SHAREN HANNA
Sydney,NSW
Summary
Sharen is a dual-qualified civil engineer and lawyer, with significant contracts and commercial experience within the construction, property development, infrastructure and legal industries. Sharen has worked for some of the largest multinational companies and government organisations within the Australian market, providing tailor-made and practical commercial solutions for her clients.
Sharen has a proven track record in successful end-to-end project commercial management, with a specialised focus on prudent contract management and supporting the swift resolution of claims throughout the project lifecycle. Sharen has provided advice for a range of disputes, exploring options available under Contract and at law and has led and managed several commercial claims throughout her career, taking a key role leading dispute resolution and commercial close out of projects.
Sharen is actively participating in a mentoring program with Adjudicate Today to achieve accreditation as an Adjudicator under the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act (NSW).
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Commercial Manager (6 Month Contract)
Transgrid
Sydney, NSW
08.2024 - Current
- Key Highlight: Spearheaded commercial management of the Calala, Riverina, Liddell, Culcairn, and Snowy Hydro 2.0 solar projects.
- Financial Oversight: Managed budgets, forecasts, cash flows, and provided monthly financial reports to senior leadership for all projects.
- Objective Accountability: Ensured monthly project milestones were achieved, proactively addressing any risks or delays to stay on track. Collaborated with internal and external stakeholders to ensure project alignment with TransGrid’s strategic objectives.
- Contract Management: Oversaw contract reviews, contract advice, variations, claims, and commercial notices, minimizing disputes, and protecting financial interests.
- Mentoring and Team Support: I mentored contract administrators, supporting their development in risk management and contractual compliance.
Principal Associate / Commercial Director
Systra Bamser
12.2022 - 08.2024
- Key Highlight: Managed crucial commercial activities on major infrastructure projects at Transurban, including the West Gate Tunnel Project and WestConnex.
- Contract Management: Effectively managed up to 20 daily commercial notices from the Principal Contractor, drafting and issuing contractual documents as required, proactively addressing potential disputes and claims, and maintaining strong client relationships to ensure smooth and effective project delivery.
- Financial: Monitoring expenditures against the established budget and ensuring timely and accurate reporting of all financial data in accordance with project requirements and organizational standards.
- Business Development: Played a pivotal role in driving growth within the Commercial division of Systra Bamser, actively identifying, evaluating, and pursuing new business opportunities. Led the management of strategic initiatives through the entire business development lifecycle, all while aligning with the company’s broader objectives and maintaining a strong focus on delivering value to clients.
Senior Commercial Manager, Barangaroo Station Redevelopment
Sydney Metro
05.2020 - 12.2022
- Key Highlight: Led the commercial delivery of the design and construction for the Barangaroo Station development under a construct-only contract arrangement.
- Contract Management: Commercial management of downstream contractual agreements with consultants, the Principal Contractor, and subcontractors, including drafting and delivering legal notices as required, while ensuring compliance, and efficiently resolving disputes.
- Stakeholder Management: Engagement and regular communication with internal stakeholders, including legal, engineering, design, and project management teams, to meet commercial objectives.
- Financial: Overall financial responsibility for project costs, including managing changes to Estimated Forecasted Costs, overseeing monthly cash flow projections, and ensuring effective control of actual expenditures.
- Dispute Resolution: Addressed both actual and potential contractual claims from the Principal Contractor and subcontractors, identifying opportunities for informal resolution as a first response, and advancing to formal contractual remedies when necessary.
Commercial Manager
Downer Group Pty Ltd
01.2019 - 05.2020
- Key Highlight: Single point of commercial accountability for all contract and procurement relating to the roll out of NBN throughout Sydney and the greater NSW region.
- Financial: Full accountability for overseeing project cost controls, cash flow management, and budget adherence, ensuring financial objectives are met, and risks are effectively mitigated.
- Stakeholder Management: Managed the client relationship with NBN Co, ensuring alignment with project objectives, delivery outcomes, and overall program goals, while facilitating monthly PCG meetings, and engaging with key stakeholders to ensure seamless communication and project progress.
- Contract Management: Led downstream and upstream negotiations to align with project objectives and secure value-for-money outcomes, while proactively addressing and resolving disputes with subcontractors and clients to maintain project momentum and stakeholder satisfaction.
NSW Corporate Commercial Manager
RCR Tomlinson
04.2018 - 11.2019
- Key Highlight: Played a key role in the company’s pre-administration phase, identifying substantial cost overruns and financial inconsistencies.
- Front-End: Conduct comprehensive risk assessments for new tender initiatives, collaborate with project teams throughout the tender phase, and ensure a smooth transition to site mobilization post-award, while upholding rigorous contractual compliance throughout the process.
- Back-End: Oversaw the review of contract claims and notices prepared by the project team, ensuring that all entitlements were accurately claimed from the client, and aligned with contractual terms.
- Dispute Resolution: Delivered both commercial and legal expertise to facilitate the swift resolution of contractual disputes across projects in Australia, ensuring minimal cost expenditure while protecting project interests.
- Reporting: Played a key role in monthly project reviews, ensuring alignment with financial, contractual, and commercial objectives, while offering strategic commercial advice to facilitate financial adjustments that enhance overall company performance.
Contracts Manager - Northern Assets (LCT/M2)
Transurban Limited
07.2015 - 04.2018
- Key Highlight: Led cross-functional teams, including legal, procurement, design, and project management, in the re-tendering process for the maintenance and incident response services agreement for the northern assets.
- Financial: Developed annual budgets and monthly forecasts for maintenance services on assets, ensuring strict adherence to forecasted spending. Provided continuous reporting to senior management on work progress, and alignment with the Annual Works Plan and financial objectives.
- Legal: Managed all contracts for the northern assets, mitigating risks, overseeing disputes and claims, and monitoring performance (safety, reporting, and KPIs). Conducted legal reviews and drafted short- and long-form agreements, engaging consultants and contractors as needed, including negotiations.
- Contract Management: Led the management of major maintenance works on assets, coordinating internal teams, and external subcontractors. Oversaw interfaces between maintenance and incident response providers, managed monthly reporting to asset managers and RMS, and facilitated internal relationships with Transurban teams, including Technical, Legal, and Safety.
Senior Contracts Administrator
Alfasi Property Development/Cockram Construction
01.2013 - 07.2015
- Key Highlight: Led the preparation of DA documents and design for the inaugural commercial tower in Parramatta Square.
- Tender: Led the end-to-end tender and EOI process, utilizing strategic procurement to maximize value for money, while maintaining key relationships with councils, tenants, funders, and contractors
- Contract: Reviewed proposed contracts at the tender stage, preparing risk/strategy matrices to allocate risk through effective contract drafting. Managed contract preparation, review, negotiation, and execution (AS and bespoke), overseeing claims, preparing executive advice and ensuring compliance with company policies and risk management protocols.
- Financial: Prepared and maintained job costing reports, forecasts, monthly cash flows, project budgets, and feasibility analyses, while managing subcontractor and consultant payment claims, monitoring cost control, and providing monthly financial performance reports, and risk assessments.
Solicitor - Building & Construction Group
Gadens Lawyers
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Key highlight: Successfully applying for injunctive relief, involvement in Supreme Court proceedings, which successfully challenged an adjudicator's determination based on a jurisdictional error.
- Contract: Drafted and negotiated various contract types on behalf of principals, builders, and subcontractors, including major AS and bespoke contracts, while providing expert advice on potential breaches and entitlements.
- Adjudication: Prepared adjudication applications and responses for large-scale subcontractors and principals, initiating litigation when necessary to seek injunctions and challenge adjudication determinations.
- Litigation: Represented major clients in the Sydney construction market, providing timely legal counsel on head contract and subcontract entitlements, as well as broader legal and contractual rights.
Legal Counsel
Lend Lease Project Management & Construction
07.2010 - 01.2012
- Key Highlight: Led the Work Health & Safety Working Group, reviewing WHS initiatives, and rolling out training modules to harmonize legislation across the business.
- Front-End: Amended, negotiated, and executed AS and bespoke contracts, reviewed tender contracts, and provided a risk matrix to ensure alignment with project risk profiles.
- Back-End: Resolved project-specific legal issues, including EOT, delay damages, variations, liquidated damages set-offs, and latent conditions, while mitigating risks through continuous communication with the project team.
- Training: Prepared and distributed pro forma notice templates, and SOP training for use by the project team. Provided contract administration, security of payment, WHS, and other training for site teams across Australia, while offering legal expertise on SOP issues, including drafting and amending complex Payment Schedules, Claims, and preparing Adjudication Applications, Responses, and Expert Determinations.
Site Project Engineer
Lend Lease Project Management & Construction
01.2006 - 07.2010
- Key Highlight: Managed the end-to-end lifecycle of eight trade packages on the project site, overseeing design and buildability, on-site coordination, interface issues, subcontractor performance, and ensuring compliance with program, construction, and design standards.
- Tender: Led the preparation of tender packages, bid evaluations, and submission reviews, ensuring compliance with company policies, and facilitating the award of trade packages. Preparing subcontracts, preliminary agreements, and scopes of work, in collaboration with team members, to ensure alignment with project objectives.
- Site Management: Managed site compliance with Quality Assurance (ITPs, QA Audits, certifications), and WHS (EHS Audits, safety walks, non-conformance resolution), while preparing and monitoring bi-weekly and quarterly programs to ensure coordination across trades.
- Financial: Oversaw subcontractor budget management, prepared monthly head contract payment claims, and subcontractor schedules, and effectively resolved SOP issues and adjudication claims.
Education
Bachelor of Laws -
University of Technology, Sydney
01.2011
Bachelor of Engineering Science - Civil Engineering
University of Technology, Sydney
01.2011
Diploma of Management - Business Management
Frontline Management Institute
01.2012
Mentoring Program Accredited Adjudicator
Adjudicate Today
Sydney10-2024
Skills
- Commercial management
- Risk management
- Project financial control, including financial reporting, forecasting, cash flow, and budget management
- Cost assessment
- Dispute resolution
- Contract negotiation
- Procurement strategies
- Delivery strategies
- People management
- Legal advice
- Adjudication and Security of Payment Support
Affiliations
- National Association for Women in Construction, 2010 - ongoing
- Law Society of New South Wales, 2011 - ongoing
- UTS Women in Engineering Society, 2006 - 2010
References
Referees are available on request.
Timeline
Commercial Manager (6 Month Contract)
Transgrid
08.2024 - Current
Principal Associate / Commercial Director
Systra Bamser
12.2022 - 08.2024
Senior Commercial Manager, Barangaroo Station Redevelopment
Sydney Metro
05.2020 - 12.2022
Commercial Manager
Downer Group Pty Ltd
01.2019 - 05.2020
NSW Corporate Commercial Manager
RCR Tomlinson
04.2018 - 11.2019
Contracts Manager - Northern Assets (LCT/M2)
Transurban Limited
07.2015 - 04.2018
Senior Contracts Administrator
Alfasi Property Development/Cockram Construction
01.2013 - 07.2015
Solicitor - Building & Construction Group
Gadens Lawyers
01.2012 - 01.2013
Legal Counsel
Lend Lease Project Management & Construction
07.2010 - 01.2012
Site Project Engineer
Lend Lease Project Management & Construction
01.2006 - 07.2010
Bachelor of Laws -
University of Technology, Sydney
Bachelor of Engineering Science - Civil Engineering
University of Technology, Sydney
Diploma of Management - Business Management
Frontline Management Institute
Mentoring Program Accredited Adjudicator
Adjudicate Today
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