Contract Specialist

Special Instructions

Dear Applicant,

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Please make sure that you omit this information from your application prior to submission. We are advising you that the Office of Human Resources will be forwarding your application to the hiring department as per your submission.

Transcripts
Transcripts must be from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Foreign transcripts
Applicants submitting employment applications with foreign transcripts must provide transcript equivalency documentation from an approved evaluation service. The evaluation service must be a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). The evaluation service links on the following site are provided by South Texas College for your convenience but are not affiliated with South Texas College: NACES Members

Job Description

Department: Purchasing

General Statement of Job

The Contract Specialist coordinates all contract-related activities and participates in negotiations with vendors. Ensures the accuracy of contract terms and conditions in accordance with South Texas College policies and procedures, maintains comprehensive records of contracts associated with purchases, and manages standardized contract templates.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Participates in contract negotiation which includes the creation of negotiation strategies and developing an understanding of the timeline, deliverables and the budget of each contract.
• Ensures all terms and conditions are reviewed and included in each contract according to South Texas College policies and procedures.
• Reviews requisitions to ensure information is accurate and complete by reviewing budgeted funds, specifications, proper authorizations, and allowable/unallowable items.
• Communicates with vendors to gather product/service details, pricing, and delivery schedules.
• Researches and develops specifications to estimate values according to knowledge of market price for end-users and analyzes vendor quotes.
• Determines method of procurement for orders, such as a direct purchase or purchase through a cooperative purchasing agreement in accordance with federal and state laws and College policies and procedures.
• Researches costs and availability of items; researches and evaluates alternative sources of supply.
• Reviews competitive quotes and proposals and communicates with vendors, as needed, to clarify any matters.
• Maintains procurement records on items or services purchased to document vendor compliance with requirements such as price, delivery, product quality, and performance.
• Provides assistance and support to college personnel and vendors to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Assist with expediting deliveries received and coordinating with Central Receiving.
• Assist with maintaining the department's website, as needed.
• Assists in training faculty, staff, and/or purchasing staff on the use of the College's ERP system, specifically the Finance purchasing module and procedures.
• Prepares state, purchasing, and receiving reports, as needed.
• Assists in obtaining vendor information to comply with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other federal agencies' guidelines.
• Verifies vendor's status through the state and federal government websites.
• Keeps abreast of changes to state and federal laws and regulations that affect procurement processes.
• Assists with imaging and maintaining department records to comply with retention policies and procedures.
• Maintains accurate and organized records of departmental activities, vendor information, and related documentation to ensure compliance and support audit requirements.
• Assists the director and/or associate director with various Purchasing projects, as needed.
• Travels throughout the college district, as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required. Bachelor's degree in Business preferred.
• At least two (2) years of experience in purchasing, preferred.

Required Knowledge,

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent oral, written, presentation, negotiation, analytical, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft Office including, but not limited to, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, the Windows environment, and internet research skills.
• Ability to prioritize, organize, and complete multiple tasks with attention to detail, within stated deadlines.
• Ability to work independently as well as a team player within department and…