Contract Liaison (bilingual Spanish)

Multnomah County; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 83,000 - 103,000; Full time

Job summary

Multnomah County seeks a Bilingual Spanish Contract Liaison with a focus on budget and contract administration for the Preschool & Early Learning Division. You will coordinate with the program team and DCHS Business Services to align budgets with county requirements, while advancing equity throughout funded partnerships.

The role emphasizes collaboration with diverse stakeholders, accurate data management, and adherence to fiscal policies in a high-impact public service setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and/or experience.
• Two years in human services or public sector contract administration.
• Fluent in Spanish, written and spoken.
• Ability to manage contracts, budgets and complex invoices with fiscal compliance.

Responsibilities

• Budget and contract development and administration; coordinate with accounts payable and contracts units.
• Develop and maintain budget and invoice tracking systems and prepare related reports.

Skills

Spanish language

Budget management

Contract administration

Data analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Tools

Excel pivot tables

Spreadsheet formulas

Job description

Pay Range: $40.27 - $49.52 Hourly Department: Department of County Human Services (DCHS) Job Type: Regular Represented Exemption Status: United States of America (Non-Exempt) Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified): October 11, 2026

The Opportunity: Overview

Multnomah County voters chose to invest in high-quality, culturally responsive, inclusive, joyous early learning opportunities for all 3 and 4 year-old children. This investment will transform and impact educational experiences for young children and their families and we want you to help make it a success! As the Bilingual Spanish Contract Liaison (Program Specialist job profile) for the Preschool & Early Learning Division (PEL) in the Department of County Human Services (DCHS), you will be part of a team that actively champions racial justice and equity within highly visible early childhood programs and systems at Multnomah County and in the community. You will be a collaborative member of PEL’s budgets and contracts team and will actively engage with the PEL program team and DCHS Business Services to aid in the development and administration of a portfolio of contracts and the corresponding budgets to ensure they align with County requirements and the initiative’s goal of providing free, high quality, culturally affirming preschool for families that currently have the least access.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Budget and Contract Development and Administration: Act as a liaison between PEL program development staff and DCHS accounts payable and contracts unit to coordinate and process new contracts, contract amendments, change notifications, budget approvals, and invoices. Develop and accurately maintain budget and invoice tracking systems using complex formulas in spreadsheets. Prepare operational and/or technical reports related to contract budget, spending, and invoicing for use in contract monitoring. Provide training and consultation to program development staff related to timeline and process for setting up contracts, contract renewals, budget review and approvals. Act as a representative of the program with contracted service providers, programs, vendors, County staff, community organizations and the public to accomplish position objectives. Advance the Division’s racial equity work through positive relationships with funded partners, including listening deeply to concerns and suggesting process improvements that reduce barriers for culturally specific organizations and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color owned businesses.
• Contract Development: Collaborate with program subject matter experts to ensure consistent and accurate information is provided to stakeholders. Collaborate with the PELD program matter experts and DCHS Business Services to approve budgets for contracted agencies.

Key Knowledge & Experience:

• Knowledge of principles and practices of the development, management and evaluation of contracts
• Knowledge and experience of basic accounting principles with a strong ability to manage consistent, transparent, and accurate data and information.
• Experience providing technical and non-technical subject matter expertise as a consultant to multiple stakeholders with differing priorities, concerns, and levels of experience with contracting.
• Experience monitoring, reviewing and preparing technical reports related to expenditures, invoices and payment authorizations to ensure fiscal compliance.
• Knowledge and experience with developing basic to intermediate spreadsheet formulas and queries
• Knowledge and experience with cost reimbursement budgets for contractual services
• Ability to manage extensive invoicing and payment data sets and tracking systems with a high level of precision and accuracy.
• Ability to effectively coordinate with multiple stakeholders in order to meet competing timelines and project objectives.
• Ability to easily adapt to changing priorities and to demonstrate close attention to details
• Knowledge and understanding of the issues surrounding equity, inclusion, implicit bias, institutional racism, and other forms of systemic oppression
• Knowledge and understanding of cultures, customs and social experiences of historically excluded communities experiencing barriers to opportunity, and which communities are most disproportionately impacted

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills:

• Ability to promote a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and values
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study, or equivalent education and/or practical experience
• Two years of experience working in human services and/or public sector contract administration
• Must pass a criminal background check

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Fluent in Spanish for both written and verbal communication.
• Advanced understanding of culture, customs and norms of Latinx communities.
• Knowledge of principles, accounting methods and fiscal compliance related to reviewing and approving cost reimbursement budgets and complex invoices with multiple expenditure types associated with public sector contracts.
• Knowledge and ability to build and maintain pivot tables and formulas for spreadsheet calculations, queries, data lookup and data importing.
• Ability to identify and address personal biases.
• Advanced knowledge and skill in advancing racial equity.

Application Packet:

Your completed application must include both of the following items: A completed online application and/or resume. A cover letter. Please attach your cover letter as a separate document. In your cover letter: Describe how you meet the minimum qualifications and how your background makes you a great candidate in this role described in the Overview and To Qualify sections of the job announcement, in particular your experience working with contracts, budgets and programs. Describe why working on Preschool for All, a truly unique opportunity to build a new system for children and families in our community, appeals to you. Describe any work experience and transferable skills that demonstrate a commitment to racial justice and equity. Please note: Your application and/or resume and cover letter should demonstrate your work experience/skills and how it is related to those shown in the Overview and To Qualify sections of the job announcement.

Diversity and Inclusion:

At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals. Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply. Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process.

The Selection Process:

For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows: Initial review of minimum qualifications. An evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates. Consideration of top candidates through phone screen and/or interviews. Background check and reference checks. Note: Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

Additional Information:

Type of Position: This hourly union-represented position is eligible for overtime pay. Schedule: This position works Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week. Location: 458 SE 185TH Avenue, Portland, OR 97233. Teleworking: At this time, the position is designated as routine telework with plans to transition to a hybrid work schedule that requires three in-office days, effective no later than July 01, 2027. This designation of telework may be subject to change at a future time. Currently, all employees must reside in Oregon or Washington; the county cannot support ongoing telework from other locations. Benefits: Multnomah County offers a generous benefits package. For more information about our benefit offerings, please visit: https://multco.us/benefits/new-employee-benefits Pay Equity: The county regularly reviews pay equity for our workforce. When setting pay we consider applicants’ education, experience, seniority, training, and tenure in relation to other employees performing a similar level of work. Serving the Public, Even During Disasters Everyday, Multnomah County staff work together to serve as a safety net for our communities. During a disaster, this safety net becomes even more critical. All County employees have a role in serving the public during inclement weather, natural disaster, or other types of community emergency response. During these emergency responses, while typically there begins with a call for volunteers, county employees may ultimately be reassigned from their current position to a role in the emergency response in order to support the critical needs presented by our communities. For more information, please visit the Disaster Service Worker Information page. In accordance with Oregon Law, Multnomah County is not collecting school attendance dates in the initial application process; please do not include these dates in your resume, cover letter and other application materials.

Job Profile

6021 - Program Specialist Current Multnomah County employees must apply within Workday

About Us

We're glad you are considering a career that gives back and supports the community. Working for Multnomah County means having the opportunity to make a real difference in the community, no matter what position you hold. We provide a wide array of essential services including health, community justice, roads, elections, libraries, jails, bridges, tax and assessment, marriage licenses, animal services, mental health and addiction services and more. Our organization’s top priority is to meet the many needs of our residents. Learn more about who we are, what we do, and why it matters.