Senior Contract Manager Jobs in Washington

Description

This role is primarily in office with some remote options.

Summary

Why it's a Great Opportunity: This role helps shape how Pierce County manages complex procurement and contracting. You’ll work across procurement, contracts, policy, and legal research to develop clear countywide policies, procedures, contract templates, and guidance.

You’ll research statutes, regulations, case law, and proposed legislation; advise on complex procurements and contracts; identify risks; and help solve issues that fall outside standard processes. You’ll work with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Procurement and Contract staff, and departments across the County.

This position has a broad countywide impact. You’ll help build contract templates and standards, support the rollout of the County’s contract lifecycle management system, contribute to major agreements like software contracts, and create training and tools that help staff meet procurement and contracting requirements.

Why it's a Great Department: The Finance Department delivers enterprise-wide services that support every County department and many external partners, ensuring Pierce County operates effectively, efficiently, and with strong public stewardship. Finance staff provide a broad portfolio of high-impact, countywide services, including budgeting and performance management, fiscal services, procurement and contracting, information technology, general services, fleet services, and risk management.

Employees have the opportunity to work on strategic, enterprise-level initiatives, collaborate across departments, provide the operational and technical backbone which ensures the smooth delivery of services across the organization, and deliver critical analysis and decision support that informs leadership and shapes County priorities. Guided by leadership values that emphasize collaboration, transparency, and continuous learning, the Finance Department offers a supportive, innovative, and team-oriented environment where employees can grow professionally while making a meaningful impact on County operations and the community.

Learn more about the Finance Department here.

How to be Successful in this Role: To succeed in this role, you need strong procurement and contracting experience, along with robust research, analytical, and technical writing skills. You should feel comfortable reading and interpreting statutes, regulations, case law, and policy, pulling together complex information, and turning it into clear recommendations, policies, procedures, contract language, and guidance.

Good judgment and attention to detail are also important. You’ll need to understand both the specific issue and the wider context, spot potential risks, ask clarifying questions, and connect information across departments and programs. You should be able to adjust your communication to different audiences. This is a highly independent role, so you’ll need strong collaboration skills and the ability to identify issues and develop solutions on your own.

Your Future in this Role: Working for Pierce County means joining an organization that supports your growth. We offer leadership development, online learning, and many training opportunities to help you build skills at every stage of your career. This support helps you succeed in your role and contributes to strong communities, reliable services, and access for all residents.

Core Responsibilities:

• Provide legal and policy research of contracts, procurements, and pending legislation. Prepare analyses of proposed legislation as needed. Review research, recommendations, and draft documents developed by Procurement and Contract staff.
• Work closely with internal customers to prepare scopes of work, review and/or approve contracts for content, use required templates and terms, and gather feedback and concerns.
• Audit procurements and contracts for compliance with legal and contract management requirements, and other potential issues.
• Draft, review, update, and maintain procurement and contract templates.
• Formulate evaluation criteria for source selection to include legally correct terms and conditions that clearly define County programs and contractor performance requirements.
• Supervise and manage assigned staff work assignments, training, development and performance management.

A classification description with a more detailed list of essential functions can be found here.

Minimum Qualifications

Additional education or experience may substitute for the required education which would clearly indicate the ability to perform the duties of the position.

• Juris Doctorate or equivalent post graduate law school degree with emphasis in public/government law in procurement and contract management.
• Three years of experience involving public sector procurement, contracting, and federal, state and local governance.
• A resume and cover letter are required for this position.

As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.

Supplemental Information

How to Apply:

• Complete and submit a detailed online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting "APPLY" above or go to: www.piercecountywa.gov/jobs.
• If you have a question about this opportunity, please email the Recruitment Team at PCHRRecruit@piercecountywa.gov and specify the Job Number and Title.
• If you do not have internet access, you may visit your local public library or any WorkSource location and use their computers.
• Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing process or need this job announcement in an alternative format may call Human Resources at (253) 798-7480, at least two days prior to the need.

Our Recruitment Practices: This is a competitive and meritorious selection process. Pierce County applications are reviewed by human hiring staff in accordance with the qualifications listed for the position. Pierce County understands applicants may use AI tools when preparing application materials. We recognize these tools can make the process easier however, we ask that everything you submit genuinely reflects your own experience, skills, knowledge, and writing style.

During the interview process, you may be asked to demonstrate your skills, including writing and subject knowledge, and to speak to your experience in your own voice. Applicants should be prepared to respond to interview questions without relying on AI-generated responses or reading prepared answers from a screen. Any misrepresentation may result in disqualification or separation.

Applicants whose qualifications most closely align with the County’s needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status typically occurs within two to three weeks after the closing date. Some applicants may receive short notice to participate in additional selection steps, which may include assessments, phone screens, or interviews.

Upon offer, compensation is based on a range of job-related factors, including the requirements of the role, your skills and experience, and internal pay equity.

Our Welcoming Workplace Commitment: Pierce County is committed to fostering a Welcoming Workplace where employees are supported, respected, and able to thrive. We believe a strong public workforce is representative of the community it serves and that fair and just access to opportunity strengthens public service.

Guided by the County Executive’s Forward Together mission, Pierce County works to build communities that are safe, welcoming, and connected. This same commitment shapes how we recruit, develop, and retain our employees. County employees make a direct and visible impact in the lives of residents every day, and we invite you to join us in helping keep Pierce County a place people are proud to call home.

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.