CONTRACTS ADMINISTRATOR

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 113,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Chicago is seeking a Contracts Administrator to manage procurement contracts, monitor performance, and ensure compliance with city policies. You will coordinate with DPS, the Comptroller, and department managers to develop and execute contracts, amendments, and bid documents.

The role requires extensive experience in procurement contracts and data analytics, with leadership responsibilities across teams, and a focus on timely contract renewals.

Qualifications

• Nine years of work experience in procurement contracts and contract management databases.
• Alternative: Associate's degree plus seven years in procurement contracts.
• Bachelor's degree plus five years in procurement contracts.
• Master's degree plus four years in procurement contracts.

Responsibilities

• Advise on procurement processes and coordinate contract documents.
• Maintain contracts and process modifications, extensions, price adjustments.
• Implement procurement policies and supervise staff to ensure compliance.
• Draft and negotiate terms for professional services contracts.
• Lead bid processes, evaluate proposals and select vendors.
• Monitor DBE/MBE/WBE programs and vendor performance.
• Manage contract data, analytics, and reporting.
• Coordinate cross-departmental reviews with Law, Risk, and DPS.
• Oversee contract recordkeeping and renewals to prevent service interruption.
• Prepare financial status reports for capital projects.

Skills

Procurement knowledge

Contract management

Vendor negotiation

Staff supervision

Education

Associate's degree path

Bachelor's degree path

Master's degree path

Job description

CONTRACTS ADMINISTRATOR

Starting Salary: $125,316.00

Under general supervision, performs contract administration functions in an operating department, working with departmental managers to execute appropriate procurement and contracting methods for the purchasing of goods and services, e.g. commodities, work services, professional services, delegate agency contracts and liaising with the Department of Procurement Services (DPS) or Comptroller's Office to ensure compliance with procurement and contract processes, liaising with DFSS IT on the updating and management of a contract management system.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Provide advice and technical guidance on the City's procurement processes and coordinate the preparation, review and processing of contract documents to ensure contracts are awarded and in place
• Perform procurement contract maintenance and support functions; majority of duties relate to contract monitoring, preparation and processing of contract modifications, extensions, limit increases and price adjustments
• Implements procurement and delegate agency contracting policies and procedures
• Assigns and reviews the work of staff to ensure compliance with standards and procedures established by the Department of Procurement Services (DPS)
• Directs the development of new RFPs in the addition to conducting the research and development of end user requirements and specifications for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and bids to be advertised
• Directs staff in working with department managers to draft contract specifications, compile contract documents and negotiate terms and conditions with vendors, when applicable
• Negotiates or drafts contracts for professional services evaluation committees
• Drafts evaluation criteria for RFP evaluation committees
• Serves as a voting member of evaluation committees for department specific and citywide RFPs
• Oversees the negotiation and monitoring of disadvantaged, minority and women owned business enterprise (DBE/MBE/WBE) programs
• Supervises staff responsible for the preparation, processing and compiling of delegate agency contracts
• Maintains a contract database to manage the expiration and renewal of contracts in a timely manner to avoid service interruption to the department
• Reviews completed contract packages for appropriateness, completeness and conformance to established policies and standards and forwards to oversight departments for approval
• Directs the review of bids submitted by vendors and the selection of the lowest responsible bidder
• Confers with staff on the effectiveness of contract terms and conditions, renegotiates requested changes with vendors and prepares contract amendments
• Represents the department on contracts, provides justification for non-competitive bid requests and attends Non-Competitive Review Board (NCRB) meetings
• Reviews, negotiates, and monitors contractual agreements to ensure the efficient acquisition of equipment, materials, products, and services for a department (e.g., non/construction, sewers, capital projects)
• Monitors vendor performance to ensure compliance with contract terms and conditions
• Resolves vendor compliance issues and escalates to appropriate parties when necessary
• Analyzes and evaluates bid specifications, tests, reports, and other relevant data
• Monitors contract award process
• Conducts research and benchmarking to identify contracting opportunities that will increase or improve department operating efficiencies
• Acts as a liaison to DPS, vendors and departments involved in the contract process to expedite or resolve problems
• Confers with the Law Department, Risk Management and DTI to ensure that specifications and contracts are consistent with City and State statutes, ordinances and policies
• Oversees the maintenance of contract records and files
• Reports on the status of contracts and budgetary reports relative to contract spending
• Prepares financial status reports for capital improvement projects
• Prepares letters, memoranda and other correspondence or edits staff correspondence for submission to department executive staff
• Develops, coordinates, and finalizes complex contractual funding and financing arrangements
• Verifies the delivery and receipt of contracted products and services
• Monitors staff productivity levels to ensure continuity of services and commodities for department operations
• Attends and conducts pre-bid conferences, bid openings, delegate agency roundtables, and potential vendor site visits, as needed
• Leads the development of new functionality in the contract databases
• Reviews and verifies contract data in the contract database is accurate and regularly maintained
• Collaborates on the implementation of new data analytics platforms related to the contract data
• Develops and lead training for internal staff and for external stakeholders

Location: 1615 West Chicago Avenue

Days: Monday - Friday

Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

THIS POSITION IS EXEMPT FROM THE CAREER SERVICE

QUALIFICATIONS

Nine (9) years of work experience in the development and administration of vendor procurement/grant contracts, lifecycle contract management databases, and data visualizations of contract data, OR

Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate's degree, plus seven (7) years of work experience in the development and administration of vendor procurement/grant contracts, lifecycle contract management databases, and data visualizations of contract data, OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree, plus five (5) years of work experience in the development and administration of vendor procurement/grant contracts, lifecycle contract management databases, and data visualizations of contract data, OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree or higher plus four (4) years of work experience in the development and administration of vendor procurement/grant contracts, lifecycle contract management databases, and data visualizations of contract data.

SELECTION CRITERIA

This position requires applicants to complete an interview. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the oral part of the interview will be selected.

APPLICATION EVALUATION

Initial evaluation will be based on the information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resources staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow all required employment/hiring plan provisions, federal, state, and local laws, and collective bargaining agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience, the City of Chicago has adopted ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States, residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA), and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. The learn more about our hiring processes

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer and Fair Chance Employer

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor