Contracts Manager; Manager

Position: Contracts Manager (Manager 2)
Join us in shaping Seattle's streets!

At the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), we don't just move people-we connect communities, build safer streets, and create a more sustainable city.

With a bold vision for the future, we're tackling big challenges: making travel safer, cutting carbon emissions, and ensuring reliable, affordable transportation for everyone-no matter who they are or where they live.

Seattle is growing fast, and we're growing with it. Thanks to a historic voter-approved $1.55 billion investment in transportation in 2024, we're building sidewalks, fixing bridges, and improving transit connections to keep our city moving.

We're a team of problem solvers, planners, engineers, communicators, and field crews-bringing purpose-driven work to life. Now, we need passionate, innovative talent like you. Let's build a Seattle that works for everyone-together!

SDOT has an opportunity for a detail-oriented, contract compliance-minded, collaborative people leader! As the Contracts Manager (Manager
2), you'll join and lead a great team of contracting professionals. This is a hands-on leadership role overseeing a high-volume contracting program and supervising a team of 5 staff members and 2 interns. You will guide complex consultant contracting and procurement work, support staff development, and help ensure work is completed accurately, on time, and in compliance with federal, state, and City requirements.

In this role, you will work across the City with department leaders, project managers, staff, consultants and agency partners to resolve contracting and procurement issues. You will also help strengthen processes and partnerships that support more complex and federally funded consultant contracts.

SDOT's consultant contracting portfolio includes more than $170 million in active contracts, with the team supporting more than 400 consultant contract actions each year. This position reports to the Contracts and Procurement Manager but operates with a high degree of independence and plays a key role in advancing department goals, including diversity, race and social justice. If you value public service, collaboration and practical leadership, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

What you'll be doing in this role:

People Management

* Supervising the day-to-day work of five staff and two interns.

* Managing program workload, priorities, and assignments to meet deadlines and compliance standards.

* Coaching, training, and supporting staff growth, performance, and team development.

* Providing leadership and oversight for complex consultant contracting and procurement activities.

* Guiding work across the full contract lifecycle, from solicitation and drafting through execution, amendments, invoicing, and closeout.

* Promoting a culture of compliance through clear guidance, strong customer service, and continuous improvement.

Contracting Advice and Guidance

* Advising project managers and senior leaders on contracting laws, regulations, and requirements.

* Providing contracting development support for high-profile, politically sensitive, and federally funded contract actions.

* Helping resolve complex procurement and contract issues across the department.

* Drafting and updating policies, procedures, checklists, workflows, and guidance documents.

* Developing contract terms and conditions that reflect changes in federal, state, and City requirements.

* Researching laws, regulations, and best practices and recommending process improvements.

* Communicating department-wide on contracting and procurement topics, including updates for senior leadership.

* Representing SDOT in trainings, public events, and conversations with consultants and federal agency staff.

* Overseeing requests for sole source, adverse effect, and emergency contracts.

* Serving as a backup to the Contracts and Procurement Manager.

Process Improvement and Partnership

* Partnering with Finance & Administrative Services and Citywide interdepartmental teams on major procurement policy work.

* Supporting improvements to the Citywide Contracting Management System, SharePoint resources, and other tools.

* Planning and prioritizing work across a large and complex portfolio.

* Developing workload tracking, reports, and data dashboards.

* Creating and updating work plans to keep milestones on track and to address barriers early.

* Supporting the resolution of complex project procurement issues through strong cross-team coordination.

* Supporting the City's Women and Minority-Owned Business Enterprise and federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs.

* Assisting with reporting, budgeting, public disclosure, audit requests, and occasional purchasing processes.

* Helping advance department goals related to diversity and social justice.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

* Bachelor's degree in public administration, finance, accounting, business administration, economics, or another related field.

Experience:

* Five (5) years of professional experience in contract…