Enterprise Contracts & Procurement Specialist 1

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) provides centralized business services to state government agencies, other public entities, and Washington residents. The Contracts & Procurement division (C&P) of DES provides centralized procurement leadership, solutions, and services. As an Enterprise Contracts & Procurement Specialist 1, you will perform journey-level procurement activities that support state enterprise operations and systems, as well as offer cost-effective procurement solutions and services to state agencies, colleges and universities, political subdivisions, and eligible non-profit corporations. You will work with business executives and department leaders and assist departments in strategically planning and executing their procurement activities. This position performs all the necessary steps to commit the State of Washington to the contractual agreements that have major statewide fiscal impact on multiple agencies and other government organizations. Services provided by the ECPS 1 position ensure that C&P can effectively perform its mission of providing central procurement services and solutions to its customers. The ECPS1 position is accountable for promoting and implementing state socio-economic and environmental procurement priorities and improving supplier inclusion across the state enterprise. This position works under the IT Professional Services team, and reports to the IT Technical Analyst.

Requirements

Total of six (6) years of relevant experience and/or education
Relevant experience includes experience as a Contracts Assistant or other contracting professional with comparable exposure to procurement or contract administration that totals six (6) years or more
Relevant education includes business administration, public administration, supply chain management, or closely allied field totaling six (6) years or more
Combination of relevant experience and education that totals six (6) years
Ability to conduct market research and analysis and adopt procurement strategy to changing market conditions and unique or competing customer needs.
Knowledge of procurement techniques and contract drafting and negotiation principles.
Ability to compose effective procurement documents, technical specifications, and evaluation criteria for performance-based contracts.
Ability to interpret and enforce contract terms and specifications to manage contractor performance.
Ability to perform assigned work duties remotely.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and ability to utilize teleconference tools to participate and lead virtual meetings.
Proficiency with Adobe tools to draft, edit, and execute procurement documents in multiple formats.
Ability to successfully adopt other modern office applications and electronic procurement systems (e.g., PCMS, ECMS, WEBS) to maintain procurement records in accordance with C&P procedures.
Ability to self-impose high standards for the quality and timeliness of work.
Ability to independently manage assigned workload and adjust priorities as needed to meet C&P mission and goals.
Ability to clearly convey complex information through a variety of formats in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand the message.
Ability to adopt the communication style depending on the audience and the situation.
Ability to facilitate effective customer and vendor meetings that aid in procurement development, and contract management.
Commitment to promote agency mission and goals and ability to identify effective ways to meet these goals.
Ability to develop and sustain positive and productive relationships with customers and coworkers by using effective listening skills and collaborating on win-win solutions.
Ability to review information from different sources, frame any problems, and identify opportunities and solutions.
Ability to make effective decisions based on the available facts, constraints, and probable risks and consequences.
Able to learn and understand the language and concepts of our DES DEI culture and commit to being a part of creating and maintaining a diverse, equitable, respectful and inclusive workplace
Demonstrate a commitment to growth, learning and self-awareness when provided training and opportunities to participate in improving our work environment
Participate and behave in a manner that creates trust and builds working relationships, promoting teamwork and collaboration in the work environment
Demonstrate the understanding that all people are valued; contribute to an equitable, inclusive and respectful environment when working with members of the group, team, organization or community
Commit to being an active participant in continually evaluating and improving strategies that promote equity and inclusion in our organization

Responsibilities

Conduct market research and analysis to make recommendations to internal and external stakeholders on the most effective state enterprise procurement strategy and methodology (competitive solicitation, competitive exemption options, etc.)
Independently lead low risk state enterprise procurement activities based on C&P procedures.
With oversight and support of a more senior team member and supervisor periodically conducts medium state enterprise procurement activities based on C&P procedures
Facilitate customer and vendor meetings and listening sessions to collect input on the procurement strategy and technical specifications
With guidance, develop and implement procurement strategy and compose procurement documents, technical specifications, and requirements that address competing customer priorities from multiple customer entities, promote supplier inclusion and environmental preferences, and comply with state laws, policies, and C&P procedures
Conduct vendor outreach and host pre-bid conferences to provide direction to interested bidders
Evaluate and analyze proposals to assess pricing, and compliance with procurement requirements, and priorities such as environmental goals, and supplier diversity.
Coordinate product demonstrations and testing as applicable
Prepare procurement summary, bidder rejection or complaint response letters, announcement of successful bidders, final agreement drafts or other similar procurement related documents for the supervisor’s review and approval in compliance with C&P procedures
Maintain and upkeep procurement documents, file folders, and procurement system records (e.g., PCMS, ECMS, WEBS) to provide customers and other stakeholders accurate and timely information and reports related to C&P state enterprise activities
Facilitate ongoing contract monitoring to ensure contractor’s compliance with contract requirements and pricing terms
With guidance from the supervisor, interprets and enforces contract terms and facilitates dispute and price adjustment negotiations.
As applicable, initiates corrective contract management actions and drafts amendments, cure, suspension and termination letters for review by the supervisor and/or appropriate signature authority
Consult C&P customers on the potential procurement solutions that best meet their needs, comply with state laws and policies, and help advance the state socio-economic priorities