About the Role
Are you a detail-oriented contracting professional looking to make a meaningful impact in higher education? We are seeking a dedicated Contract Specialist to join our Procurement and Strategic Sourcing team in San Marcos.
In this role, you will perform advanced contract management, playing a critical part in supporting the university’s mission while ensuring compliance with State of Texas agency requirements. You will use your legal, analytical, and negotiation skills to draft, coordinate, and track a broad range of contracts—protecting the university's interests and ensuring our agreements meet institutional needs.
What You Will Do
- Draft & Negotiate: Research, prepare, review, and negotiate various contract documents, amendments, terms, and conditions to ensure favorable and compliant agreements.
- Ensure Compliance: Review contracts for legal sufficiency and required clauses. Stay current on state, federal, and university procurement rules, regulations, and risk management practices.
- Manage the Contract Lifecycle: Maintain accurate records of approvals, renewals, and critical dates. Oversee the official contracts database, ensure timely closure of expired contracts, and generate regular oversight reports.
- Collaborate & Advise: Partner with the Office of General Counsel and serve as the primary point of contact for internal/external stakeholders. Interpret contract requirements, resolve disputes, and advise departments on contractual rights and responsibilities.
- Drive Improvement: Train university staff on contracting policies, support procurement audits, and participate in continuous improvement initiatives.
Required Qualifications
(Note: Applicants must specifically address how they meet these required qualifications in their application materials.)
- Experience: 2–5+ years in contract administration, procurement, solicitations, or a related field. (Relevant education may substitute for experience on a year-for-year basis).
- Communication: Strong proficiency in preparing clear, grammatically correct correspondence and documents, with excellent proofreading skills.
- Technical Skills: Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel). Familiarity with contract management software is a plus.
- Cognitive & Organizational Skills: Ability to interpret and retain complex information, analyze reports, and manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a high-demand environment.
- Professionalism: Demonstrated ethical behavior and the ability to maintain professionalism in all interactions.
- Physical/Visual Requirements: Ability to perform sedentary work (occasional lifting up to 10 lbs), assist with files/events, and sustain excellent visual acuity for detailed data work and extended screen use under artificial lighting.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, finance, law, economics, or a related field (experience may substitute for education).
- Working knowledge of Higher Education, State, and Federal procurement and contracting regulations.
- Knowledge of Jaggaer Contracts Plus (formerly SciQuest) and experience using SAP or other ERP systems.
- Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD) certification (must be obtained within six months of hire).
Schedule & Location
- Work Days: Monday – Friday
- Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Occasional overtime, evenings, or weekends may be required to meet business needs).
Location: This is a strictly in-person position.
