Contract Specialist

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• May manage specialized or general portfolio of products or services such as energy, construction services, software and hardware, fleet parts and supplies, business services and other categories.
• Collaborates and consult with Materials Management and Maintenance Departments to manage supply chain for parts, supplies, and services in support of Maintenance and Operations.
• Collaborates with clients to plan acquisitions, including development of statements of work and specifications, designing sourcing plans and developing contracts.
• Conducts sourcing for assigned portfolio including, invitations for bids, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, request for quotations, requests for information, sole source negotiations and other sourcing methods.
• Teams with program clients to administer assigned contracts including contract interpretation, negotiation of changes, performance monitoring and reporting, authorization of payments, expediting, default notices, claims, extensions, terminations, close out and other actions.
• Consults with client programs and departments and with contractors and suppliers to seek technical and business solutions.
• Plans and conducts negotiations and serves as negotiation team leader.
• Performs market and economic research and cost and price analysis for assigned portfolio.
• Conformance with applicable and diverse federal, state and local laws and regulations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
Note: An equivalent combination of related education and experience may be substituted for the below stated minimums excluding High School Diploma, GED, Licenses, or Certifications.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Materials Management, Procurement, Business Administration or related field.
• Four (4) years progressively responsible procurement experience in strategic sourcing, supply chain management, contracting in a transit or transportation industry, financial, or related environment.
• Must be a forward thinker with fresh ideas about procurement and technology.
• Proficient in using supply chain management or procurement software applications such as Lawson.
• Ability to be dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers. Gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services. Acts with customers in mind. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
• Ability to make good decisions (without considering how much time it takes) based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment). Most of his/her solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time. Sought out by others for advice and solutions.
• Ability to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles. Can get messages across that have the desired effect.
• Ability to use rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions. Can see hidden problems. Is excellent at honest analysis. Looks beyond the obvious and does not stop at the first answers.
• Ability to pick up on technical things quickly. Can learn new skills and knowledge. Is good at learning new industry, company, product, or technical knowledge. Does well in technical courses and seminars.
• Ability to find common ground and solve problems for the good of all. Can represent his/her own interests and yet be fair to other groups. Can solve problems with peers with a minimum of noise. Is seen as a team player and is cooperative. Easily gains trust and support of peers. Encourages collaboration.
• Must be able to orally communicate in an effective manner with the public, co-workers, supervisors and managers to ensure efficient operations; to promote safety; and to respond to emergencies. Must also be able to read and comprehend a variety of work related/required technical manuals, safety rules and regulations.

WORKING CONDITIONS:
Works in an environment where there is minimum exposure to dust, noise, or temperature. May be moderately exposed to unpleasant working conditions to include dust, noise, temperature, weather, petroleum products, and chemicals while visiting DART's operating facilities, assuming incumbent is observing all policies and procedures, safety precautions and regulations, and using all protective clothing and devices provided.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. The statements are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All employees may perform other duties as assigned.

DART is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, supporting diversity in the workplace. M/F/D/V