Manager (PreContract Rail/Metro)

About SYSTRA and the Role

SYSTRA is a global engineering and consultancy group specializing in public transport and sustainable mobility, with over 10,300 employees. For 65 years, SYSTRA has contributed to urban and regional development by designing, improving, and modernizing infrastructure and transport systems across their entire lifecycle. The company operates in over 80 countries, providing services from design to maintenance. This full-time position for a Manager (PreContract Rail/Metro) is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Role Context and Purpose

The Manager (PreContract Rail/Metro) will collaborate with procurement, commercial, legal, technical, and project management teams. The primary objective is to ensure that all pre-contract activities are structured, compliant, and aligned with project objectives, timelines, and governance requirements, specifically for Light Rail Transit (LRT) projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all pre-contract activities for LRT projects, providing contractual and commercial support during procurement and tendering.
• Support the development of contract strategies, packaging approaches, procurement routes, and tender plans for design, consultancy, and related project packages.
• Prepare, review, and finalize pre-contract documentation, including invitations to tender, conditions of contract, special conditions, scope coordination, pricing schedules, bid forms, and commercial requirements.
• Coordinate with technical, procurement, and project teams to ensure tender documentation is complete, consistent, and aligned with project requirements.
• Review and advise on appropriate contract forms, commercial structures, pricing mechanisms, and risk allocation strategies.
• Lead the contractual and commercial review of tender submissions, including qualifications, deviations, exceptions, and compliance with tender requirements.
• Support technical and commercial bid evaluations and contribute to tender evaluation reports and award recommendations.
• Lead or support tender clarifications, commercial discussions, and pre-award negotiations with bidders.
• Identify contractual and commercial risks during the tender phase and recommend mitigation measures prior to contract award.
• Work with legal and procurement teams to ensure contracts comply with internal governance, approval processes, and applicable policies.
• Prepare and present pre-contract recommendations, tender reports, and approval papers for internal stakeholders and governance committees.
• Ensure proper documentation, audit trail, and records management for all pre-contract activities.
• Provide contractual advice to project teams during the planning and tendering phases.
• Support the transition from pre-contract to post-contract teams following contract award.

Qualifications and Experience

• A minimum of 10 years of experience in a relevant field.
• Demonstrated experience in managing pre-contract activities for large-scale infrastructure projects, preferably in rail or metro.
• Strong understanding of contract law, procurement processes, and risk management in a project environment.

Work Environment

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, requiring close collaboration with various internal teams and external stakeholders.