Senior Claims Associate

1. Claims Prevention and Early Identification

• Project progress monitoring:
  Regularly track project progress and promptly identify potential issues that could lead to disputes or claims, such as delays, quality issues, or scope changes.
• Contract-performance management:
  Monitor project execution and ensure that all parties comply with the contract's terms and conditions, including schedule, payment, milestone, and other contractual requirements.
• Preventive measures:
  Establish and implement systems and processes to prevent claims from escalating through stronger communication, complete documentation, and early issue resolution.

• Claims assessment:
  Upon receipt of a claim, assess its validity against the contract terms, project records, and performance data. Identify the claim's root cause, including whether it relates to schedule delay, cost overrun, design change, or another issue.
• Claims-documentation coordination:
  Collect and organize all relevant documents, including schedules, reports, correspondence, and financial information, to support or rebut claims. Ensure documentation is accurate, complete, and compliant with contractual requirements.
• Stakeholder communication:
  Communicate with internal and external stakeholders, including contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and clients, to understand their positions and facilitate discussions toward resolution.

• Negotiation:
  Negotiate with other parties and coordinate negotiations with external legal counsel and consultants.
• Settlement strategy:
  Develop fair and reasonable settlement solutions that minimize the contractor's exposure while protecting its legal rights and financial interests.
• Litigation avoidance:
  Where possible, resolve disputes through alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including mediation, conciliation, or arbitration, to avoid formal litigation.

• Risk identification:
  Analyze the causes of claims and identify potential risks that could affect future project performance. Assess whether patterns of claims indicate broader project-management or execution issues.
• Risk mitigation:
  Recommend measures to reduce the risk of future claims, such as improving communication, revising contract terms, adjusting project plans, or strengthening documentation and reporting processes.
• Assessment:
  Apply professional expertise to assess and manage claims, including evaluating risks in schedule- and cost-related contract provisions, challenging claims and final-inspection requests where appropriate, and recommending mitigation or acceleration measures.

• Contract analysis:
  Review and interpret contracts, including provisions relating to claims, disputes, and entitlements. Ensure that all claims and disputes are managed in accordance with the contract.
• Compliance with claims procedures:
  Supervise and guide project teams to ensure that all claims are submitted in the required manner, within contractual time limits, and in the prescribed format. Track claims through completion and maintain complete supporting records.

• Dispute management:
  Coordinate the dispute-resolution process when a claim escalates into a formal dispute, including arbitration, litigation, or other legal proceedings as applicable.
• Collaboration with the legal team:
  Work closely with legal counsel to prepare defenses, counterclaims, or responses to claims. Assist with legal documents and evidence and ensure that all relevant facts and contract provisions are properly addressed.
• Coordination with external experts:
  Engage external experts, such as certified public accountants, legal counsel, engineers, or other consultants, to evaluate complex claims or disputes.

• Master's degree in Civil Engineering, Quantity Surveying, or Law (LLM) — required.
• Professional certification such as RICS, CICES, BIOS, CIArB, CCP, or PSP — preferred.
• At least 10 years of experience on construction or civil-engineering projects in the Middle East — required.
• Relevant experience in planning, delay analysis, claims, project controls, contract management, and project management — required.
• Strong knowledge and practical experience across the full project lifecycle, including planning and cost and schedule control — required.
• Fluent English and excellent communication skills — required.