Contract Manager (Purchasing Department)

County of Berks; Reading (Berks County); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The County of Berks is looking for a Contract Administrator to manage the contractual process for non-solicited contracts. Responsibilities include drafting contracts, negotiating terms, and ensuring compliance with legal obligations.

Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and at least five years in contract administration or paralegal work. Strong knowledge of contract law and excellent communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five years of experience in paralegal work or contract administration.
• Ability to read and interpret laws and regulations.
• Ability to handle stress and work independently.

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate contracts and terms with legal oversight.
• Prepare documents for RFPs and administer public bidding processes.
• Review and submit a comprehensive contract agenda.

Skills

Contract law knowledge

Negotiation skills

Public procurement knowledge

Excellent communication skills

Analytical and decision-making skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or public administration

Paralegal certificate

Tools

Microsoft Office products

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

Responsible for day-to-day actions of the County's contractual process for non-solicited contracts, from drafting language, preparation, and review of contracts, to negotiation and resolution of all commercial, legal and insurance issues between the contracting parties at the discretion and direction of the Director and/or Deputy. Duties are performed with a high degree of independence under the supervision of the Deputy Director, Contracts & Procurement. This position will supervise staff daily, including the supervision of the contractual process for agreements that are not the result of a solicitation.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential Functions The duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Draft the higher level and more complex contracts and negotiates the terms and scope to create a final contract that is acceptable to both parties. Interfaces with the County Solicitor's Office and the County's insurance broker as directed for opinions.
• Prepare documents, advertise, and administer Request for Proposals (RFPs) which shall include but not be limited to those needed for human services, Invitations to Bid and Statements of Interest (SOIs) as assigned.
• Analyze vendors' bids and makes recommendations to the Director and/or Deputy to award contracts as the result of the public bidding process. Conducts pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences with prospective bidders/proposers in complex purchases; compiles Amendments/Addendums, functions as the facilitator for the RFP evaluation committee and performs the duties required of Purchasing throughout the process; and provides expertise concerning compilation and layout of contract specifications and presides at formal bid and proposal openings.
• Work with the Sr. Contract Coordinators to review and submit a comprehensive contract agenda to the Deputy Director and/or Director and thereafter the Chief Clerk for the Commissioner Board meetings to present completed contract documents for approval. Provide information needed to respond to questions regarding a particular contract. Ensure all executed contracts on the Commissioner’s Meeting agenda handled by Purchasing are available for the Controller’s Office for the Contract Database/Repository.
• Ensure that assigned requisitions and POs are completed and maintained in a timely and accurate manner to ensure the contract records and reports remain accurate. Run reports for the Director and/or Purchasing staff.
• Maintain the Ironclad Contract Management System.
• Execute assigned departmental objectives. This should include monitoring and ensuring deadlines for contracts, projects and solicitations are met or exceeded.
• Reviews draft purchase orders for contracts and contracts submitted by the Sr. Contract Coordinators.
• Management of staff that includes guidance and work direction to the Sr. Contract Coordinators; assists with the development and training of the Sr. Contract Coordinators. This includes but is not limited to reviewing work product and performance evaluation.
• Knowledge of other departments including but not limited to Children & Youth Services and Juvenile Probation Office, including understanding their unique contract needs. Providing support, guidance and direction to the Sr. Contract Coordinator assigned to those departments and attending meetings and trainings as necessary.
• Management duties, this shall include but not be limited to handling requirements and functions as assigned in the absence of the Director and/or Deputy.
• Assist in compilation of data and draft report of the annual indirect allocation data for the department.
• Participate in Department of Emergency Services exercises and assist with compilation of the department’s COOP plan.
• Update templates and process and procedure documents assigned by the Director and/or Deputy.
• Assist with oversight of the County of Berks Procurement Card program as assigned by the Director and/or Deputy.
• Projects assigned by the Director and/or Deputy.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in business or public administration OR at least 10 years of equivalent experience.
• Minimum of five years of experience in either paralegal work or contract administration, experience should include experience drafting and negotiating scopes of work and contract terms and conditions.
• Paralegal certificate preferred.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Thorough knowledge of contract law, contract language, Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code, and commercial insurance.
• General knowledge of public procurement procedures, best practices and regulations.
• Ability to procure without prejudice, seeking to obtain the maximum, ultimate value for each dollar of expenditure.
• Ability to read and interpret laws and regulations and apply requirements to public procurement.
• Ability and willingness to communicate with tact and diplomacy and frequently function in difficult situations requiring instructing, persuading, negotiating and motivating people; establish and maintain cooperative and effective relationships with people of all organizational levels, vendors and the general public; act as liaison to advise and/or resolve differences between Purchasing, agencies/departments, and/or vendors.
• Ability and willingness to speak, understand, read and write English, knowledge and understanding of writing and grammar, and ability to perform basic and analytical arithmetic computations.
• Ability and willingness to use good judgment in decision-making and to adhere to the highest ethical standard while performing purchasing functions.
• Working knowledge in using PCs as well as Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Access and Outlook), and the Internet.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability and willingness to multi-task in a stressful environment and set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Decision-making, analytical, and problem-solving skills at the level required to effectively perform the position responsibilities.
• Organized, self-motivated, detail oriented, and able to work independently.
• Ability to handle stress.
• Physical presence in the office is required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent will frequently be required to sit for extended periods of time, stand, walk, talk or hear, and work with office equipment and work with electronic media which can create eye strain. Occasionally, the employee will be required to lift or carry standard archive size box of files of up to 45 lbs.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Normal office environment.

This position description serves as a guideline for communicating the essential functions and other information about the position to the applicant/employee. It is not intended to create a binding employment contract nor cover every detail of the position and may be changed where appropriate.