.
 
ABOUT YOU
To be successful in this role, we are looking for:
 

• Deep understanding of Decommissioning and Wells categories
• Comprehensive knowledge of end-to-end Contract Lifecycle Management
• including market insight, business partnering, negotiation, on-going supplier management and governance relating to assigned category
• Experience of complex and business significant categories of expenditure through multiple functions and maximising value to the business
• Demonstrable track record of transformational value delivery through identification and implementation of innovative sourcing strategies, continuous improvement plans and demand management
• Can design, coordinate and lead a complex, category wide improvement project
• Competent in use of Company business tools – SAP, MS Packages, Ivalua
• Ability to lead/champion Contract and Performance Management
• Ability to ensure business compliance with Supply Chain Processes
• Demonstrable track record of leading complex contract negotiations
• Understanding of the commercial aims and objectives of Spirit Energy
• Commercial Know-How: Managing for value, is the external market expert, understanding Spirit Energy commercial drivers and SCM’s role in supporting these
• Masterful understanding of general and contract law, and applications of LOGIC models, in development, execution and dispute resolution
• Degree educated or appropriate relevant in work experience.
• MBA or Bachelor’s with a degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or Finance preferred.
• MCIPS or equivalent

 
In addition to technical knowledge and credibility, we are looking for someone who lives our values - Agility, Collaboration, Courage, Care, and Delivery. A person who embraces and supports change, while ensuring the safe and efficient operation of a mature asset
 


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