STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Contract Specialist

Hybrid

Recruitment #241107-1662AR-001

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Introduction



Are you looking for an opportunity to drive continuous innovation, improve business processes, and deliver value-added programs? If so, we are looking for you!

The State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Procurement Division is currently accepting applications for a Contract Specialist position to support information technology (IT) procurements.



WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

WHO WE ARE

We work with customers and team members to understand their needs and expectations. We promote learning, creativity, and improvement to meet those needs and adapt to an ever-changing environment. We value respect, integrity, excellence, diversity, and inclusion and seek team members who share those values.

Our mission at the DAS Procurement Division is to deliver value-added procurement programs and services by creating efficiencies, introducing smart technologies, and providing collaboration and strategic leadership, while acting with integrity. If you have the skills to support this mission and the goals of continuously improving customer service and business processes, fostering and sustaining a strong work environment and strong staff performance, and being accountable while strategically aligning our resources, then we encourage you to apply for this Contract Specialist position.

THE ROLE

The Procurement Division is charged with the purchasing, leasing, and contracting for products and services including information technology and telecommunications products and services. The Contract Specialist will partner with IT and business leaders to drive business value and minimize costs through the negotiation and purchase of hardware, software, software-as-a-service, and related implementation and support services. The Contract Specialist will leverage knowledge of the IT industry and structure related contracts to select contractors that will meet the needs of state agencies while optimizing costs.
POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

  • Monday - Friday
  • Full-time (40 hours per week)
  • First shift
  • Location:  Hartford, CT
  • Hybrid position (telework and in office)
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Selection Plan

  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
To Apply:

  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
  • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
  • Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
  • In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the Talent Acquisition Professional listed on this job posting.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:

  • Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply.
Important Information After You Apply:

  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
Connect With Us:

Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Frank DeCusati at frank.decusati@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Administrative Services this class is accountable for performing the most complex tasks as a contracting specialist in the procurement or administration of commodities, services or programs for statewide use with a major focus on contract preparation, negotiation and contract or project management as well as customer service outreach and development.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Performs a variety of specialized procurement duties in the following areas:

PRODUCT AND SERVICE SPECIFICATION DEVELOPMENT

  • Creates product and/or service standards and contract specifications for statewide products and services using industry and market knowledge, customer information, needs and strategies and examination and knowledge of industry best practices and experiences; 
  • Prepares market analysis reports; 
  • Modifies state agency developed specifications to improve competitiveness and competition and assure fulfillment of customer requirements and expectations.

CONTRACTING-NEGOTIATIONS

  • Analyzes and establishes pricing strategies resulting in most cost effective method of ownership in support of state’s business needs; 
  • Negotiates contract terms and conditions; 
  • Devises negotiating strategies with goals and alternate strategies; 
  • Analyzes technical data; 
  • Creates and designs complex term, master and prime vendor contracts requiring extensive customer and product knowledge and purchasing expertise (typically involving multiple product lines and commodities and very significant potential risk and exposure to the state); 
  • Oversees Request for Proposal bidding process for large scale, highly complex negotiations and/or contracts involving large quantities and/or dollars; 
  • Develops subjective evaluation and award criteria; 
  • Ensures contractor fitness through review of vendor qualifications, labor and legal status and company principals; 
  • Creates unique and precedent setting contract language and assists in setting legal standards for protection of State’s rights.

CONTRACTING-ADMINISTRATION 

  • Coordinates contract development for all assigned commodities; 
  • Seeks and incorporates customer feedback into contract design; 
  • Consolidates contracts within commodity groups; 
  • Assures a constant supply of goods and services; 
  • Coordinates bidding, evaluation and awarding of large-scale procurements with significant impact on state agencies; 
  • Coordinates vendor performance ensuring contractual compliance; 
  • Assures fully satisfactory vendor performance by measuring customer satisfaction; 
  • Develops and recommends remedial, probationary and disciplinary action; 
  • Leads complaint analysis review and evaluation; 
  • Educates customers and/or vendors on new and/or current purchasing procedures and guidelines;
  • May lead multi-agency team activity involving product standards analysis and selection.

CONTRACTING-APPROVAL 

  • Delegated authority to approve contracts valued up to $1 million based on extensive knowledge of statutes, business law and contracting expertise.

CUSTOMER SERVICE DELIVERY 

  • Identifies and implements improvements to customer service; 
  • Ensures customer objectives are met or exceeded with highest quality service.

MARKETING 

  • Manages and promotes use of contracts to state agencies, municipalities, school systems and not-for-profit organizations; 
  • Develops and conducts presentations regarding procurement process, contract utilization and advantages to state agencies and political subdivisions; 
  • Promotes and develops use of small business Set Aside program to maximize opportunities for Connecticut small businesses in accordance with statutory requirements; 
  • Meets with customers to update them on emerging technologies and products and/or services affecting their businesses; 
  • Trains and advises customers on purchasing processes and procedures; 
  • Represents Procurement Services at National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) conferences, seminars and meetings; 
  • Conducts internal and/or external trend analysis and forecasting studies regarding new technologies and products and identifies vendors and/or manufacturers product and service direction and strategy; 
  • Identifies customer strategic and tactical business directions and influences business decisions; 
  • Markets vendor products and/or services and Procurement Services to state and/or municipal customer base and outside community.

PROJECTS 

  • Participates on or leads major internal and/or external project teams.

PROBLEM SOLVING 

  • Resolves difficult problems, providing solutions with minimal risk to state.

UTILIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY 

  • Identifies and/or develops system and/or process improvements within Procurement Services.
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of
    • relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; 
    • procurement practices, procedures and supply chain management; 
    • business law and its applicability to procurement, contracting and sales; 
  • Knowledge of
    • and ability to utilize available technology including EDP systems for financial records, reports and analyses; 
    • principles and techniques of customer service delivery; 
  • Considerable
    • interpersonal skills; 
    • oral and written communication skills; 
    • negotiation skills; 
  • Skills
    • problem solving skills; 
    • marketing skills; 
  • Considerable ability to understand, analyze and evaluate financial records, methods and procedures including financial ratios and other mathematical formulas.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Seven (7) years of experience in procurement work with emphasis on contract negotiation or customer service delivery.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been at the professional level. 

NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Contract Analyst.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor’s degree.
  • A Master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience with procurement and contracting processes related to information technology
  • Experience with contract administration skills for information technology
  • Experience with project management skills
  • Experience prioritizing projects with competing deadlines
  • Experience with data analysis skills
  • Experience with Microsoft Suite, including Teams

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.


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