Commercial And Contracts Manager

ATI is looking for a full-time Commercial & Contracts Manager to join its Dubai studio.

About the Company

Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Dubai, ATI is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary architectural and engineering practice providing class-leading solutions across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Our reputation for distilling programmatically and technically complex projects into clear, elegant solutions is established upon a consistent drive to raise standards and elevate expectations for the benefit of all.

The Role

As the Commercial & Contracts Manager, you will assume strategic responsibility for Contracts, Fee Strategy, Deal Structuring, and Feasibilities. We are looking for a highly organized and experienced leader with excellent communication skills to ensure successful operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Fee Strategy: Lead the preparation of fee proposals and pricing strategies for design tenders.
• Contract Negotiation: Lead the negotiation of deals, contracts, and terms.
• Contract Drafting: Draft and manage Professional Service Agreements (PSA) and Main Contracts.
• Cash Flow: Structure payment milestones to ensure positive cash flow and minimize financial exposure.
• Risk Management: Identify and cap uncapped liabilities, consequential damages, and onerous indemnity clauses before contracts are signed.
• Sub-Consultants: Draft and manage sub-consultancy agreements.
• Scope Management: Manage "Scope Creep" by implementing strict notification regimes to ensure client requests outside the original scope are flagged, priced, and approved as Additional Services.
• Dispute Resolution: Act as the primary point of contact for contentious commercial issues, resolving disputes amicably to avoid arbitration while protecting the firm’s position.
• Profitability Analysis: Monitor internal project profitability. Analyse "Man-Hours Spent" vs. "Fee Earned" (WIP) and intervene when design teams are over-servicing a project.
• Development Deals: Draft and review Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Heads of Terms (HoT), Joint Venture (JV) agreements, and SPV structures for development projects.
• Feasibilities: Prepare feasibility studies regarding the commercial viability and risks of potential development projects.

Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Quantity Surveying or Commercial Management (Must have a strong understanding of construction economics).
• Master of Laws (LLM) in Construction Law and Arbitration. (We are looking for a candidate who understands the legal mechanics of a contract)
• 15+ Years’ experience within a Design Consultancy and/or Developer.
• 8+ Years of relevant consultancy experience in the UAE.
• MCIArb: Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators is preferred.
• MRICS: Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Commercial Pathway) is preferred.
• Contracts: Sound knowledge of FIDIC (White & Red Books, development agreements and local UAE regulations.
• Negotiation: Proven experience in successfully negotiating contract terms, fee claims, and variations.

How to Apply: Candidates are requested to attach their CV in PDF format. All applicants applying for this position should select the following code CCM/LI/041225 in the "Position Applying For / Position" field on the website application form. Previous applicants may re-apply.