Contract Specialist

Department of Transportation; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) seeks a Contract Specialist to own a portfolio of construction and operate-and-maintain contracts supporting Traffic Operations. You will coordinate documentation, schedules, payments, and contract actions across internal partners and vendors.

This role requires a highly organized, detail-oriented professional who can manage multiple contracts, monitor budgets, and clearly communicate status to leadership.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, or related field.
• Bachelor's degree with two years of relevant experience in budgeting, accounting, or financial administration; or related areas.
• Associate degree with four years of professional experience in budget/financial roles as described above.
• High school diploma with six years of professional experience in relevant areas.

Responsibilities

• Own a portfolio of construction and operate-and-maintain contracts from planning through closeout.
• Coordinate with technical leads to define scopes, deliverables, and acceptance requirements for procurements.
• Build and manage procurement and contract-action schedules to prevent gaps in contractor coverage.
• Drive invoice review and payment processing by validating backup and routing approvals.
• Prepare and track change orders and amendments with cost and schedule impacts.

Skills

Contract management

Procurement

Budgeting

Vendor coordination

Documentation

Cross-agency collaboration

Strong written communication

Education

Master's degree in economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration

Bachelor's degree plus 2 years public sector experience

Association degree plus 4 years experience

High school diploma plus 6 years experience

Job description

In order to be considered for this position candidate must be serving permanently in the title of Staff Analyst, or must have taken, passed, and be reachable on the Open Competitive civil service Staff Analyst list, Exam #3116.

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) is seeking a Contract Specialist to serve as a primary owner of a portfolio of construction and operate-and-maintain contracts that support Traffic Operations. This position helps ensure contractor-delivered work moves efficiently through the full contracting process from early planning through closeout by coordinating documentation, schedules, payments, and contract actions across internal partners and vendors. The role is well-suited for a highly organized, solutions-oriented professional who is comfortable managing multiple moving pieces and driving work to completion.

About NYC DOT and the Division of Traffic Operations

NYC DOT works to support the safe, equitable, and sustainable movement of people and goods across New York City. Within NYC DOT, the Division of Traffic Operations delivers and sustains the systems that help New Yorkers and visitors move safely and efficiently every day.

Traffic Operations manages the operation of more than 350,000 street lights, approximately 14,000 signalized intersections, roughly 90,000 on-street parking spaces, over 4,000 automated enforcement cameras, and a state-of-the-art Traffic Management Center. These roles will support the expansion and modernization of DOT’s Automated Enforcement program, which consists of red light, speed, and bus lane cameras. Work across the division spans signals and street lighting, traffic management and intelligent transportation systems, parking operations, modeling and data analysis, and automated enforcement much of it delivered through contractors and supported through effective contract planning and administration.

Responsibilities

• Own a portfolio of construction and operate-and-maintain contracts from planning through closeout, keeping actions moving across each step of the process.
• Coordinate with technical leads to define scopes, deliverables, and acceptance requirements so procurements are ready to launch and work is verifiable.
• Build and manage procurement and contract-action schedules (renewals, registrations, starts, modifications, and closeouts) to prevent gaps in contractor coverage.
• Drive invoice review and payment processing by validating backup, routing approvals, and resolving discrepancies with vendors and internal reviewers.
• Prepare and track change orders and amendments by assembling documentation and coordinating cost and schedule impacts through required approvals.
• Track spending, balances, and key risks across the portfolio; surface issues early and support timely decisions that keep work on schedule.
• Maintain complete contract records and clear status reporting so leadership has visibility and the division remains audit-ready.
• Support additional tasks or assignments as required to meet evolving project and Department needs.

Hours/Shift: 35 Hrs./9 A.M. to 5 P.M/Monday-Friday

Work Location: 34-02 Queens Blvd., LIC, NY 11101

This position may be eligible for remote work up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program agreed to between the City and DC37.

Note: New hires must reside in NYC for the first two years of employment. Appointments are subject to OMB approval.

For more information about DOT, visit us at: www.nyc.gov/dot.

Minimum Qualifications

A master's degree from an accredited college in economics, finance, accounting, business or public administration, human resources management, management science, operations research, organizational behavior, industrial psychology, statistics, personnel administration, labor relations, psychology, sociology, human resources development, political science, urban studies or a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school; or

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of satisfactory full- time professional experience working in one or a combination of the following areas: working with the budget of a large public or private concern in budget administration, accounting, economic or financial administration, or fiscal or economic research; in management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research or program evaluation; in personnel or public administration, recruitment, position classification, personnel relations, labor relations, employee benefits, staff development, employment program planning/administration, labor market research, economic planning, social services program planning/evaluation, or fiscal management; or in a related area.

An associate degree or completion of 60 semester credits from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full-time professional experience as described in "2" above.

A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and six years of satisfactory full-time professional experience as described in "2" above.

A combination of education and/or experience equivalent to '1', '2', '3', or '4' above. College education may be substituted for professional experience at the rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for one year of experience. However, all candidates must have a high school diploma.

Preferred Skills

• Experience supporting construction and/or operate-and-maintain contracts, including planning, approvals, payments, modifications, and closeout.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple contract actions at once in a high-volume environment, set priorities, and keep work moving without losing details.
• Comfort working with budgets and spending tracking, including monitoring balances, flagging risks early, and supporting forecasting needs.
• Ability to coordinate effectively across diverse partners (technical staff, fiscal teams, procurement partners, and vendors) and resolve issues through follow-up and persistence.
• Strong written communication skills, including producing clear summaries, status updates, and well-supported approval packages.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.