Procurement & Contract Manager / Assistant Manager (Data Center) - #1173169

Procurement & Contract Manager / Assistant Manager (Data Center)

Location: Japan (client's Tokyo office, with site visits) ·

Employment: Secondment via Regional Energy Pte. Ltd. ·

Language: Japanese and English, bilingual preferred

Role purpose

Run procurement and contract management for a data center project in Japan on behalf of the Owner / EPC, from procurement strategy and tendering through contract award, administration and close-out. You secure the right contractors and equipment suppliers on time and protect the client's commercial position under each contract.

Key responsibilities

Procurement strategy and sourcing

• Develop the procurement and packaging strategy: general contractor, MEP packages and owner-furnished long-lead equipment (transformers, switchgear, generators, UPS, chillers, cooling units).
• Build and maintain a pre-qualified list of Japanese and international contractors and vendors; run pre-qualification covering capacity, safety, financial standing and data center track record.
• Track the procurement schedule against the project programme so long-lead items are ordered in time.

Tendering and award

• Prepare tender packages (instructions to tenderers, scope, contract conditions, pricing schedules) with the project, design and cost teams.
• Run RFIs, clarifications, tender interviews and bid evaluation (technical and commercial), and write award recommendations.
• Lead negotiations on price, terms, warranties, delivery and payment.

Contract drafting and administration

• Draft contracts from the client's templates or Japanese standard forms such as the 民間（七会）連合協定 工事請負契約約款, and coordinate review with project, legal, EHS and finance teams.
• Administer contracts after award: variations, claims, extensions of time, payment applications, retention, bonds, insurances and liquidated damages.
• Keep contract records, correspondence and approvals in order and audit-ready.
• Lead contract close-out, final accounts and warranty handover.

Supplier management and compliance

• Onboard suppliers into client systems and monitor performance, delivery and expediting for critical equipment.
• Ensure compliance with the Construction Business Act (建設業法), subcontracting rules and the client's procurement policies, including anti-bribery and conflict-of-interest checks.
• Report procurement status, commitments and contract risks to the Project Director in English, and deal with Japanese contractors and suppliers in Japanese.

Requirements

Must have

• Degree in engineering, construction management, quantity surveying, law or business.
• Manager: 8+ years in procurement or contract management on construction or infrastructure projects. Assistant Manager: 5+ years.
• Hands-on experience running tenders and administering construction contracts in Japan, with a working understanding of Japanese construction contract practice and the Construction Business Act.
• Strong negotiation, drafting and stakeholder management skills.
• Japanese and English for daily work, ideally JLPT N2+ and business-level English.

Preferred

• Data center, semiconductor or other mission-critical project experience, especially MEP and long-lead equipment procurement.
• Exposure to international contract forms (FIDIC, NEC) alongside Japanese forms.
• MRICS, CIPS or 認定コンストラクション・マネジャー (CCMJ).
• Experience with e-procurement or contract management systems (for example SAP Ariba, Coupa, Procore).