Senior Contract Administrator

American Water Works Association; Carson (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

West Basin Municipal Water District is seeking a skilled Contracts Administrator to independently manage purchasing for materials, services, and equipment, ensuring compliance with standards and laws. Senior role with leadership to staff and sourcing authority within district guidelines.

The ideal candidate has five to seven years in procurement and contract administration, with familiarity in public sector purchasing and risk transfer.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5–7 years of procurement/contract administration experience.
• Public agency or government procurement experience is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with procurement policies and contracting procedures.
• CPPB/CPPO/ARM designation is desirable.
• Ability to interpret laws and regulations affecting purchasing.

Responsibilities

• Manage the procurement lifecycle from sourcing to receiving for goods and services.
• Lead development of solicitation packages and bid analyses.
• Coordinate with legal counsel to secure approvals on contracts.
• Identify new suppliers and conduct supplier evaluations.
• Oversee contract risk, insurance requirements, and compliance.
• Provide support for the District's Bid Management system.
• Develop and administer the Small and Local Business Enterprise program.

Skills

Procurement lifecycle

Negotiation

Contract administration

Public procurement

Vendor management

Risk assessment

Compliance

Policy interpretation

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field

Job description

West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) is a global leader in the water industry in water recycling, conservation, water resource management, and youth and adult education. West Basin provides drinking water and recycled water to eight local retail water agencies including four cities, three private water companies, and one county water agency. The District serves a population of nearly one million residents in 17 cities and unincorporated areas along the coastal corridor from Palos Verdes to Malibu. The District is governed by an elected five-member Board of Directors and is a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

West Basin operates the Edward C. Little Water Recycling Facility and three satellite locations. It is the largest treatment and water purification facility of its type providing nearly 40 million gallons of water each day to over 300 sites. West Basin utilizes various advanced treatment processes to produce five types of “fit-for-purpose” waters used for commercial, industrial, and landscape purposes, including three ultra-pure waters.

West Basin owns and operates over 100 miles of recycled water pipelines and supplies recycled water to customers for non-potable use. To expand the use of recycled water, the District assists customers with the process of converting their sites to utilize recycled water. In addition, the District conducts site inspections to ensure compliance for the safe use of recycled water.

West Basin is an equal-opportunity employer, promoting diversity in its recruitment process and programs.

The Position:

West Basin is seeking a skilled Contracts Administrator who, under general direction, will independently manage purchasing transactions for various materials, supplies, services, and equipment, ensuring compliance with West Basin standards, policies, and all applicable legal requirements. The Senior Contracts Administrator will be responsible for providing leadership to department staff, sourcing and negotiating purchases within their established authority, creating solicitations for goods and contracted services, and performing other related duties as assigned. The District is seeking an individual with five to seven years of experience or more whose skills and abilities best reflect the qualifications for the position.

Key responsibilities are:

• Manage and oversee the procurement lifecycle, including sourcing, negotiating, and receiving goods and services, ensuring compliance with District requirements.
• Provide leadership in the interpretation and application of procurement, contracting, and purchasing policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with departments to resolve procurement-related issues, ensuring accuracy and compliance in requisitions, product descriptions, and contract terms.
• Prepare, process, and monitor a wide range of contractual documents, such as statements of work, schedules, and amendments, coordinating with legal counsel and stakeholders to secure approvals.
• Lead the development and evaluation of solicitation packages, bid analyses, and supplier recommendations; negotiate prices and terms with final management approval.
• Identify and evaluate new supply sources, conduct vendor assessments, and oversee comparative studies to enhance procurement strategies.
• Assess contract risk, assign appropriate insurance requirements, and consult with Risk Management on insurance waivers and contractor compliance.
• Ensure timely issuance of purchase orders, resolve contract disputes, and oversee delivery schedules and vendor performance.
• Provides support with the District's online Bid Management system; assists with support to consultant/service provider to ensure satisfactory provision of service; trains, coaches, assists, and guides staff in the use of it.
• Leads the development and administration of the Small and Local Business Enterprise Program, fostering diversity in procurement opportunities.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, finance, operations management, supply chain management, or a related field; and five to seven years of increasingly responsible procurement and contract administration experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Experience in a government or public agency is highly desirable.
• Designation of a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO), and/or Associate in Risk Management (ARM) is highly desirable is desirable.
• Knowledge of operations, services, and activities of a procurement program.
• Knowledge of principles, practices, methods, and techniques of public purchasing and contracting including competitive solicitation procedures
• Knowledge of principles, practices, and techniques of drafting and administering purchase contracts and enforcing contract provisions.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and the District’s Procurement Policy governing District procurement activities
• Knowledge of principles and practices of contractual risk transfer; methods of conducting product and vendor research.
• Knowledge of small and local business enterprise guidelines and standards.
• Knowledge of procedures, standards, and methods relating to insurance requirements for contracting; public sector procurement and contracting
• Knowledge of project management concepts related to public agency procurement and district labor contract provisions
• Ability to perform the full range of procurement-related duties and responsibilities; define issues and analyze information and problems.
• Ability to present proposals and recommended courses of action clearly and logically.
• Ability to negotiate cost-effective contracts and purchase orders based on quality, quantity, and price; make sound judgments within established guidelines.
• Ability to interpret and apply ethical and legal aspects of public procurement practices; understand, interpret, explain, and apply District and state law andregulations governing purchasing and contracting procedures.
• Ability to draft concise and comprehensive contracts, purchase orders, and specifications.
• Ability to analyze and assess contractual risk and apply appropriate contractual risk transfer methods.
• Ability to operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships.