Community Services Contracts and Procurement Manager

Community Services Contracts And Procurement Manager

The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) values diverse perspectives and life experiences. The Department encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans and those with lived experience.

King County's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) provides equitable opportunities for people to be healthy, happy, and connected to community.

The Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is looking for a skilled, knowledgeable, highly motivated, and enthusiastic team player to collaboratively lead the Contracts and Procurement Unit, which develops and oversees compliance with department-wide procurement, contracting, and contract management processes. DCHS manages a portfolio of government funds with complex funding sources, including federal, state, and local funding, in various community services programs.

The Community Services Contracts and Procurement (C&P) Manager is a professional classification that reports directly to the Department's Director of Impact and Data Strategy, and plays a key leadership role in assuring effective, efficient, and equitable procurement, contracting, and contract management processes for community services programs across the department. In addition, the C&P Manager supports staff with procurement and contracting responsibilities in various work units and has direct supervisory responsibilities for a growing team with up to six direct reports.

The desired candidate has expertise in government procurement, contract draft and management, and success in supervising and mentoring staff.

The ideal candidate will prioritize equity, racial, and social justice with an understanding of how entrenched systems have privileged some and excluded others, creating uneven distribution of benefits and burdens. They will commit to improving equity and access in procurement and contracting processes and align practices where possible to improve the experience of community-based organization applying for community services funding opportunities.

To be considered minimally qualified applicant must demonstrate a background that provides the knowledge, skills and ability to:

• Provide vision and leadership to continually improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equitable outcomes of DCHS' procurement and contracting processes within the limits of local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
• Collaboratively create and maintain department-wide procurement, contracting, and contract management policies and procedures and engage effective change management and communication techniques to ensure they are implemented.
• Support the development and implementation of trainings for all staff involved in solicitations and contract development to improve quality and consistency.
• Supervise and mentor Contract Specialist and Project Program Management staff, including planning work assignments and supporting employee development and performance evaluation. Makes recommendations to the Director of Impact and Data Strategy regarding personnel actions.
• Take the lead in establishing a collaborative partnership with King County's Procurement & Payables Group, Prosecuting Attorney's Office, and Office of Risk Management to update and maintain contract practices, and address issues as they arise.
• Review and determine appropriateness of exceptions to DCHS standard procurement and contracting practices.
• Research, interpret, and summarize local, state, and federal laws and regulations to provide guidance to DCHS leadership on risk mitigation, novel approaches, etc.
• Partner with Public Health contracts and procurement staff, including their Equity Contracting Process Improvement Manager, to align and advance practices where possible.
• Serve as back up capacity for Contract Specialists in leading solicitations and developing contracts. Provide extra support for complex and/or high-profile solicitations and contract negotiations.
• Other duties as assigned.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO HAVE:

• Dem…