Chief, A&E Contract Administrationn

Maryland Department of Transportation; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Maryland Transit Administration seeks a highly skilled Chief, A&E Contract Administration to lead and manage Architecture & Engineering contract administration within the Office of Engineering & Construction. This role ensures consistency, compliance, and efficiency across all A&E contract and work-order processes supporting MDOT MTA’s capital program.

The Chief oversees day-to-day operations, develops agency-wide standards, and supervises consultant staff.

Qualifications

• Six years of experience in administrative staff or professional work.
• Five years of professional experience in contract administration, procurement, engineering support, project controls, or related fields.
• Experience with A&E contracts is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Standardize and manage the A&E work-order submission and tracking process, including scope development, internal estimates, approvals, key performance metrics, invoice tracking, extensions, and close-outs.
• Develop and implement tracking tools for all active A&E contracts (firms, milestones, authority, expenditures, DBE participation).
• Produce monthly contract reports (burn rate, authority, DBE compliance, compensation trends).
• Generate monthly invoicing statistics and annual industry trend reports.
• Create A&E Contract Management Guidelines, SOPs, templates, and forms to ensure consistency across contracts.
• Directly supervise Consultant Program Technicians and Consultant Analysts.
• Provide coaching, assign work, inspect work, conduct evaluations, and approve leave.
• Ensure adherence to COMAR and MDOT MTA procurement regulations.
• Serve as document control manager for A&E contracts.
• Coordinate with Legal and Procurement on contract modifications.
• Maintain the A&E Scope of Work ProjectWise library.
• Collaborate with internal departments, consultant firms, and modal administrations to exchange information.

Skills

Contract administration

Procurement

Engineering support

Project controls

Analytical skills

Supervisory experience

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree preferred

Job description

Maryland Transit Administration

Chief A&E Contract Administration (Administrator IV(2589) Executive Service)

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.

Looking for a rewarding career with excellent benefits and the opportunity to make a daily impact? Th Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) invites you to apply and join a team dedicated to serving the residents of Maryland through reliable, customer-focused transit services every day.

The Maryland Transit Administration is seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Chief, A&E Contract Administration to lead and manage Architecture & Engineering (A&E) contract administration activities within the Office of Engineering & Construction. This position plays a critical role in ensuring consistency, compliance, and efficiency across all A&E contract and work-order processes that support MDOT MTA’s capital program.

The Chief oversees day-to-day contract administration operations, develops agency-wide standards and tools, manages consultant support staff, and serves as a key resource to internal departments, consultant firms, and leadership. This position reports directly to the Manager of Quality Assurance/Quality Control.

The Chief, A&E Contract Administration will:

• Standardize and manage the A&E work-order submission and tracking process, including scope development, internal estimates, approvals, key performance metrics, invoice tracking, extensions, and close-outs.
• Develop and implement comprehensive tracking tools for all active A&E contracts (firms, milestones, authority, expenditures, DBE participation).
• Produce monthly contract reports (burn rate, authority, DBE compliance, compensation trends).
• Generate monthly invoicing statistics and annual industry trend reports.
• Create A&E Contract Management Guidelines, SOPs, templates, and forms to ensure consistency across contracts.
• Directly supervise Consultant Program Technicians and Consultant Analysts (contractual staff).
• Provide coaching, assign work, inspect work, conduct evaluations, and approve leave.
• Ensure adherence to COMAR and MDOT MTA procurement regulations.
• Serve as document control manager for A&E contracts.
• Coordinate with Legal and Procurement on contract modifications (adding/removing subs, adjusting allocations).
• Maintain the A&E Scope of Work ProjectWise library.
• Collaborate with internal departments, consultant firms, and modal administrations to exchange information, resolve issues, and support agency initiatives.

Education:

Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience:

Six years of experience in administrative staff or professional work. * Five years of professional experience in contract administration, procurement, engineering support, project controls, or related fields. Experience with A&E contracts is preferred.

*This statement contains a Selective Qualification, which is more focused in scope than the Minimum Qualifications for this classification. Selective Qualifications are utilized when the position requires specific or bona-fide occupational qualifications (i.e., knowledge, skills or abilities).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with COMAR and public-sector procurement.
• Experience developing SOPs, guidelines, and training materials.
• Strong analytical skills and experience with contract tracking/reporting tools.
• Supervisory experience.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute 30 credit hours from an accredited college or university for each year up to four years of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and two years of experience in administrative staff or professional work for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university and one year of experience in administrative staff or professional work for the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience involving staff work related to the administration of rules, regulations, policies, procedures and processes, or overseeing or coordinating unit operations or functioning as a staff assistant to a higher ranking commissioned officer on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Valid Maryland State Driver’s License.

Managers should foster a positive safety culture by leading with integrity and establishing departmental safety practices and procedures for all employees. Managers should attend and participate in safety meetings and adhere to and enforce all safety rules, policies, regulations, and personal protective equipment requirements to support a safe and healthy working environment. Ensure employees are properly trained and provided with personal protective equipment to conduct their job functions in a safe manner. Report hazards, unsafe acts, near misses, injuries, and accidents immediately to the Office of Safety. Collaboratively work to mitigate reported hazards in a timely manner. Conduct safety risk assessments and/or job hazard analyses as needed.

To support a safe and healthy work environment, employees must refrain from willful violations of safety rules and procedures, reckless and negligent behavior, involvement in criminal activities, and the misuse of drugs or alcohol. Failure to adhere to this requirement may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. May only perform work for which they have the appropriate safety training.

MTA Does Not Discriminate Based On: Age, Ancestry, Color, Creed Gender Identity or Expression, Genetic Information, Marital Status, Mental or Physical Disability, National Origin, Race, Religious Affiliation, Belief or Opinion, Sex or Sexual Orientation.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be provided as requested.

The Maryland Department of Transportation is not sponsoring new employees in application of the H-1B Visa at this time due to budgetary constraints. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986. Federal regulations prohibit H1B Visa candidates from paying sponsorship fees; all sponsorship fees must be assumed by the potential employer.

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The MTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer Issue Date: 08/17/26

MTA Office of Human Resources, 6 Saint Paul Street, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202.