Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist V - Procurement, Assistance, Compliance, & Training
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
An application made for this job — a tailored resume and cover letter that speak straight to the posting.
Job summary
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education is seeking a Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist V (SR-24) to oversee policy development, procurement compliance, and contract administration within the department.
The role requires advanced knowledge of procurement practices, strong analytical skills, and the ability to guide staff through complex contracting scenarios. Salary ranges are shown, and the position supports statewide education procurement activities.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
- Excess education/experience substitutions allowed as described in the Minimum Qualifications.
Responsibilities
- Revises, clarifies, or develops purchasing policies, procedures, practices and guidelines for staff.
- Reviews outgoing correspondence drafted by staff.
- Serves as a technical resource to procurement staff to ensure compliance with Procurement Code and related rules.
- Conducts periodic reviews of departmental procurement practices and recommends revisions.
- Conducts audits of schools and offices to evaluate compliance with procurement policies.
- Investigates complaints from requisitioners and vendors and reports findings.
Education
Job description
alary Range:
Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist V, SR-24: $6,221.00 - $7,568.00
Salary Range:
Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist V, SR-24: $6,221.00 - $7,568.00
- Revises, clarifies, or develops purchasing policies, procedures, practices and guidelines for the use of staff as required.
- Reviews outgoing correspondence drafted by staff.
- Serves as technical resource to the Procurement Officer, administrators, and bidders to ensure compliance with Procurement Code, applicable state and federal administrative rules and regulations applicable to purchasing mandates and guidelines, other policies or procedures governing state agencies and organizations, and departmental policies or procedures.
- Conducts periodic reviews of departmental procurement practices, including recommending appropriate revisions to procurement policies and procedures.
- Conducts periodic audits of schools and offices in all areas of procurement and contracting to evaluate compliance with Procurement Code and departmental policies and procedures, including the preparation of reports and briefing of senior management officials on the findings and recommendations to correct procurement and contracting deficiencies.
- Investigates complaints or controversies from department requisitioners and/or vendors or contractors.
- Reports findings of fact and recommends appropriate or corrective action.
- Resolves the most complex contract compliance issues (e.g. contract modifications, change orders, interpretations, time delays, cost overruns, transfer or assignments of contracts and other unforeseen circumstances).
- May train, guide or mentor lower level specialists. In addition, performs work described at the lower level in relation to most complex, specialized and technical work assignments.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor’s degree. Excess experience of the type and quality described below or any administrative, professional, technical or other responsible work, which required a high degree of analytical skill, may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis. To be acceptable, the experience must have been of such scope, level and quality as to assure the possession of comparable knowledge, skills and abilities.
Except for the substitutions provided below, applicants must have had the type of experience described in the statements immediately following and in the amounts shown in the table below:
Class Title General
Exper Specialzd
Exper Supvry
Exper Total
(years)
Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist V 1/2 3* ** 3-1/2
General Experience: Work involving progressively responsible professional or other responsible analytical work which involved gathering, evaluating and analyzing facts and other pertinent information required to resolve problems and/or to determine and recommend appropriate courses of action. Such experience must have demonstrated the ability to elicit information orally and in writing, apply problem-solving methods and techniques, identify alternatives, use judgment in determining appropriate alternatives, and prepare clear and concise written reports and recommendations for action.
Specialized Experience: Professional experience in an area related to procurement and/or contracts administration requiring the knowledge and application of formal procurement and/or contracting methods (i.e. development or processing of formal bid specifications and/or contract development), principles, and standards for the purpose of developing, reviewing, analyzing, and auditing procurement and contracts activities, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, policies, procedures, rules, and related requirements.
For Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist V and VI, at least one year of the required Specialized Experience must have been at a level comparable to the Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist IV level in the Hawaii State government; viz. experience that indicates that the applicant has acquired and successfully applied practical and theoretical knowledge of the principles of economics related to supply and demand, procurement and contracting and specification development with the level of difficulty as described in the class specification.
For the Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist V level, supervisory aptitude rather than actual supervisory experience may be accepted. Supervisory aptitude is the demonstration of aptitude or potential for the performance of supervisory duties through successful completion of regular or special assignments which involve some supervisory responsibilities or aspects; by serving as a group or team leader or in similar work in which opportunities for demonstrating supervisory capabilities exist; by completion of training courses in supervision accompanied by application of supervisory skills in work assignments or by favorable appraisals by a supervisor indicating the possession of supervisory potential.
Qualifying experience is not limited to that acquired in positions allocable to this series or in positions otherwise designated as “professional.” It may have been obtained in any position, e.g. purchasing technician or agent, substantially engaged in formal purchasing, which involved the activities and knowledge specified above.
The following types of work experience are not qualifying:
- Experience limited to purchasing through informal means;
- Experience involving responding to general questions regarding procedures for formal purchasing or involving the consolidation or development of written requests for small purchase quotes;
- Experience which involved primarily serving as the liaison between the user and those conducting the informal purchasing;
- Experience which involved consolidating and transmitting specifications prepared by the user to those conducting the formal purchase without concomitant responsibility for review of said specifications for clarity, descriptiveness and appropriateness or which did not require intensive discussion with the users to ensure the appropriateness of the specifications; and
- Experience limited to assisting others in development of contracts (e.g. comparing contract terms and conditions for conformance with standard formats and language, assembling contract documentation, proofing agreements for grammar and punctuation, arranging for advertising, handing out copies of specifications, etc.)
- Excess Specialized Experience of the type and quality described above may be substituted for General Experience on a year-for-year basis.
- Possession of a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university in public or business administration may be substituted for one-half year of the required General Experience.
- Satisfactory completion of all academic requirements for a degree in law (JD or equivalent) from an accredited school of law maybe substituted for two and one-half years of the required General and Specialized Experience.
Possession of the required number of years of experience will not in itself be accepted as proof of qualification for a position. The applicant's overall experience must have been of such scope and level of responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that applicant has the ability to perform the duties of the position for which applicant is being considered.
Applicants must possess a current, valid driver's license.
Salary: The advertised salary is based on full-time employment and includes shortage and school year differentials, if applicable.
Requirements: Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the date of the application, unless otherwise specified. Unless specifically indicated, the required education and experience may not be gained concurrently. Calculation of experience is based on full-time, 40-hour workweeks. Part-time experience is pro-rated. Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours/week is equivalent to six months of experience, not one year. Also, hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week will not be credited. Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours/week is equivalent to one year of experience, not one and a half years.
Claims of Temporary Assignment (TA) experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements must be verified and attached to the application using one of the options below:
- A copy of the applicant’s TA History Report or equivalent system-generated report;
- A signed letter from the applicant’s supervisor that includes the applicant’s name, his/her TA job title, the TA start and end dates (from mm/yy to mm/yy), his/her specific TA duties performed, and either the TA hours worked per week or total TA hours worked; or,
- Copies of the applicant’s signed SF-10 Forms.
Attach all relevant supporting documents to your application. Documents that were attached to applications submitted before November 16, 2023 do not automatically attach or transfer to applications submitted on and after December 16, 2023. All submitted documents become the property of the Hawaii State Department of Education.
Temporary positions may be extended year to year, dependent upon funding and departmental needs. Making yourself available for temporary positions increases your employment possibilities and may lead to permanent opportunities. A person hired for a temporary position may also become a temporary employee upon satisfactory completion of the initial probation period of at least six months. Once a temporary employee, you would be eligible to apply for promotion and transfer opportunities to permanent as well as other temporary positions. You may also enjoy other rights and benefits as afforded to an employee in a permanent position, with the exception of return rights and placement rights associated with a reduction-in-force.
The Hawaii State Department of Education does not discriminate in its educational policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991. The Department does not discriminate in its employment policies, programs, and activities on the basis of sexual orientation, arrest and court record, and National Guard participation, as well as on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, and disability, in accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991, Equal Pay Act of 1963, and Chapter 378, Part I, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
New employees can expect their first paycheck within the first 3 pay periods of their start date. Payday is on the 5th and 20th (or previous business day) of every month.
- Holidays: You may be eligible for 13 paid holidays each year; 14 holidays during an election year.
- Vacation: Employees of Bargaining Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 13 earn 21 days per year.
- Sick Leave: Employees of Bargaining Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 13 earn 21 days per year. Accumulated (unused) credits may be used toward computing retirement benefits.
- Health Insurance: If eligible, the State pays a part of the premiums for each employee's enrollment in a State sponsored Medical, Drug, Vision, and Adult Dental Plan.
- Group Life Insurance: The State provides a free life insurance policy for employees and retirees.
- Premium Conversion Plan: Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct the cost of health care premiums before payroll taxes are withheld.
- Flexible Spending Accounts: Eligible employees can reduce their federal and state income taxes and social security taxes through a tax-savings benefit program called Island Flex. This program allows employees to set aside money from their paychecks to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and eligible dependent care expenses on a BEFORE-TAX basis.
- Retirement Plan: The State contributes to a retirement plan for eligible employees. Generally, employees with at least 10 years of credited service and who have reached 62 years of age or have 30 years of credited service and are 55 years old may retire and receive benefits.
- Tax Shelter Annuity (TSA): If eligible, Department employees are able to participate in a tax shelter annuity program. The TSA plan allows eligible employees to contribute pre-tax dollars to an employee-selected investment service provider authorized to provide TSA products.
- Deferred Compensation: The State offers employees a tax deferred (sheltered) retirement investment program. This program is an opportunity to build a retirement nest egg through voluntary payroll deductions. Several investment options are available.
- Temporary Disability Insurance: Qualified employees may be eligible to receive benefits for a disability caused by a non-work related injury or illness under this program.
- Social Security: As an employer, the State also contributes to an employee's social security account.
- Workers' Compensation: If an employee is injured while on the job, benefits covering medical expenses and partial wage support may be available through workers' compensation.
- Union & Collective Bargaining: Employees have the right to join the union for collective bargaining with the State and employee representation. Some employee unions provide discounts, insurance and other opportunities. Employees may also decide not to join a union, however, employees are required to pay union service fees unless the employee's job is excluded from collective bargaining.
The above is intended as a general summary of the benefits offered and is subject to change. This does not constitute a contract or binding agreement. Benefits vary by type of employment appointment and collective bargaining agreements.
01
Do you possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university?
(Please attach or mail in a copy of your official transcripts to receive credit.)
- Yes
- No
02
Applicants who do not possess a Bachelor's Degree may still meet the Education Requirement via excess Specialized Experience, or other qualifying progressively responsible administrative, professional, or technical work experience, which required a high degree of analytical skill. If you do not possess a Bachelor's Degree, use the space provided to list experiences that you feel would fully meet this substitution. Be sure to include your official job title, employer's name, your dates of employment (from mm/yy to mm/yy), average hours you worked per week, and a detailed description of your duties. If you possess a Bachelor Degree, type "N/A" in the space provided.
03
Do you possess at least six (6) months of general experience that involved progressively responsible professional or other responsible analytical work which involved gathering, evaluating and analyzing facts and other pertinent information required to resolve problems and/or to determine and recommend appropriate courses of action? Such experience must have demonstrated the ability to elicit information orally and in writing, apply problem-solving methods and techniques, identify alternatives, use judgment in determining appropriate alternatives, and prepare clear and concise written reports and recommendations for action.
- Yes
- No
04
Please list each employer where you gained your General Experience as indicated in the previous question. Be sure to include the following items: a. Name of employer;
b. Job title;
c. Specific dates of employment (month/year, to and from);
d. Number of hours worked per week;
e. A detailed description of your primary duties. Note: The employers listed below must also be included in the experience section of your application. If you do not have General Experience, please type "N/A" in the space provided.
05
Do you have three years of professional experience in an area related to procurement and/or contracts administration requiring the knowledge and application of formal procurement and/or contracting methods (i.e. development or processing of formal bid specifications and/or contract development), principles, and standards for the purpose of developing, reviewing, analyzing, and auditing procurement and contracts activities, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, policies, procedures, rules, and related requirements, with at least one (1) year of experience comparable to the Procurement and Contracts Support Specialist IV level in the Hawaii State Government?
- Yes
- No
06
List professional experiences you held that fully meet this requirement. Do not list volunteer experience as they will not be given consideration. All substitute and on-call employment claims must be verified via a list of the dates and hours you worked, endorsed and signed by your respective supervisor and/or personnel office. Include ALL of the following information for EACH of these experiences, SEPARATELY: a. Official job title;
b. Employer's name, type of establishment, services provided and to whom (i.e. clientele);
c. Supervisor's official job title, general duties, and type of supervision he/she provided over your position (i.e. direct, moderate, general, etc.);
d. The department that you worked in, its general functions, and how many and what kind of professional staff were regularly employed;
e. Dates of Employment (from mm/yy to mm/yy);
f. Average hours you worked per week;
g. A detailed description of your primary duties (be specific);
NOTE: Failure to provide all information may result in your application being rejected for being incomplete. Again, if you do not possess any Specialized Experience, type "None" in the space provided.
07
Also provide complete responses to the following items for EACH of these experiences, SEPARATELY: h. A description of your experience developing or processing of formal bids and/or updating such specifications to ensure their currency and applicability, give examples of specifications you drafted, what the process entailed and how often you drafted such specifications;
i. A description of your experience working with users or vendors in identifying, clarifying, and specifying requirements of products;
j. A description of your experience demonstrating understanding and the use of common purchasing resources, identify the purchasing resources you regularly used as part of your job;
k. Describe your involvement in reviewing and analyzing contracts for conformance with rules, regulations, policies, format, and related requirements, include a description of the types of contracts you worked with and the specific standards you applied to determine if a contract was in conformance;
l. Describe your involvement in recommending approval or disapproval of contracts and to whom your recommendations were made;
m. Describe your involvement in assisting program personnel in the development, management, and processing of contracts. Note: Failure to provide all information may result in your application being rejected for being incomplete. Again, if you do not possess any Specialized Experience, type "None" in the space provided.
08
If you are utilizing an allowable substitution of education for experience, please select all of the options that best describes your educational background. Note: You must submit an official copy of your college transcripts to receive credit.
- I possess a Bachelor Degree in Public Administration.
- I possess a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration.
- I possess a Juris Doctorate Degree.
- I do not have the degrees described above.
09
This position requires a current, valid driver's license. You must mail in a copy (or attach a scanned copy) of your driver's license immediately upon applying for this position. If you do not meet this requirement, your application will not be given consideration for this position. Do you have a current, valid driver's license?
- Yes
- No
10
Official or copies of official transcripts, certifications (front and back), and other documents that verify you meet the minimum qualification requirements must be submitted with your application. If these documents are NOT received, your application may be rejected.
- My documents are attached to this application.
- My documents were attached to a previously submitted application.
- I may or may not submit my documents at a later date. I understand that my application will be evaluated based on the information available at that time.
'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M101.744%2012.4726L102.894%2016.1947L99.0021%2013.2201L101.744%2012.4726ZM105.3%208.40937H100.488L99.0026%203.59473L97.5116%208.41047L92.7%208.40385L96.5965%2011.3834L95.1055%2016.1942L99.0021%2013.2196L101.408%2011.3834L105.3%208.40992V8.40937Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cdefs%3e%3clinearGradient%20id='paint0_linear_5593_1381'%20x1='90'%20y1='9.44471'%20x2='99'%20y2='9.44471'%20gradientUnits='userSpaceOnUse'%3e%3cstop%20stop-color='%2300AD70'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='0.998594'%20stop-color='%2300B67A'/%3e%3cstop%20offset='1'%20stop-color='%23DCDCE6'/%3e%3c/linearGradient%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e){kind=small}
