Senior Director of Professional Services Contracts

State of Oklahoma•Oklahoma City, OK

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director of Professional Services Contracts leads the Oklahoma Health Care Authority’s professional services contracting function from development through closeout. The role ensures contracts comply with state and federal requirements, align with agency priorities, and deliver measurable value. The director leads a team of contracting professionals, manages the division’s budget, and serves as the agency’s principal resource on professional services contracting. The position works across departments—including Finance, Legal, Information Technology, and program areas—and uses ServiceNow and emerging AI tools to improve contract tracking, speed, and visibility. The position oversees a diverse portfolio of contracts, including actuarial, legal, program integrity, audit, and other specialized consulting services. It develops contracting strategy, guides solicitations and evaluations, negotiates and approves large-value contracts, and establishes monitoring and performance practices. The role also ensures contract status, deadlines, reporting, certifications, and documentation are managed accurately and supports agency responsibilities under state and federal procurement requirements. This is an office-based position at 4345 N Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, with primary hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Being present at the office is an essential function, and job-related travel is required. Work is typically performed in a climate-controlled office with moderate noise. Duties involve speaking, standing, walking, reaching, extended sitting, and daily computer and phone use.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, accounting, finance, public administration, or a related field.
At least nine years of progressive experience in contract management, procurement, or business operations.
At least two years of supervisory experience.
Agency-level experience managing, negotiating, and approving large-value contracts, including professional services contracts.
Demonstrated success working with multiple departments and stakeholders to reach sound contracting decisions.
Extensive knowledge of public procurement and professional services contracting, including governing state and federal laws, regulations, and policies, and Medicaid program requirements.
Skills in contract development, negotiation, contract and risk analysis, project management, business operations, fiscal management, strategic planning, and vendor performance oversight.
Ability to evaluate financial and operational impacts of large contracts, exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities, and reduce organizational risk.
Working proficiency with ServiceNow or a comparable tracking system and comfort using AI tools to improve contracting work.
Strong project management skills, including tracking contract status and timeframes and meeting deadlines.
Ability to collaborate with executive leadership, Central Purchasing, Finance, Legal, IT, program staff, vendors, and external partners.
Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities, including the ability to lead a multidisciplinary team that includes attorneys.
Ability and willingness to complete job-related travel.
Submit a resume/CV with complete work and education history.

Nice To Haves

Master of Business Administration or a master’s degree in public administration, accounting, or a related field.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
Contract, procurement, or project management certification, such as CPCM, CFCM, CPPO, or PMP.
Experience with Medicaid or other state- or federally funded program contracting.
Experience tracking contracts in ServiceNow and using AI-enabled tools in contracting work.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a strategic vision for the Professional Services Contracts Division aligned with agency goals and state and federal requirements, including CMS rules and Oklahoma public procurement law.
Lead the professional services contracting process, working with business owners to define needs, supporting solicitations and RFPs, evaluating bids, and negotiating contract terms, pricing, and service level agreements.
Review, negotiate, and approve large-value professional services contracts, considering cost, risk, and business impact, and elevate decisions to executive leadership when appropriate.
Oversee a portfolio of professional services contracts, including actuarial, legal, program integrity, audit, and specialized consulting, and ensure contracts are correctly classified as professional services or staff augmentation.
Establish and maintain contract monitoring and performance management practices, including deliverable and invoice verification, milestone tracking, amendments and renewals, post-assessments, and closeout.
Maintain real-time visibility into contract status and ensure deadlines for solicitations, amendments, renewals, deliverables, and closeout are met.
Ensure state contract reporting, certification, and documentation requirements are met, including annual budget contract reporting, subcontractor reporting, public transparency requirements, and agency contract manager responsibilities under OMES requirements.
Use ServiceNow to track contract requests, approvals, renewals, deliverables, and performance, and ensure contract data is accurate, current, and ready for leadership reporting.
Evaluate and implement AI-enabled tools to improve contract intake, review, obligation tracking, and reporting, with appropriate human review and in accordance with state and agency policy.
Serve as the agency’s primary resource on professional services contracting and advise executive leadership and program staff on procurement strategies, risk, and regulatory requirements.
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of approximately ten contract specialists, managers, and attorneys, working through a supervisor, and foster excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Manage the division’s budget and ensure effective resource allocation and fiscal accountability.
Build working relationships across departments, with vendors, and with oversight bodies such as OMES and CMS; work closely with Legal on contract language and legal risk.
Perform other duties as assigned.