SENIOR GAS CONTRACTS AGENT

Supply Chain Management Transaction Team

The selected candidate could work out of the following locations: Atlanta, GA – Naperville, IL – or Birmingham, AL

This position follows a Hybrid Work Schedule. Employees are required to be in the office Four (4) Days per week.

JOB SUMMARY 

This position will provide daily contracting and sourcing support (request for proposal, negotiations, contract development, risk mitigation, tracking, analysis) to meet the acquisition needs for services and materials.  This position will also work closely with our category management strategies in support of contracting requirements. 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties will include the daily support of all sourcing & contracting activities "from cradle to grave", including advising customers on Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) preparation, lead pre-bid meetings, review of offers upon receipt from bidders, cost & price analysis, negotiations, risk assessment, preparing contract documents and agreements; assists in contract administration, incorporation of changes, expediting & follow-up, disposition of claims, and contract closeout.   Duties will require leading sourcing projects, assisting in developing and implementing strategic programs for the procurement of Equipment and Services. Expectations include outstanding oral and written communications with ability to excel in high-level communications with Management at multiple levels. Develop the sourcing strategy for low to high-risk services.  A typical agent will support ~(20 - 25) active projects concurrently with defined turnaround parameters (Target Days) for all contract related documents (RFPs, Master Agreements, Non-Disclosure, Amendments, Statements of Work, etc.) throughout the year.  Manage relationships with the company’s vendors and ensure efficient and transparent contracting and negotiation process to reduce costs, improve commercial terms and reduce duplication of efforts. Work cross functionally to improve and streamline processes.  Ensure that overall risk is properly controlled and mitigated.   Develop a detailed knowledge of the Southern Company and Operating Company procurement policies/procedures and have the capability to become a Subject Matter Expert (SME).  Expected to build and maintain a detailed knowledge and understanding of essential legal provisions, contract common law, contract formation issues, data security issues, remedies, liquidated damages, litigation avoidance, and dispute resolution. Ensure all required terms and conditions are included in procurement documents and work with legal, risk management and financial services (accounting) to resolve contractor exceptions and issues in a timely manner.  Draft contract language, including special conditions for complex, non-standard purchases. Identify and evaluate new sources of supply, domestic and globally, when necessary to meet customer needs, including performing market research and analysis. Build and maintain a fundamental to proficient knowledge of our contracting systems utilized in daily support.  Conflict Resolution, the ability to engage and fix identified issues. Maintain the primary interface with contractors in an ethical and respectful manner while protecting the company's interests.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business, Technology, Finance, Law or other relevant technical disciplines preferred 

Experience:

Experience in contract sourcing and development, including direct experience with negotiating contract terms and conditions for services contracts strongly preferred Utility, natural gas or other energy industry experience is preferred Experience in contract drafting, contract language and law is preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Must have basic to intermediate knowledge and understanding of contracts, contract preparation and negotiation Thorough understanding of contract procurement and administration controls Must be able to negotiate contracts that maximize business financial results, minimize business risk, and achieve internal client satisfaction Self-motivated and ability to work with minimal supervision Strong customer focus with ability to build and maintain relationships with internal customers, suppliers, contractors and other key stakeholders Effectively handle tight deadlines, large workloads, and multiple projects with positive enthusiasm Superior written and oral communication, to successfully negotiate contract terms and write such contracts in a clear, logical and concise manner Candidate must have the ability and determination to support multiple projects under tight deadlines Candidate must have effective influencing and consensus-building skills Strategic focus on problem-solving Excellent organizational skills are required to plan and manage assigned workload and customer expectations effectively to meet internal business unit requirements Ability to think strategically and apply broad seasoned judgment to decisions Highly Effective Communications skills Strong Customer Service skills Analytical and interpersonal skills Ability to effectively work and participate in cross-functional and cross-company teams at all levels in the organization to ensure buy-in by multiple companies when working on system projects Knowledge of company structure and organizations with general understanding of business unit operations Excellent problem solving and organizational skills required Attention to detail is critical

Behavioral Attributes

Must demonstrate behaviors consistent with the Southern Company values of Safety First, Intentional Inclusion, Act with Integrity, and Superior Performance Self-motivated Proactive Strategic Problem Solver Customer focused Strong work ethic Exhibits a strong sense of urgency  Promotes teamwork Practices ethical behavior Displays creativity, initiative, and flexibility Learns from and utilizes experience

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Available to travel (occasionally) as needed which may require an overnight stay Candidate must have a valid driver’s license Position is in an office environment The incumbent will be required to be in an office location four days per week