Contracts Manager

contracts manager

the city of santa clara's finance department is recruiting for a contracts manager in the purchasing division. This position is responsible for independently leading complex, high-value, and high-visibility procurements; developing, negotiating, and administering contracts; and providing strategic procurement guidance to city departments from initial planning through contract execution.

the contracts manager manages the full procurement lifecycle for a broad portfolio of supplies, equipment, information technology commodities, and general and professional services. Responsibilities include collaborating with client departments to define business needs; drafting detailed scopes of work, specifications, and solicitation documents; facilitating evaluation and selection processes; conducting cost and price analyses; negotiating contract terms; and ensuring procurements are completed in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, city policies, and ethical public procurement practices.

experience procuring information technology commodities is highly desirable. This includes hardware, software, cloud-based products and services, communications equipment, cybersecurity-related products, enterprise applications, maintenance and support agreements, and other technology solutions. The successful candidate will be comfortable partnering with technical staff to translate complex operational and technical requirements into clear, competitive, and contractually sound solicitation and contract documents.

experience procuring minor and major public works construction projects is also highly desirable, including experience with construction bidding, contractor qualification and responsibility, bid evaluation, contract award, change orders, and coordination with project staff.

the purchasing division resides in the city's finance department and maintains a centralized purchasing system responsible for citywide purchasing and contracting activities related to supplies, materials, equipment, and general and professional services. The division supports departments with procurement planning, solicitation development, supplier management, and policy guidance.

the purchasing division comprises 18 full-time staff. This position reports directly to the purchasing division manager.

the contracts manager is an advanced-level procurement and contracting professional responsible for managing complex, sensitive, and specialized procurement activities. The position requires a high degree of independence, sound judgment, exceptional writing ability, strong analytical skills, and the ability to balance operational needs, fiscal stewardship, competition, risk management, and timely service delivery.

assignments may involve major citywide initiatives; complex professional services; technology procurements; specialized equipment; cooperative purchasing arrangements; emergency or time-sensitive procurements; and contracts requiring careful coordination among departments, subject-matter experts, vendors, legal counsel, finance staff, and executive management.

key responsibilities include:

• lead complex procurement planning activities in partnership with city departments, including identifying procurement strategies, timelines, risks, evaluation approaches, and contract requirements.
• develop clear, comprehensive, and legally and operationally sound solicitation documents, including requests for proposals, requests for bids, requests for qualifications, requests for information, scopes of work, technical specifications, evaluation criteria, and special terms and conditions.
• work closely with technical and operational subject-matter experts to convert complex business, service, and technology requirements into competitive procurement documents and enforceable contract provisions.
• manage formal solicitation processes from advertisement through award, including vendor communications, pre-proposal or pre-bid conferences, addenda, receipt and review of proposals or bids, evaluation coordination, reference checks, responsibility determinations, and award recommendations.
• conduct cost and price analyses; evaluate pricing structures, escalation provisions, discounts, total cost of ownership, lifecycle costs, and financial risk; and prepare written analyses supporting procurement and award decisions.
• draft, review, negotiate, and administer contracts, amendments, renewals, change orders, purchase agreements, service agreements, maintenance agreements,…