Procurement & Contract Specialist II

Name: April 2025 Member Luncheon & CLE
Start: 2025-04-25T12:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-04-25T13:00:00-07:00
Location: Tugboat Annie’s

THURSTON COUNTY invites applications for the position of: Procurement & Contract Specialist II

OPENING DATE: 04/03/18

SALARY: $5,399.00 – $7,181.00 Monthly

CLOSING DATE: Continuous

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:

This position has been reopened and will remain open until filled. If you previously applied for this position, posted March 2, 2018 – March 25, 2018, your application has been received and there is no need to reapply. The Thurston County Public Works department reserves the right to close this recruitment at any time.

Thurston County Public Works Department, located in Olympia, Washington, is seeking an experienced Procurement & Contract Specialist II with expert knowledge of current regulatory requirements for local government purchasing, procurement, and contracting in Washington State. This position is primarily responsible for performing procurement activities and related contract development and administration for goods and services involving public works, technical and professional consulting, architectural and engineering consulting, construction, and infrastructure maintenance and repair. This position has a high degree of independence and will work under the general direction and review of one or more Public Works’ division managers.

This job requires a self-disciplined, organized person who is an effective listener and has excellent written and verbal communication skills. The successful candidate must display a professional demeanor, have the ability to be adaptable and work well with others, and consistently display a high level of professional ethics, discretion, and sound judgment. This position is assigned an office at the Public Works campus in Olympia, Washington, but requires interaction with other County employees and contractors at different locations, and therefore occasionally requires driving a County vehicle and working both inside and outside during all weather conditions.

Some specific duties of the position include:

Responsible for procurement and contracting activities and assisting others with procurement and contracting activities including planning, developing, writing, issuing, advertising, and coordinating solicitations and contracts. Leads the proposal evaluation and vendor selection process, negotiates or participates in negotiations, tracks and maintains all related documents and records, and ensures regulatory compliance.
Acts as liaison with other departments, vendors, and regulatory agencies, as required. Responsible for interpreting regulations and policies, developing and implementing procedures, and providing expert guidance, assistance, and training to other department staff.
Monitors contract-related schedules and budgets and tracks expenditures, progress payments, and invoices.
Leads development and implementation of procurement and contract management and reporting systems; produces statistical and other reports for various user groups; and identifies opportunities for improvement.
May supervise staff who are performing related purchasing, procurement, and/or contracting activities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The following are required qualifications for this position:

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or Public Administration, Mathematics, or a related field.

AND

Five (5) years of experience in procurement or contract administration, grant writing, accounting, or a related field.

OR

Any combination of experience or education equivalent to seven (7) years of experience in governmental procurement or contract administration, or other professional program coordination or administration involving data development, tracking and analysis.

Other required qualifications include:

Proficiency utilizing automated data systems and high level of competency in the use of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Access.
Other training and certifications may be required depending on specific job duties.

DESIRED SKILLS:

Preference may be given to candidates with one or more of the following desired experience, skills, and certifications:
Experience performing professional procurement and contracting activities for local government and/or public works.
Knowledge of and skills in applying relevant policies, regulations, standard methods, and procedures related to public purchasing, procurement, and contract development and administration in Washington State.
Ability to write and understand technical and legal language related to procurement and contracting processes.
Knowledge of Washington State BARS system and manuals.
Ability to work independently with general direction, as well as train and direct the work of other employees or contractors as needed.
Ability to think logically and develop solutions to complex procurement and contracting problems. Ability to effectively communicate and work cooperatively with staff, other departments, vendors, governmental agencies, and the general public.
Skill and training in negotiation and conflict resolution.
Ability to maintain reports and data in a highly organized manner using established administrative protocols.
Knowledge of process analysis and improvement methods.
Certified Purchasing Professional, Certified Public Procurement Officer, or similar certification. Ability to analyze and organize information to prepare clear, comprehensive, and concise guidelines, procedures and reports.

OTHER POSITION RELATED INFORMATION:

How to Apply:

Applicants must submit all of the following in order to be considered for this position:
Application Letter of interest Resume
Answers to supplemental questions