Procurement Manager, Construction

Mariana Minerals is a software-first, vertically integrated minerals company on a mission to supply the critical minerals powering modern energy, AI, and defense technologies. We’re reimagining the minerals supply chain by combining deep industry expertise with advanced software, automation, and data-driven decision-making.

We are looking for a commercially strong, hands-on Procurement Manager, Construction to lead procurement of construction and installation contracts for our capital projects, including site work, civil, structural, mechanical, piping, and E&I packages.

This is a senior individual contributor role. You will own your category end-to-end, from strategy and bid packages through award, execution, and closeout, leading cross-functional teams without direct reports. Your decisions will directly shape project schedule, capital efficiency, and commercial risk.

• Develop contracting strategies for construction packages, selecting contract type (lump sum, unit price, T&M, cost reimbursable) and package splits based on scope maturity, schedule, and risk.

• Prepare and run competitive bid packages, including contractor prequalification, pre-bid meetings, and site walks.

• Lead bid leveling, clarifications, and negotiations, and make award recommendations through the company’s approval thresholds.

• Set up MSAs and work orders for repeat and phased construction work.

• Lead package teams of construction management, engineering, project controls, HSE, finance, and legal to align on scope, schedule, and commercial strategy.

• Run technical and commercial evaluations with stakeholders and drive the group to a clear, defensible award decision.

• Mentor project teams and procurement colleagues on negotiation, commercial risk allocation, and contract administration.

• Negotiate construction terms, including risk allocation, insurance and bonding, retention, liquidated damages, payment terms, and warranty.

• Manage change orders, claims, and disputes with field and project controls teams, verifying pricing against contract rates and markups.

• Oversee progress billing, lien waivers, and closeout documentation so records are complete, defensible, and audit-ready.

• Build and maintain a qualified contractor base in our project regions, assessing safety performance, capacity, and financial strength.

• Benchmark labor rates, unit prices, and markups, and use historical data to inform estimates and negotiations.

• Identify and mitigate labor availability, schedule, and counterparty risk across the project portfolio.

• Track and report savings, cycle times, and contractor performance to leadership.

• Own the design and continuous improvement of construction contracting templates, processes, and approval workflows.

• Partner with software teams to automate sourcing, bid leveling, and contract administration.

• Establish the metrics, controls, and reporting that make procurement a disciplined, data-driven function.

• 10+ years of procurement or contracts experience in:

• Construction contracting for industrial, mining, or process facilities

• Civil, structural, mechanical, piping, or E&I packages

• Capital projects in owner, EPC, or EPCM environments

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority, including serving as the procurement lead on major capital projects.

• Track record leading competitive bids and negotiations for multimillion-dollar construction contracts.

• Deep understanding of construction contract types and terms, including insurance, bonding, retention, and liquidated damages.

• Hands-on experience with field change management, progress billing, and contract closeout.

• Proficient with ERP/procurement systems and structured documentation; comfortable with data and eager to automate.

• Strong communicator with executives, project leaders, and suppliers.

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, business, or a related field; CPSM, CPM, or similar certification a plus.