Commercial and Contract Manager

SMA Australia has a full-time opportunity for a Commercial and Contract Manager within our Large Scale team. This role would suit somebody based in Sydney. The position is located at our North Sydney office, with hybrid working conditions available.

Who we’re looking for:

Reporting to the Head of Commercial and Contract Management, this is a professional hands-on role. You will manage your own portfolio with a high degree of autonomy – leading negotiations, holding the commercial risk position, and managing contracts across their full lifecycle, from initial drafting through to final close. The role serves the Australia and New Zealand market while operating within an international business, interfacing with an broad international counterparty base and coordinating with the group’s legal, commercial and supply functions in Europe and the United States. This is an opportunity to help develop a commercial and contract function, with genuine ownership from the outset.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the drafting, negotiation and execution of supply and service agreements, non-disclosure agreements, variations and ancillary agreements – with responsibility for leading negotiations, not solely for administering positions determined elsewhere.
• Identify, assess and manage commercial risk across each contract, including liability caps, indemnities, warranty and defects-liability provisions, liquidated damages, insurance and intellectual property.
• Structure and manage the security instruments supporting the contract portfolio – bank guarantees, letters of credit and parent company guarantees – and ensure the correct application of Incoterms to cross-border supply.
• Manage commercial disputes and claims through to resolution, including defect and warranty notices, delay and liquidated-damages claims and back-charges, incorporating root-cause analysis and settlement, and engaging internal legal support or external counsel where required.
• Maintain the portfolio’s compliance with applicable Australian law and market frameworks, including the Corporations Act, the Australian Consumer Law, the Personal Property Securities Act and register, and the National Electricity Rules and AEMO requirements, together with the New Zealand equivalents where relevant.
• Coordinate with SMA’s global legal and commercial functions to maintain alignment with group standards, manage cross-border approvals, and address multi-jurisdictional execution requirements, including foreign-entity execution and translated corporate documentation.
• Review and advise on the commercial terms of customer and subcontractor agreements during tender and pricing processes, prior to positions being committed.
• Operate within the delegation of authority framework, and maintain the contract lifecycle management system and project trackers so that portfolio risk remains current and visible.
• Contribute to the lessons-learned register and to the ongoing development of the function’s templates, playbooks and processes.
• Provide day-to-day guidance and quality review to a broad pool of internal stakeholders.

Ideal candidate profile:

• 6–10 years’ experience in commercial management, contract management or a commercial or legal discipline, ideally including exposure to the energy, renewables, infrastructure or major-projects sectors.
• A demonstrated record of leading substantive commercial negotiations with EPC contractors, developers, independent power producers, financiers and suppliers.
• Comprehensive command of contractual risk – liability, indemnity, warranty, liquidated damages and insurance – and of the security and trade-finance instruments that support supply contracts.
• Direct experience managing commercial disputes and claims through to resolution.
• A sound working knowledge of Australian contract law, and sufficient financial fluency to construct and substantiate your own commercial position rather than rely on others to do so.
• The judgement to operate autonomously – to determine what may properly be decided at your level, what should be escalated, and where material exposure lies.
• Clear written and verbal communication, with the ability to convey commercial matters effectively to technical, operational and executive audiences.
• A preference for a small, hands-on team in which each member takes full ownership of their work, including administrative tasks.

Qualifications required:

• A Bachelor’s degree in the area of Law, Commerce, Business, Engineering or a related discipline is required.

Candidate value proposition

“This role offers genuine commercial ownership, strategic influence and the opportunity to shape the commercial success of critical renewable energy projects while building a pathway into executive commercial leadership.”

About Us

SMA Solar Technology are a global renewable energy pioneer, facilitating access to clean energy through state-of-the-art technology. SMA has 45 years of expertise and passion in renewables to drive the worlds energy transition. We are a diverse and global organisation. SMA Group employs over 3500 people globally, with more than 500 focused on research and development to ensure we remain at the forefront of technology. SMA Australia is a subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology, we are a dynamic and entrepreneurial team of over 80 people from a wide range of cultural, education, and employment backgrounds. We value team spirit, performance and trust. Would you like to play a part in shaping the energy supply of the future?

This position is open to all Australian citizens or Permanent Residents. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Thank you.