Contract Administrator

Contract Administrator

Location: San Jose, CA

Pay/Salary Range: $85,600/year - $115,000/year

Benefits: ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), retirement benefits

Full Time, Onsite

Direct Hire

We are actively seeking a Contracts Administrator to join an established underground utility construction company serving critical infrastructure projects throughout California.

This employee-owned organization has built its stellar reputation on safety excellence, superior craftsmanship, and unwavering commitment to delivering essential utilities—water, power, gas, telecommunications, sewer, and storm systems—to communities across the state. With strategically positioned offices spanning from Chico to Bakersfield, they've mastered the art of 24/7 emergency response while maintaining an enviable safety-first culture. Here's what makes this opportunity exceptional: you'll become a genuine stakeholder through their Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), meaning your contributions directly impact your financial future.

If you're an organized, detail-oriented professional who thrives in collaborative environments and wants to build genuine wealth while supporting California's infrastructure backbone, we want to hear from you! Apply today and call Aileen at 888-303-5627 to learn more about this outstanding opportunity.

Why You'll Love This Role

• True ownership culture where you'll genuinely share in the company's financial success through their comprehensive ESOP program—building retirement wealth without contributing a single dollar of your own money
• Meaningful impact on essential infrastructure projects that keep California communities running smoothly, from emergency water main repairs to large-scale utility installations across multiple regions
• Collaborative, safety-first environment where cross-functional teamwork with Operations, Finance, and project teams is valued and your expertise in contracts management directly protects the company and enables successful project delivery
• Professional growth pathway from Contracts Administrator to senior leadership roles, with opportunities to specialize in public works, develop deep California regulatory expertise, and expand your influence across multiple divisions
• Stability and legacy with a well-established company that prioritizes long-term employee success, maintains strategic locations across California, and operates with the competitive advantages that come from employee ownership

What You'll Do

• Skillfully review and interpret prime contracts to extract critical details including key terms, milestone requirements, notice provisions, and insurance obligations, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks
• Coordinate seamlessly with Operations and project management teams to prepare, process, and administer prime contract amendments and change orders with precision and efficiency
• Vigilantly maintain comprehensive physical and digital contract filing systems that are impeccably organized, easily accessible, and audit-ready at all times
• Proactively prepare, issue, and oversee subcontracts and purchase orders from initial award through final closeout, ensuring proper flow-down of all prime contract requirements
• Strategically process subcontract change orders by confirming scope alignment, securing necessary approvals, and distributing fully executed documentation to all relevant parties
• Expertly collect, review, and track certificates of insurance and additional insured endorsements for all subcontractors and suppliers, verifying coverage adequacy throughout each project's lifecycle
• Promptly identify insurance deficiencies and issue timely cure notices, escalating non-compliant subcontractors appropriately to protect company interests
• Diligently verify subcontractor licensing status, classifications, and California agency registrations (CSLB, DIR) before contract issuance and continuously throughout project duration
• Meticulously administer the statutory lien waiver process by preparing, issuing, and collecting conditional and unconditional waivers in strict compliance with California Civil Code requirements
• Consistently maintain detailed lien waiver logs for each project, ensuring all waivers are properly received and filed before corresponding payments are processed
• Effectively track performance bonds, payment bonds, and license bonds where required, maintaining complete bond documentation within project files
• Systematically support audit and closeout activities by ensuring all subcontractor compliance files are thoroughly complete and properly organized
• Continuously update contract and subcontract databases to ensure information is readily accessible and retrievable across all divisions
• Regularly generate and distribute comprehensive reporting on subcontract compliance status to keep stakeholders informed

To Be Successful in This Role, You'll Bring:

• 2-4 years of hands-on experience in contract administration within construction, engineering, or closely related industries, with California public works project experience being highly valued
• A Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent practical experience that demonstrates your capabilities)
• Solid working knowledge of contract structures including AIA, AGC, ConsensusDocs, and custom owner agreements, along with familiarity with California-specific requirements (DIR, CSLB, California lien law Civil Code §8000 et seq.)
• Strong proficiency in MS Office Suite and ideally experience with Vista by Viewpoint (Trimble) or similar contract management and document control platforms
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities that enable you to build productive working relationships across internal departments and with external subcontractors and vendors
• Outstanding organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail, with proven ability to juggle multiple projects and competing deadlines simultaneously across divisions with varying contract requirements
• Systematic problem-solving approach that allows you to identify issues quickly, analyze situations methodically, and either resolve matters independently or escalate appropriately with supporting documentation
• Calm, professional demeanor even when facing tight deadlines, competing priorities, or challenging compliance issues
• Collaborative mindset with low ego and genuine interest in supporting Operations, Finance, and project teams to achieve shared goals
• Proactive communication style that keeps stakeholders informed and prevents small issues from becoming major problems