Contracts Specialist

The Contracts Specialist is a key member of the Legal Department responsible for managing the full lifecycle of commercial contracts across a publicly traded investor-owned water and wastewater utility serving customers in California, Texas, Connecticut, and Maine. The Contracts Specialist is responsible for supporting H2O America''s contracting activities through the drafting, administration, tracking, and lifecycle management of corporate, commercial, construction, procurement, operational, and real estate-related agreements.

The Contracts Specialist combines strong contract administration capabilities with process-oriented thinking to help drive consistency, compliance, efficiency, and risk management across the Company''s contract portfolio.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Contract Drafting and Administration

• Draft, revise and administer routine and standardized a wide array of commercial agreements using approved templates and playbooks, including, but not limited to:
• Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
• Master Service Agreements (MSAs)
• Professional Services Agreements
• Vendor and Supplier Agreements
• Construction and Engineering Agreements
• Statements of Work (SOWs)
• Change Orders
• Purchase Order Terms and Conditions
• Easements, Licenses, Rights-of-Way, and other real estate-related instruments
• Amendments, renewals, and termination agreements
• Maintain contract calendars and monitor key milestones, including notice periods, renewal dates, expiration dates, and ongoing contractual obligations.
• Coordinate execution processes utilizing electronic signature platforms and maintain executed agreement repositories.
• Serve as a liaison between internal stakeholders and external counterparties during the contracting process.
• Prepare amendments, extensions, renewals, notices, and related contract documentation.
• Redline third-party agreements utilizing company-approved positions and escalation procedures.
• Conduct initial contract reviews to identify deviations from approved standards and route issues to Legal Department attorneys as appropriate.
• Assist attorneys with contract-related research, due diligence, and document preparation.
• Ability to work within CLM workflows to draft, negotiate and execute standard commercial agreements.

Process Improvement and Governance

• Partner with Legal, Shared Services (IT, HR, Water Quality, Communications, Cyber, Customer Service), Operations, and other company teams to develop and implement contracting best practices.

• Identify opportunities to streamline contract administration processes, reduce manual effort, and improve user experience.

• Assist in the development and maintenance of:

• Contract policies

• Standard operating procedures

• Playbooks

• Clause libraries

• Templates and forms

• Training materials

• Support implementation of new technologies and automation initiatives relating to contract management and legal operations.

• Participate in cross-functional projects focused on procurement, vendor management, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation.

Reporting and Compliance

• Prepare legal department reports and support end‑of‑quarter auditor reporting requirements.

Process Improvement

• Recommend and implement improvements to contracting processes, policies, procedures, and technology.
• Support cross-functional initiatives related to procurement, compliance, risk management, cybersecurity, vendor management, and operational excellence.
• Assist with legal department special projects.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor''s Degree or certification in Business Administration, Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies, Public Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering Management, or a related field.
• Paralegal Certificate, Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM), Certified Commercial Contracts Manager (CCCM), or similar certification preferred

Experience

• 5-8 years of experience in contract administration, procurement, legal operations, contract management, project administration, or a related field.
• Experience supporting commercial contracts within a utility, infrastructure, engineering, construction, energy, or regulated industry environment preferred.
• Experience utilizing CLM platforms, workflow systems, or document management technologies preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Understanding of contract lifecycle management principles and commercial contracting processes.
• Ability to draft, review, and revise routine contractual documents using standard company templates.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and document management capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Teams, and contract management systems.
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments and build productive business relationships.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and exercising sound professional judgment.

Success Factors

The successful candidate will:

• Improve contract turnaround times.

• Independently review, negotiate, and drive routine contracts to completion by referencing established playbooks and consulting with Corporate Counsel as needed.

• Increase compliance with contracting policies and approval requirements.

• Drive adoption and effective use of contract management technologies.

• Enhance visibility into contract obligations and key business commitments.

• Develop scalable processes that support H2O America''s growth and operational objectives.

• Serve as a trusted partner to business teams in executing the Company''s commercial and infrastructure initiatives.