Contract Specialist - County Auditor

Under the supervision of the Purchasing Administrator, the Contract Specialist performs contract development and solicitation work and provides support throughout contract execution. The incumbent develops and monitors purchase orders and contracts, supports County employees throughout the contracting process, provides reporting, and coordinates special projects. The position works proactively with Legal, Procurement staff, vendors, and agency employees, and serves as backup to the Senior Purchasing Specialist and Procurement Coordinator in their absence.

• Coordinates with purchasing, end user departments, Legal, and management to resolve contracting issues, including language used to monitor contractor deliverables and performance.
• Monitors the procurement and contracting process to ensure contractors are selected fairly and objectively.
• Evaluates and negotiates contract terms, conditions, specifications, and provisions to identify potential risks and align with the agency’s best interests and applicable procurement law.
• Works with legal staff and contractors to finalize contracts and purchase order documents.
• Serves as the primary contact for agency employees on new and existing contracts and coordinates with legal, purchasing, accounting, management, and others to support successful solicitation and award.
• Advises agency managers and staff on contract‑related regulations, policies, procedures, processes, systems, best practices, issues, trends, and developments.
• Provides guidance to other purchasing and contracts staff on the contracting process.
• Participates in developing standards for contract administration activities.
• Works with the Public Information Officer, Legal, and, as needed, the State of Texas Attorney General to address contract‑related open records requests in accordance with State of Texas law.

• Collaborates with Legal to develop and revise contractor oversight processes, including risk assessment, monitoring, and evaluation criteria, to help ensure quality services and effective use of funds.
• Maintains systems for contract administration tracking, recordkeeping, and reporting.
• Consults with and advises end user departments on bid and contract specifications, renewals, and amendments.
• Ensures contracts comply with state and agency regulations and policies and address deliverables, performance measures, payment methodology, and consequences for non-performance.
• Participates in internal and external audits, researches and reconciles audit exceptions, identifies causes of errors, and recommends or implements solutions.

• Researches, analyzes, and evaluates contract administration practices, policies, procedures, guidelines, processes, systems, and forms, and recommends improvements.
• Develops and delivers reports and presentations to agency management and staff on contract administration plans, operations, activities, achievements, and related issues.
• Prepares and submits reports required by regulatory entities and internal management.
• Participates in special projects, task forces, and committees.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

One of the following:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and three (3) years of full-time, progressively responsible experience in contract management, development, administration, negotiations, or related work; or Associate’s degree or equivalent, plus additional full-time related experience substituted year-for-year for the bachelor’s degree, and three (3) years of full-time, progressively responsible experience in contract management, development, administration, negotiations, or related work.