Job Type: Full-time | Location: Fort Worth, TX | Department : Operations | Reporting to: Head of Procurement | Work Location Type: #hybrid
IREN is a vertically integrated AI Cloud provider, delivering large-scale data centers and GPU clusters for AI training and inference. IREN’s platform is underpinned by its expansive portfolio of grid-connected land and power in renewable-rich regions across North America, Europe and APAC.
The Senior Manager, Strategic Contracting is responsible for leading the development and execution of contractor engagement and contracting strategies that enable IREN to scale construction delivery across a growing portfolio of projects and markets. The role owns three levers central to that scale: deepening existing contractor relationships to lock in capacity and performance, exploring and qualifying new contractors in target and emerging markets, and shaping the contracting models and frameworks under which work is awarded.
This role is critical to mitigating construction risks, enabling the construction team to deliver to budget and schedule, and securing access to skilled labor through strategic contracting and partnerships. Operating in a fast-paced and evolving environment, the Senior Manager will establish contracting and partnership frameworks, build market intelligence on contractor capacity, and drive early engagement to support long-term growth.
With 100% renewable energy, we build, own and operate our data centers and take pride in being at the forefront of sustainable solutions for the ever-evolving applications of high-performance compute. We believe that human progress is invaluable, but it should be done in the right way – responsibly, sustainably and having a positive impact on the communities we operate in.
Contracting Strategy
- Develop and own the construction contracting strategy for the project portfolio, aligned to organizational objectives and risk appetite.
- Evaluate and recommend appropriate contracting models (e.g. lump sum, GMP, cost-plus, alliance, EPC/D&C) based on project scope, contractor capabilities, risk profile and market conditions.
- Establish contracting frameworks, standard terms and conditions, and procurement pathways in collaboration with legal, project managers and procurement teams.
- Lead market assessments to understand contractor capacity, capability and competitive landscape.
- Maintain and continuously improve contracting policies, templates and governance standards across the PMO.
- Develop long-term contractor partnerships to ensure continuity and scalability.
Market Development & New Contractor Engagement
- Lead market assessments to understand contractor capacity, capability, pricing benchmarks, and competitive dynamics across target and emerging geographies.
- Build and expand IREN’s contractor network in new and capacity-constrained markets, including identification, prequalification, and early engagement of tier-1 and specialty trade contractors.
- Proactively engage contractors ahead of project demand to secure capacity, validate appetite, and inform pipeline planning.
- Maintain market intelligence on contractor consolidation, labor availability, and cost trends to support build/buy and self-perform decisions.
Commercial Negotiation and Leadership
- Act as the primary commercial interface with internal stakeholders including project directors, finance, legal, and executive leadership.
- Lead all commercial negotiations with construction contractors, including head contract terms, pricing structures, scope of works, and performance regimes.
- Drive value outcomes through competitive procurement processes, direct negotiations and relationship-based contracting where appropriate.
- Assist in the negotiation of variations, claims and dispute resolution outcomes, balancing commercial rigor with relationship management.
- Develop negotiation strategies and commercial modelling to support decision-making.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with contractor leadership teams to support collaborative and outcomes-focused delivery.
- Provide expert commercial advice and guidance to project teams across the portfolio.
Contractor Lifecycle & Relationship Management
- Own end-to-end contractor identification, prequalification, and onboarding workflows (due diligence, safety/insurance, compliance, master data, and onboarding documentation) in partnership with Legal, HSE, Finance, and Operations.
- Develop and maintain a preferred contractor program, including prequalification criteria, tiering, and refresh cadences across trades and geographies.
- Establish contractor relationship management routines for strategic partners — scorecards, QBRs, performance reviews, and corrective action plans — to drive delivery, quality, safety, and cost outcomes.
- Provide commercial oversight of contractor performance, including KPI monitoring, payment certification and incentive/abatement regimes.
- Define operational governance with contractors, including KPIs/SLAs, escalation paths, change-order controls, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Ensure contracts are operationalized through clear scopes of work, rate structures, and performance expectations that enable predictable execution for project teams.
Risk Management
- Identify and mitigate risks related to contractor and labor availability and costs.
- Provide forward-looking insights on market conditions, capacity constraints, and contracting risks.
- Partner with project and operations teams to anticipate and address contracting challenges early.
- Identify, assess and manage commercial risks and opportunities across the contract portfolio.
- Ensure timely and accurate reporting of commercial positions, commitments, and exposure to project leadership and stakeholders.
Cross-Functional Alignment
- Collaborate with Procurement, Construction, Operations, and Technical teams to align contracting strategies with demand forecasts.
- Act as a key interface between construction and project delivery teams to ensure contracting supports execution timelines.
Process & Capability Development
- Establish and standardize contracting processes, tools, and contractor frameworks.
- Contribute to building a scalable construction contracting capability as the business grows.
- Drive continuous improvement across contracting practices and contractor management.
