Contracts Manager

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board; United States; On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Board is seeking a Contract Administration Manager to oversee and manage contracts for professional services. This role involves supervising staff, negotiating contracts, and ensuring compliance with public bidding laws.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree and over five years of related experience, including supervisory roles. The position offers a dynamic work environment, integral to airport operations.

Qualifications

• Over five years of experience administering contracts in a public organization.
• Two years of supervisory experience or experience as Senior Contract Administrator.
• Experience in negotiating contracts or modifications.

Responsibilities

• Manages and evaluates staff in the administration of contracts.
• Conducts contract negotiations and leads negotiation teams.
• Provides guidance on complex contract matters.
• Ensures policy compliance and maintains competence among staff.
• Manages funds and oversees progress payments.
• Prepares reports as management tools.

Skills

Public contract solicitation

Contract negotiation

Mathematical calculations

Clear writing

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, public administration, business, construction management, law or related field

Job description

Job Overview

Under nominal direction of the Assistant Vice President of Contract Administration, Procurement and Materials Management Department, plans, manages, monitors, and supervises the activities of subordinates in the solicitation and administration of Board general and professional/consulting service contracts. Work involves extensive contacts and coordination with Board staff, contractors and consultants.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Manages, plans, schedules, supervises and evaluates the work and the activities of subordinate staff in the solicitation, administration, and close‑out of general and professional/consulting service contracts.
• Manages and approves negotiation plans for complex and difficult negotiations, conducts contract, change order, and claim negotiations, including leading a negotiating team of technical staff, and legal and audit representatives.
• Provides advice and guidance to senior Board staff and to consultants and contractors on complex contract solicitation and administration matters.
• Manages and approves all contract actions prior to final approval by applicable management/Senior Staff; executes contract actions up to the level of delegated authority.
• Writes correspondence on sensitive and critical issues and reviews subordinates’ correspondence.
• Ensures subordinate staff stays current in changes in Board policy and the law as they affect solicitation and administration of orders, and maintains a high level of professional competence.
• Develops procedures and guidelines that implement Board policies and state law regarding pertinent issues.
• Develops, monitors, updates, and amends contract general terms and conditions and special provisions as required.
• Ensures funds are available for new contracts, and change orders/modifications, and oversees progress payments to ensure they are within the terms and conditions of the contracts.
• Reviews draft Official Board Actions prior to submission to the Vice President, Procurement and Materials Management, senior staff and the Airport Board.
• Manages and oversees the close‑out of contracts and purchase orders.
• Manages the development and preparation of reports to use as management tools and as requested by the Vice President, Procurement and Materials Management, senior staff and the Board.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for audits and interfaces with Audit Services supervisory staff to implement audit plans for contracts.
• Responds to audit finds and submits them to the Assistant Vice President, Procurement and Materials Management for review and approval.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, public administration, business, construction management, law or a related field.
• Over five (5) years of progressively responsible experience administering construction, general and/or professional service contracts in a public organization.
• Two (2) years of supervisory experience, or two (2) years of experience as a Senior Contract Administrator or Contract Administrator for the D/FW Airport Board.
• Experience in negotiating new contracts or modifications to contracts.
• Possession of a valid Class C driver’s license.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of principles, practices and procedures of public contract solicitation, administration, funding and public bidding laws.
• Knowledge of estimating and pricing techniques to determine labor, material and equipment costs and to analyze overhead costs and rates.
• Knowledge of contract funding procedures and requirements applicable to public organizations.
• Ability to review contract documentation for discrepancies and conformance to standards.
• Ability to write clear, concise and accurate specifications and contract clauses.
• Ability to interpret and use oral and written instructions, analyze contractor proposals and write change orders.
• Ability to meet and deal with senior representatives of contractors, tenants, consultants, Board staff and other interested parties to exchange information, explain and interpret standards and resolve differences.
• Ability to prepare clear and concise Official Board Actions, reports, negotiation records, negotiation plans and correspondence.
• Ability to make sound judgments on contractor risk and other factors associated with determining a reasonable compensation for performing contract and change order work.
• Ability to perform moderately complex mathematical calculations in order to price and evaluate contracts.
• Ability to negotiate in an open, public atmosphere and to obtain fair and reasonable prices for change orders.
• Ability to review, assess and judge the thoroughness and reasonableness of contracts, changes and claims negotiated by subordinates.
• Ability to communicate effectively and clearly, both orally and in writing, in general and technical terms, with Airport Board staff, contractors and consultants.
• Ability to lead, supervise and motivate the performance of professional and clerical subordinates.
• Ability to find solutions to problems that have become deadlocked at lower organizational levels.

Efforts

• Works in an office environment; sits for prolonged periods.
• Uses near‑visual acuity in reading written documents, design drawings and statistical data.
• Performs moderately complex mathematical calculations.
• Uses substantial reasoning in problem‑solving.
• Exchanges information by oral, written, electronic form and in person.
• Drives to locations on/off Airport property.
• Represents the Airport and makes presentations to internal and external parties.