Senior Contracts Specialist

Aston Carter

3d•$98,000 - $158,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Contracts Specialist leads and supports the full spectrum of contracting and procurement functions to ensure the timely, cost-effective, and compliant acquisition of goods and services. This role oversees contract development, vendor relations and negotiations, procurement operations, requests for proposals, and policy compliance, while partnering closely with internal stakeholders and business units. The Senior Contracts Specialist establishes standardized procurement processes, conducts market analysis and research, mitigates risk, optimizes contract terms, and ensures alignment with organizational strategy, regulatory requirements, and internal controls. This position serves as a functional subject matter expert for the Unit4 ERP system, drives continuous improvement, and maintains a high standard of customer experience in all contracting and procurement activities.

Requirements

5 to 7+ years of progressive professional experience in contracts and procurement.
Proven experience leading complex contract negotiations and competitive procurement processes.
Demonstrated ability to manage the full contract lifecycle, including negotiation, review, execution, and maintenance.
Experience working in regulated or mission-driven environments.
Experience using ERP systems, specifically Unit4 modules, or comparable cloud-based ERP systems such as Workday, Oracle Cloud ERP, or Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Ability to identify and mitigate contractual, financial, and operational risks associated with vendor relationships and purchasing activities.
Proven skill in conducting ongoing market research and industry analysis to identify qualified suppliers, emerging vendors, pricing trends, and innovative sourcing opportunities.
Effective organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Experience interpreting and applying rules and regulations related to federal, state, and local requirements in a contracts and procurement context.
Strong negotiation, vendor management, and contract administration capabilities.

Nice To Haves

Experience with contract administration and procurement in environments that value compliance, transparency, and accountability.
Background in vendor management, including performance evaluation and relationship development.
Familiarity with real estate contracts is welcome and can be beneficial in this role.
Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse internal stakeholders and external partners.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to perform budget and cost analyses to inform strategic decisions.
Comfort working as a subject matter expert on ERP-based procurement processes and tools.
Commitment to continuous improvement and delivering a high standard of customer experience in contracting and procurement services.

Responsibilities

Lead and support the management of contracting and procurement functions to ensure timely, cost-effective, and compliant acquisition of goods and services.
Oversee the development, review, negotiation, execution, and maintenance of contracts throughout the full contract lifecycle.
Manage and strengthen vendor relationships, including leading complex contract negotiations and competitive procurement processes.
Coordinate and execute requests for proposals (RFPs) and other competitive sourcing activities in alignment with organizational policies and industry standards.
Establish, implement, and refine standardized procurement processes and practices that are cost-efficient, effective, and consistent across the organization.
Conduct ongoing market research and industry analysis to identify qualified suppliers, emerging vendors, pricing trends, and innovative sourcing opportunities.
Assess, identify, and mitigate contractual, financial, and operational risks associated with vendor relationships and purchasing activities.
Ensure all contracting and procurement activities comply with applicable regulatory requirements, internal controls, collective bargaining agreements, and organizational policies and procedures.
Serve as a contract and procurement functional subject matter expert for the Unit4 ERP system, including relevant modules and integrations.
Develop and maintain vendor tracking and evaluation mechanisms to monitor performance, compliance, and value delivery.
Conduct budget and cost analyses to support decision-making, optimize spend, and align procurement activities with organizational goals.
Partner closely with internal stakeholders and business units to understand needs, provide guidance, and deliver customer-focused contracting and procurement support.
Design, deliver, and participate in training to promote policy compliance, effective procurement practices, and user adoption of ERP tools and processes.
Interpret and apply rules and regulations related to federal, state, and local requirements as they pertain to contracts and procurement.
Engage with industry experts and leverage a variety of resources to recommend solutions that drive efficiency, support continuous improvement, and enhance the customer experience.