Contract Administrator

Position Definition

Under general supervision, performs professional contract administration duties for contracts and agreements, provides administrative support to Management and performs related or other work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
 

This classification has responsibility for the coordination, development, and administrative oversight of contracts and agreements and participates in the negotiation, preparation, processing and administration, and monitoring of contracts. The Contract Administrator is a subject matter expert as relates to County contracting and procurement policies and procedures and government procurement regulations. The Contract Administrator must be capable of working closely with County Counsel and Department Heads and their designees.

Duties

• Applies current County policies and procedures, as well as governmental contracting and procurement regulations, to departmental contracting processes.
• Develops, administers and coordinates contract terms and conditions related to personal and professional services and/or commodities.
• Compares costs and evaluates the quality and suitability of supplies, materials, equipment or professional services and negotiates product and services contracts.
• Reviews and modifies vendor contracts to meet State of California procurement standards and the policies of the County of Kern Board of Supervisors.
• Negotiates terms and conditions with vendors as well as pricing and other business aspects related to the contract.
• Maintains effective liaison with various vendors of services and commodities.
• Confers with contractors to clarify issues on contractual requirements, terms and conditions, legal policy compliance and specifications.
• Processes contracts from inception to implementation.
• Evaluates and monitors vendor and contractor compliance with terms and conditions of agreements including, but not limited to, insurance requirements, deliverables, milestones, and compensation.
• May conduct or facilitate requests for proposals (RFP's) or other competitive bid processes on behalf of a department including defining scopes of work, deliverables, milestones, developing competitive evaluation criteria, and other process methods.
• Performs other duties of similar nature or level as required.

Employment Standards

Five (5) years of experience working in or with purchasing and/or contracts experience in a formal competitive bid environment involving the acquisition of equipment, supplies, and services, two (2) years of which are equivalent to the level of Buyer III or Administrative Coordinator in the Kern County Classification system and have included performing routine and increasingly complex purchasing, contracting or program lead of contracts.

OR

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business or public administration, economics, accounting, finance, or a closely related field AND two (2) years of experience equivalent to the level of Buyer III or Administrative Coordinator in the Kern County Classification system and have included performing routine and increasingly complex purchasing, contracting, or program lead of contracts.
 
OR

Certification as one of the following: Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) or Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) by the Institute of Supply Management or Certified Public Purchasing Officer (C.P.P.O.) by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing AND two (2) years of experience equivalent to the level of Buyer III or Administrative Coordinator in the Kern County Classification system and have included performing routine and increasingly complex purchasing and contracting.
 
Knowledge of: the methods, principles, and practices of purchasing professional services and supplies, and the Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
 
Ability to: make oral and written presentations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with vendors, department representatives, and other government agencies and co-workers; work independently; read, interpret and apply rules, regulations, policies and procedures; analyze situations and adopt an effective course of actions; compose clear and concise reports, recommendations and correspondence; compare and analyze contracts and agreements; conduct meetings and conferences; complete introduction and indoctrination training.