Contracts Specialist

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is part of WaTech’s Contracts and Procurement (C&P) unit within the Administrative Services Division (ASD). The C&P unit provides contract and acquisition support in the form of contract policies and procedures, contract and acquisition document development, negotiation, procurement coordination, issue resolution and termination for WaTech service areas. This position reports to the Contracts & Procurement Manager.

Requirements

Five years of experience in negotiating, drafting, and administering contracts or procurements for a private business or public agency OR a combination of education and experience in negotiating, drafting, and administering contracts or procurements totaling five years.
Contracts and acquisition experience in information technology.
The ability to take action to learn and grow.
The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, business law or closely related field.
Four or more years' experience administering contracts or procurements for a public agency.
Knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations related to contracts and agreements, including contract principles, terminology, development, practices, and procedures.
Experience representing an organization or state agency while coordinating and negotiating with government agencies and private industry partners.
Strong written communication skills, including the ability to identify effective contract terms and recognize areas of noncompliance within existing contracts.

Responsibilities

Draft contract amendments and other key contract documents that support statewide technology services.
Help ensure every contract file meets legal, policy, and compliance requirements.
Serve as a trusted resource for customers and vendors by answering questions, sharing pricing details, and guiding the proper use of contracts.
Partner with service owners and senior Contracts & Procurement staff to gather acquisition requirements, develop solicitation documents, coordinate vendor outreach, and manage bidder communications.
Play an active role throughout the acquisition process by supporting vendor communications, organizing evaluations, coordinating demonstrations and conferences, and assisting with negotiations and debriefings.
Manage contract administration activities, including maintaining contract files and databases.
Conduct internal contract and invoice audits to support accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Coordinate the scanning, organization, and maintenance of electronic and hardcopy contract records.
Support customers in using WaTech’s contract and CSA/SLA database systems to maintain the integrity of the contract repository.
Lead WaTech Requests for Information (RFIs) by partnering with service owners to define requirements, manage schedules, organize vendor responses, and coordinate vendor demonstrations.