Contracts Manager (AEC Industry), Risk & Project Management Office

Harris is a 100% employee-owned company focused on solving today's complex challenges in planning, design, and construction of public infrastructure. Our offices and project sites span the West Coast in California, Nevada, and Washington with a staff of nearly 300 employee-owners. We focus on serving clients in the municipal, water, transportation, and education markets.

This pivotal role demands a seasoned AEC contracts specialist with deep familiarity with California state and local public-infrastructure contract forms, the California Public Contract Code, and Caltrans Standard Specifications. You will proactively identify and mitigate legal and insurance exposures—drafting and negotiating indemnity clauses, subrogation waivers, additional‐insured endorsements, and owner coverage requirements.

This position is remote —but only open to candidates based in California (Pacific Time Zone) to ensure real-time collaboration and occasional in-person workshops. Preferred locations include Sacramento, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego, where you will join quarterly risk-review committees, lead on-site trainings, and meet with regional leadership as needed.

Job Responsibilities:

• Thoroughly analyze project contracts for potential legal, insurance, and financial risks, providing clear and actionable markups and recommendations for risk mitigation.
• Negotiate, draft, and enforce critical contract provisions—indemnity clauses, subrogation waivers, additional insured endorsements, and owner/contractor insurance requirements—to minimize exposure on consulting, design, and construction projects.
• Manage and optimize Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) systems (e.g., DocuSign CLM, Icertis), streamlining contract approval workflows, tracking key milestones, and enforcing compliance across project teams.
• Collaborate with business leaders and project managers throughout contract negotiations, providing risk analysis of contractual terms to protect the insurability of signed contracts.
• Coordinate with professional insurance carriers and legal counsel on contract-related claims, facilitating efficient resolution.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of contract and risk management policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Generate contract management reports and ensure compliance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Business Administration, J.D./paralegal certification, or equivalent
• 7+ years AEC public infrastructure contracts experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• AEC industry legal, risk, and corporate insurance experience, ideally in California
• Relevant certifications such as CPCM (NCMA), CCM (CMAA), RIMS-CRMP or PMI-RMP preferred

Knowledge/Skills:

• Deep expertise with California state and local public-infrastructure contract forms, the California Public Contract Code, and Caltrans Standard Specifications
• Thorough understanding of California Public Contract Code, Caltrans Standard Specifications and UC/CSU supplemental provisions
• Proficiency conducting risk assessments on prime and subconsultant agreements, identifying and mitigating exposures related to Professional Liability (E&O), General Liability, and Workers’ Compensation
• Hands-on experience negotiating and drafting indemnity clauses, owner/contractor insurance requirements, subrogation waivers, additional insured endorsements
• Advanced skills with Contract Lifecycle Management platforms (e.g., DocuSign CLM, Icertis) to automate workflows, track obligations, and enforce compliance
• Proven ability to navigate public procurement requirements for water, transit, education, and municipal projects, including prevailing wage.
• Strong working knowledge of state and local agency procurement practices, including water districts, transit authorities and school district RFQs/RFPs
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present risk findings to executive leadership, project teams, and external stakeholders

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams (project managers, business development, finance), external partners (clients, subcontractors), legal counsel, and insurance providers
• Meticulous attention to detail with a strong commitment to accuracy and ensuring compliance with all contractual obligations, company policies, and relevant regulations
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage multiple contracts and projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks, and meet demanding deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Compensation & Benefits:
Salary range: $120,000 - $160,000 annually, commensurate with experience, qualifications, and standards within the AEC industry in California.

In addition to base salary, we also offer:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• ESOP
• 401K Match
• PTO, 8 Paid Holidays + "1 WorkAversary" paid holiday to celebrate you!
• Health & Well-Being Allowance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible hybrid/remote work plans

Harris & Associates is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability) and provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.

Harris expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

#LI-HYBRID