Job Opening: Contract Manager (Purchasing Department)

POSITION SUMMARY:

Responsible for day-to-day supervision of the County's contractual process for non-solicited contracts, from drafting language, preparation, and review of contracts to negotiation and resolution of all commercial, legal and insurance issues between the contracting parties. Duties are performed with a high degree of independence under the supervision of the Director, Contracts & Procurement. This position will supervise staff, daily, including the supervision of the contractual process for agreements that are not the result of a solicitation.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

Essential Functions

The duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not necessarily limited to:

• Draft the higher level and more complex contracts and negotiates the terms and scope to create a final contract that is acceptable to both parties. Interfaces with the County Solicitor's Office and the County's insurance broker as directed for opinions.
• Prepare documents, advertise, and administer Request for Proposals (RFPs) which shall include but not be limited to those needed for human services, Invitations to Bid and Statements of Interest (SOIs) as assigned. 
• Analyze vendors' bids and makes recommendations to the Director to award contracts as the result of the public bidding process. Conducts pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences with prospective bidders/proposers in complex purchases; compiles Amendments/Addendums, function as the chairperson of RFP evaluation committee and performs the duties required of Purchasing throughout the process; and provide expertise concerning compilation and layout of contract specifications and presides at formal bid and proposal openings.
• Review and submit a comprehensive contract agenda to the Chief Clerk for the Commissioner Board meetings to present completed contract documents for approval.  Answer any questions the Board or other parties may have about a particular contract. Ensure all executed contracts on the Commissioner's Meeting agenda handled by Purchasing are provided to the Controller's Office for the Contract Database/Repository.
• Ensure that requisitions submitted by end users are complete to ensure that reports generated within Oracle based upon this information are accurate as this represents the County's comprehensive records, i.e., its database.     
• Ensure that requisitions and POs are completed and maintained in a timely and accurate manner to ensure the contract records and reports remain accurate. Run reports for the Director and/or Procurement. Manager as needed. 
• Maintain an electronic file of County contracts handled by the Purchasing Department.
• Execute departmental objectives and strategic plan.  This shall include monitoring end ensuring deadlines for contracts, projects and solicitations are meet or exceeded.
• Reviews draft purchase orders for contracts and contracts submitted by the Sr. Contract Coordinator.
• Management of a staff that includes guidance and work direction to the Sr. Contract Coordinator; assists with the development and training of the Senior Contract Coordinator. This includes but is not limited to review of work product and performance evaluation.
• Assist in compilation of data and draft report of the annual in-direct allocation data for the department. 
• Participate in Department of Emergency Services exercises and assist with compilation of the department's COOP plan.
• Update templates and process and procedure documents as assigned by the Director.
• In the absence of the Procurement Manager and as needed manage the day to day activities of the County of Berks Procurement Card program.
• Participates in the Berks County Cooperative Purchasing Council (BCCPC), the Southeastern Pennsylvania Counties Cooperative Purchasing Board (SPCCPB), and the Pennsylvania Public Purchasing Association (PAPPA) as required.
• Responsible for select assigned Director and or department staff responsibilities in the absence of the Director and/or respective department.
• Projects as assigned by the Director.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in business or public administration OR at least 10 years of equivalent experience.
• Minimum of five years of experience in either paralegal work or contract administration, experience should include experience drafting and negotiating scopes of work and contract terms and conditions.
• Paralegal certificate preferred.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Thorough knowledge of contract law, contract language, Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code, and commercial insurance.
• General knowledge of public procurement procedures, best practices and regulations.
• Ability to procure without prejudice, seeking to obtain the maximum, ultimate value for each dollar of expenditure.
• Ability to read and interpret laws and regulations and apply requirements to public procurement.
• Ability and willingness to communicate with tact and diplomacy and frequently function in difficult situations requiring instructing, persuading, negotiating and motivating people; establish and maintain cooperative and effective relationships with people of all organizational levels, vendors and the general public; act as liaison to advise and/or resolve differences between Purchasing, agencies/departments, and/or vendors.
• Ability and willingness to speak, understand, read and write English, knowledge and understanding of writing and grammar, and ability to perform basic and analytical arithmetic computations.
• Ability and willingness to use good judgment in decision-making and to adhere to the highest ethical standard while performing purchasing functions.
• Working knowledge in using PCs as well as Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Access and Outlook), and the Internet.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability and willingness to multi-task in a stressful environment and set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Decision-making, analytical, and problem-solving skills at the level required to effectively perform the position responsibilities.
• Organized, self-motivated, detail oriented, and able to work independently.
• Ability to handle stress.
• Physical presence in the office is required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this position, the incumbent will frequently be required to sit for extended periods of time, stand, walk, talk or hear, and work with office equipment and work with electronic media which can create eye strain. Occasionally, the employee will be required to lift or carry standard archive size box of files of up to 35 lbs.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

Normal office environment.

This position description serves as a guideline for communicating the essential functions and other information about the position to the applicant/employee. It is not intended to create a binding employment contract nor cover every detail of the position and may be changed where appropriate.