Description

Who we are:
The Department of Enterprise Services (DES) provides centralized business services to state government agencies; to other public entities such as cities, counties and tribes; and to Washington residents. DES’ mission is to strengthen the business of government. We do this by creating overall operating efficiencies so our state’s government entities can focus on their core missions. Our buying power, economies of scale and years of experience help government get the best value for the products and services they need to support their missions. We value Respect, Integrity, Excellence, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We seek new team members who share our commitment to be an equity-driven and antiracist organization. We listen to customers and team members to understand what they need and expect. We promote creativity, learning and improvement to meet those needs and adapt to the ever-changing business environment. We measure our results and seek feedback to improve our performance.

Who we are looking for:
The Contracts and Procurement (C&P) Division is hiring a Contracts Assistant. In this role, you will provide support to the division by assisting in contract development, bid evaluation and contract award, contract management and termination. Additionally, you will provide frontline customer service and vendor support, as well as support divisional special project teams.

We are looking for team members that understand the fundamentals of contracts and procurement and are ready to work collaboratively with a team in developing and conducting procurements and contract management. We are looking for team members that can identify and understand issues, problems, and opportunities; compare data from different sources to make decisions; and use effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions. We are looking for team members that have the ability to be exposed to, know and understand the language and concepts of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and be committed to being part of creating, maintaining, and improving a diverse, equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace.

The Department of Enterprise Services offers:

• A great total compensation and benefits package;
• Paid Vacation, Leave, and Holidays;
• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, teleworking, and an Infants in the Workplace Program;
• An agency-wide commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and respect, and leaders who encourage all employees to bring their authentic selves to work;
• Access to several state business resource groups including the Rainbow Alliance and Inclusion Network (RAIN); Veteran Employee Resource Group (VERG); Latino Leadership Network (LLN); Blacks United in Leadership and Diversity (BUILD); Disability Inclusion Network (DIN); Washington Immigrant Network (WIN); and Hawaiians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders Promoting an Empowerment Network (HAPPEN);
• Supported growth and development opportunities; and
• Opportunities to serve your community through meaningful work.

Duties

Some of what you will enjoy doing:

• Creating professional, technical, legally compliant documents, including price sheets, specifications, letters or other communications following RCW, Policy, Procedure and Guidelines.
• Performing analysis of proposals for technical requirements and cost factors on behalf of Contracts Specialists.
• Assisting with bid evaluations, audits, research.
• Pulling financial reports and monitoring vendor management fee and reporting.
• Drafting amendments with supervision.
• Providing logistics support for solicitation development such as scheduling; providing all necessary support for pre-bid conferences and other meetings.
• Providing support in contracts management to include making phone calls and emails, maintaining electronic and hard copy files and updating contract web pages.
• Providing frontline customer service including responding to customer/vendor inquiries via phone and email.
• Actively participating in reviewing and monitoring program policies, procedures and guidelines for improvement bringing ideas for change forward proactively.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree with major study in business administration, or closely allied field, or public administration

OR

• Associate’s degree with major study in business administration, or closely allied filed, or public administration; AND
• One (1) year of technical experience assisting in the development, administration, or termination of contracts

OR

• Three (3) years of technical experience assisting in the development, administration, or termination of contracts.

The most successful applicants will also possess the following skills, knowledge, and abilities:

• Computer Skills: Efficient in Microsoft Office Suite (or equivalent). Has the ability to learn unique systems (PCMS, ECMS, WEBS). Able to adapt and effectively use modern office applications such as Skype.
• Accountability and Self-Management: Takes personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work. Achieves results with little oversight. Self-imposes high standards of performance for self and others. Assumes responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; Discerns what is crucial from what is just urgent. Adjusts priorities as situations change.
• Customer Focus: Makes customers and their needs a primary focus of one’s actions. Develops and sustains positive and productive customer relationships. Listens to our customers.
• Adaptability & Flexibility: Maintains effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or the work environment. Adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.
• Communication: Clearly conveys information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the messages. Uses effective listening skills to understand and learn from what others say.
• Leadership & Teamwork: Promotes organizational mission and goals and shows the way to achieve them. Keeps the organization’s vision and values at the forefront of decision-making and action. Uses appropriate methods and a flexible interpersonal style to help build a cohesive team. Facilitates the completion of team goals.
• Critical Thinking and Decision Making: Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities. Compares data from different sources to make decisions. Uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions. Takes action that is consistent with the available facts, constraints, and probable consequences. Frames problems before solving.

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Competencies
Possess and demonstrate the following competencies:

• Able to learn and understand the language and concepts of our DES DEI culture and commit to being a part of creating and maintaining a diverse, equitable, respectful and inclusive workplace.
• Demonstrate a commitment to growth, learning and self-awareness when provided training and opportunities to participate in improving our work environment.
• Participate and behave in a manner that creates trust and builds working relationships, promoting teamwork and collaboration in the work environment.
• Demonstrate the understanding that all people are valued; contribute to an equitable, inclusive and respectful environment when working with members of the group, team, organization or community.
• Commit to being an active participant in continually evaluating and improving strategies that promote equity and inclusion in our organization.

Find the full DEI competencies and their descriptions on this page . (Download PDF reader)

Supplemental Information

Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest, describing how you meet the qualifications for this position as outlined in the job posting;
• A current resume, detailing experience, and education; and
• A current (from the last two years) list of at least three (3) or more professional references with current contact information (attached or available to provide at the time of interview). Please include at least one supervisor, peer and if you have supervised in the past a subordinate.

Conditions of Employment:

• COVID Vaccination Requirement: Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. Please note that any offer of employment is contingent upon you providing verification of your vaccine status, having an approved medical accommodation, or having an approved religious accommodation. No start date will be approved until you have either verified your vaccine status or have an approved accommodation. Please do not attach your vaccination verification to your application as it will be removed. Details on how to proceed with verification or accommodation will be provided once a conditional offer has been made.
• Background Check Notice: Prior to any new appointment into the Department of Enterprise Services, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

Union Inclusion:
This position is included in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Opportunity for All:
The Department of Enterprise Services celebrates our differences and we are committed to a workplace that supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact Information:
For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact Jennifer McWaid at (360) 407-8210 or email jobs@des.wa.gov.

Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

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