Contract Specialist

Contract Specialist

This is information technology related administrative contract management work. Under the direction of the IT Contract Manager, this employee will develop, coordinate, and monitor contract activities with responsibility for managing Professional, Procurement and Cooperative contracts. Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with project managers, departmental administrators and staff in key departments including the Law Department, Procurement, Finance and the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), as well as, representatives of contracted agencies to secure cooperation in the resolution of contract issues and on-time contract conformance.

Essential Functions

• Coordinate and monitor all activities that pertain to the processing of Professional Services and Procurement Contracts, Miscellaneous Purchase Orders (MPO), Blanket Purchase Order (BPO), Citywide and Cooperative Contracts for assigned OIT divisions.
• Establish collaborative working relationships with departmental IT Directors, Project Managers, vendors, other departments and appropriate contacts in the interest of resolving issues and disputes.
• Manage the overall process of contract execution which includes reviewing vendor proposals and Statement of Work (SOW) for contractual requirements, monitoring minority participation commitments, encumbering funds and effectually guiding contract to conformance.
• Plan and execute new contracts and amendments in a timely manner.
• Explain contract policies and procedures and any additional requirements that must be met by contract parties before contract can take effect.
• Assist, advise and support internal clients on interpretation of contractual documents.
• Proactively communicate and coordinate with IT Directors and project managers to ensure that required contract documents are submitted in a timely manner to enable on-time contract conformance.
• Confirm funding on contracts and amendment with appropriate OIT Finance staff to verify outlined proposal costs correspond with budget.
• Utilize the Automatic Computer Information System (ACIS) and electronic document software (currently DocuSign) to initiate and administer all Professional Services related contracts.
• Ensure pertinent supporting contract documents are uploaded into ACIS.
• Ensure fully-executed Service Orders are uploaded with their associated contracts in ACIS.
• Track progress of contracts and prepare monthly contract reports to minimize delays.
• Identify the cause of delay within the contract workflow and actively seek to rectify the issue.
• Review Request for Proposals (RFP) for completeness and accuracy as it pertains to the appropriate RFP template and manage them through the approval process prior to posting in ACIS.
• Assist Department Access Users with creating Requisition and Bid documents in the Procurement PHL Contracts System.
• Work with the Procurement Department to update or extend existing contracts and BPOs.
• Assist the department in meeting the annual departmental goal for Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) women and minority participation by reviewing contracted vendors' proposals to ensure they are compliant with the commitments made at time of award.
• Confer with OEO in referring and identifying minority-owned vendors who can supply required services for the department.
• Serve as the Department's alternate OEO Officer.
• Perform any other duties or responsibilities relating to contract management.
• Perform special projects for Deputy CIO, Chief Financial Officer, as needed.

Education : Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, finance, economics, or related field. Master's degree a plus.

Experience / Skill : Full performance position; 2 - 4 years' experience, preferably with the City of Philadelphia. Familiarity with the Microsoft Office Suite required.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities : Knowledge of contract development, management and administration practices. Knowledge of the City's Procurement practices, principles and payment processing systems. Knowledge of City policies and procedures as they relate to the contract preparation processing contracts. Knowledge of contractual procurement procedures and the methods used by city agencies in the processing of contracts. Legal procedures and terminology as they relate to the processing of contracts. Expertise in software systems, such as ACIS, PHL Contracts, FAMIS and ADPICS. Express ideas effectively, both orally and in writing. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, administrative officials and departmental officials. Exercise judgment and discretion in applying and interpreting policies and procedures consistent with overall policy objectives. Understanding of the City ethics rules, and specifically as they pertain to contract matters. Basic knowledge of IT business terms and needs.

Salary Range : $60,000-$75,000. All applications must include a cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will be considered incomplete. Did you know? We are a Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program qualified employer : 25% tuition discount program for City employees (and sometimes spouses and dependents as well) in partnership with area colleges and universities. We offer comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents. Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan. Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays. Generous retirement savings options are available.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov. For more information, go to : Human Relations Website : http : / / www.phila.gov / humanrelations / Pages / default.aspx