Senior Construction Contracts Manager

At Cumming Group, you will work on some of the world's most exciting projects in a dynamic environment where your success is measured by the impact you make. We are one of the fastest-growing project and cost management consultancies in the United States, as reflected in our top 10 rankings in ENR. With over 60 offices globally, an extremely diverse project portfolio, and double-digit year-over-year revenue growth, the opportunities to make your mark are limitless!

Cumming Group is seeking a Senior Construction Contracts Manager to support a valued Healthcare client's Facilities Capital Project Management Program. This role will be responsible for managing complex contract negotiations, competitive bidding, and regulatory compliance for design, construction, and specialty procurement categories. The Senior Contracts Manager provides day-to-day leadership and support to Contract Managers and Administrators, represents our client in sensitive negotiations, and serves as a key escalation point for downline contract staff. The Senior Construction Contracts Manager is also expected to consistently demonstrate exceptional initiative and autonomy, independently managing complex and high-value procurement activities, making critical decisions, and delivering results with little to no oversight. This will mostly be a work-from-home position with occasional travel to our client sites between Baltimore, MD, and Tampa, FL, but we are targeting someone in the Mid-Atlantic or Southeast regions for optimal efficiency.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Oversee the full lifecycle of competitive bidding for assigned procurement types (e.g., Construction Manager at Risk (CmaR), Design, Concrete, Elevators, Equipment Planning, Specialty).

• Independently initiate and execute complex bidding processes, proactively identifying and resolving challenges without reliance on detailed guidance.

• Lead bid preparation, issuance, and evaluation, including bid tab reviews, scorecard development, and post-bid agenda management.

• Analyze bid submissions, document outcomes, and provide recommendations for contract awards.

• Ensure transparency, fairness, and compliance in all bid processes, collaborating with project teams and stakeholders.

• Continuously refine bidding strategies and documentation to reflect lessons learned and evolving market conditions.

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of contract structures, terms, and risk factors across all procurement types and jurisdictions, ensuring every contract meets institutional standards and project-specific needs.

• Independently draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts—including custom agreements—by skillfully adapting beyond standard templates to address unique circumstances.

• Serve as the primary interface with legal counsel for moderate to high-risk negotiations, exercising sound judgment with minimal supervision.

• Mentor Contract Managers and Administrators in negotiation, redlining, and compliance best practices.

• Ensure contracts are tailored to address both institutional priorities and operational realities, proactively identifying and mitigating risks.

• Takes full ownership of contract management tasks, consistently delivering high-quality results on complex matters with little to no direction.

• Develop and maintain strong vendor relationships, facilitating effective communication, dispute resolution, and performance feedback.

• Independently manage vendor relationships and negotiations, resolving issues and driving outcomes with minimal oversight.

• Represent the institution in vendor meetings and negotiations, advocating for best value and long-term partnership.

• Track and maintain bid lists for prime firms in assigned affiliate groups, ensuring up-to-date qualifications and compliance.

• Model best practices and provide informal leadership to Contract Managers and downline staff.

• Mentor team members in advanced drafting, negotiation strategies, and risk evaluation.

• Encourage cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing across procurement teams.

• Support onboarding and ongoing training for new team members.

• Proactively identify opportunities for team development and process improvement, taking initiative to implement solutions.

• Prepare and deliver reports on procurement activities, bid outcomes, and contract status for leadership and affiliate meetings.

• Identify and implement process improvements across bidding and contracting workflows.

• Contribute to policy development, documentation updates, and implementation of best practices.

• Leads procurement activities for assigned affiliate portfolios, serving as the primary contact for procurement questions, contract issues, and project updates. They maintain thorough documentation, participate in affiliate meetings, and provide leadership with regular updates on project status and procurement activities.

• Leverage data and feedback to drive continuous improvement in procurement practices and outcomes.

• Work autonomously to identify, analyze, and implement improvements, consistently enhancing procurement processes and outcomes.

Knowledge & Skills Required:

• Lead and manage the bidding process for design and construction projects, including bid document preparation, pre-bid meetings, bid openings, and post-bid evaluations.

• Analyze bid outcomes, prepare bid tabulations, and recommend contract awards based on best value and compliance.

• Develop and maintain positive vendor relations, including facilitating meetings, resolving disputes, and ensuring vendors meet contractual obligations.

• Independently draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, including custom agreements and amendments.

• Mentor Contract Managers and Administrators in procurement best practices, negotiation, and compliance.

• Prepare and deliver reports on procurement activities, bid outcomes, and contract status.

• Contribute to policy development, documentation updates, and implementation of best practices.

• Maintain comprehensive documentation for assigned affiliates, including signature authority and operational notes.

• Serve as the main point of contact for affiliate-specific procurement questions and contract issues.

• Participate in affiliate meetings, gathering project status, identifying contract-related issues, and capturing key takeaways.

• Operate with a high degree of independence, balancing multiple projects and priorities.

• Effectively manage resources within control, ensuring procurement activities align with project budgets and institutional goals.

• Champion a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous learning within the procurement team.

• Advanced knowledge of procurement theories, principles, and processes for design, engineering, and construction industries.

• Deep expertise in competitive bidding, bid evaluation, and contract negotiation for high-value and complex procurements.

• Strong understanding of contract vehicles (e.g., CMaR, Lump Sum, Design-Build) and their application in construction projects.

• Proficient in vendor relations, performance management, and dispute resolution.

• Excellent drafting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Advanced interpersonal and communication skills for working with internal stakeholders and external vendors.

• Ability to mentor and develop procurement staff.

• Proficient in project management systems (e.g., PMWeb), Microsoft Office Suite, and procurement tracking tools.

• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex, non-standard agreements and risk scenarios.

• Proven ability to work independently, manage ambiguity, and deliver results on complex projects with minimal supervision.

Preferred Education and Experience:

Construction contract experience required.

Education: A Bachelor’s Degree is required, and an advanced degree in business, construction management, or a related field is preferred.

Experience: Familiarity with Vantage Point enterprise resource planning software. Minimum of five to ten years with contract and procurement matters in a corporate environment. Demonstrated proficiency in the management of personnel.

Preferred Certification: Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM), Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM) and/or Certified Contracts Professional Manager (CCPM)

Cumming Group is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity in its personnel policies and practices. It is Cumming Group’s policy to recruit, hire, train and promote Team Members and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, marital status, registered domestic partner status, genetic information, sexual preference, sexual orientation, gender (including gender expression and gender identity), pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions, including breastfeeding), military service, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, veteran status or any other protected classification under federal, state, or local law. All such decisions are based on (1) individual merit, qualifications, and competence as they relate to the particular position, and (2) promotion of the principle of equal employment opportunity.

All other terms and conditions of employment, such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoff, return from layoff, training, education, and social and recreational programs, are administered without regard to the characteristics described above. To this end, Cumming Group complies with all provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, all of the rules, regulations and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor, and all similar state and local laws.

In addition to base salary, Cumming Group offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• 401(k) Matching
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Short and long-term disability
• Employee Assistance Program