Contracts Unit Manager; WMS

Contracts Unit Manager

The Employment Security Department (ESD) is seeking a collaborative, strategic, and experienced leader to serve as the Contracts Unit Manager.

The ideal candidate is an expert-level contracting professional who applies advanced critical thinking and independent judgment to navigate high-risk, potentially sensitive acquisitions. You are an inspiring mentor who fosters a healthy, inclusive team culture while modeling a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and supplier inclusion. Skilled at balancing strict legal compliance with exceptional customer service, you bring the calm confidence needed to facilitate sensitive negotiations, mitigate risk, and translate complex federal and state regulations into clear, actionable guidance.

As the Contracts Unit Manager, you will play a dual leadership and strategic role, supporting the Contracting Team, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering timely contract documents that meet customer needs. Reporting to the CAMP Director, you will collaborate with the Administrative Services Division (ASD) Leadership team to advance the agency's strategic goals and dismantle barriers to equity for underserved groups. You will serve as the primary agency-wide authority on state procurement and contracting, providing expert consultation to internal and external partners on all goods and services, including IT.

Additionally, you will act as the lead grant strategist for federal and non-federal grants, ensuring the agency reduces operational risk, prevents audit findings, and maintains its public confidence and delegation of authority.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and supervise the Contracts team, including hiring, mentoring, training, managing workload production, and resolving interpersonal or performance issues.
• Manage high-profile, high-dollar, and politically sensitive competitive procurements, solicitations, and contract awards without oversight.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on Federal CFR regulations and grant requirements, partnering with unit coordinators and Assistant Attorneys General (AAG) to ensure compliance.
• Develop and execute risk mitigation strategies and full risk analyses for grants and complex contracts to protect agency funding and reputation.
• Advance supplier diversity initiatives (Executive Order 22-01) by evaluating and promoting minority, women, and veteran-owned business participation.
• Negotiate and award complex, performance-based, and best-value contracts for IT and non-IT goods and services.
• Design and deliver training programs and internal reference manuals regarding procurement practices, templates, and grant contracting for staff agency-wide.
• Consult division managers and leadership on high-visibility acquisition plans, policy execution, and sensitive or contentious contract terminations.

Required qualifications:

• Option 1:
  Seven (7) years of experience in public sector procurement and contracting, including IT goods and services, with demonstrated success in managing complex, high-profile solicitations and negotiations AND leadership experience supervising, mentoring, and developing professional staff in a procurement or contracting environment.
• Option 2:
  Associate's degree in business administration, public administration, contract management, supply chain management, or a related field; AND Five (5) years of experience in public sector procurement and contracting, including IT goods and services, with demonstrated success in managing complex, high-profile solicitations and negotiations AND leadership experience supervising, mentoring, and developing professional staff in a procurement or contracting environment.
• Option 3:
  Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, contract management, supply chain management, or a related field; AND Three (3) years of experience in public sector procurement and contracting, including IT goods and services, with demonstrated success in managing complex, high-profile solicitations and negotiations AND leadership experience supervising, mentoring, and developing professional staff in a procurement or contracting environment.
• Option 4:
  Master's degree in business administration, public administration, contract management, supply chain management, or a related field; AND Two (2) years of experience in public sector procurement and contracting, including IT goods and services, with demonstrated success in managing complex, high-profile solicitations and negotiations AND leadership experience supervising, mentoring, and developing professional staff in a procurement or contracting environment.
• Option 5:
  Juris Doctor degree AND One (1) year of experience in public sector procurement and contracting, including IT goods and services, with demonstrated success in managing complex, high-profile solicitations and negotiations AND leadership experience supervising, mentoring, and developing professional staff in a procurement or contracting environment.

Required equity…