Central Contract Office Managing Director (WMS 3)

Full Job Description

Central Contract Office Managing Director (WMS 3)
At the Department of Commerce, we’re reimagining what’s possible in government. We’re builders, thinkers, and change-makers, working at the intersection of innovation, community, and impact. From unlocking critical funding to fueling inclusive economic growth, we’re turning big ideas into real-world solutions that uplift people and places.

Our agency’s strength lies in the diversity of our workforce and the breadth of the lived experiences and perspectives employees bring to the work.

We believe equity is not just a value but a practice, which is reflected in how we design programs, engage communities, and deliver outcomes.

We foster a workplace culture where curiosity is encouraged, bold thinking is welcomed, and collaboration drives our impact.

Let’s build what’s next, together.

Reporting to Chief Contracts & Compliance Officer CCCO, the Central Contract Office Managing Director (CCOMD is a member of the CCD Management Team and is responsible for the agency’s state contracting regulations, policies, and procedures as well as with federal grant regulations and policies, the (CCOMD is responsible for policies and procedures to ensure the legal and technical sufficiency of agency contracts, grants, memoranda of understanding, leases, and other agreements; conducting and/or overseeing competitive contract solicitations and negotiations; and developing, publishing, and overseeing compliance with agency contracting policies and procedures. Responsibility includes contracting with other state agencies, local governments, tribes, businesses, and non-profits to meet program objectives., including contracting processes for procuring goods and services.

As the agency SME, this position represents the agency’s statewide contracting initiatives, such as Supplier Diversity, and must understand the requirements governing COM contracts to effectively implement various business processes that contribute to effective contract management, oversight, and minimizing non-compliance risk with applicable laws, rules, and policies. The primary focus areas of this role include:

• Contracting oversight and support,

• Training and technical assistance,

• Ethics compliance and consultation

This position manages the work of professional staff responsible for contracting support service work at all organizational levels.

This position is responsible for providing expert-level advice and guidance to the CCCO, the Deputy CCCO, CCD Management team, and direct reports, which allows them to make critical decisions in performing their duties, reducing the risk to the agency.

The CCOMD provides oversight and leads the establishment of standard processes and performance measures across the agency.

This position also collaborates with the Commerce Internal Control Officer to establish policies, procedures, and practices to identify and manage relevant risks.

Through engagement, modeling of best practices, and facilitating connections, the CCOMD contributes to culture building and develops effective working relationships among division leaders and teams.

Requirements

Contracts and Compliance Division Management Team: The CCOMD serves as a principal leader in the CCD, leading, directing, and supporting the division's activities and initiatives, which include, but are not limited to, internal projects such as cross-unit process improvements, employee engagement improvement efforts, and various projects impacting the division's strategic and tactical objectives.

This position is accountable for providing expert-level, reliable, and professionally sound consultation and advice to executives, managers, supervisors, CCD staff, and agency employees in the areas of contracting oversight and support, contracting technical assistance and training, and ethics and compliance guidance.

This position collaborates with executives, managers, supervisors, and employees and supports agency-wide strategic efforts regarding contracting support operations. Often working with the Department of Enterprise Services, assigned Assistant Attorney General, the Office of Financial Management, the Executive Ethics Board, and other external entities engaging that have contractual relationships with Commerce, this position supports agency-wide strategic efforts regarding contract management practices, compliance, interpretation, and implementation of policy and procedures impacting Commerce business statewide.

Contract Oversight and Support: The CCOMD is delegated by the CCCO through the agency director to conduct independent reviews of third-party contracting disputes and serve as the final decision maker in contracted-related dispute resolution.

The CCOMD serves as the SME on all aspects of contracting and contracting support operations. This position is responsible for the development of contracts, templates, guidance messages, briefing memos (verbal and written), and other materials compliant with complex state, federal, and third-party legal requirements, aligning with agency objectives and articulating and mitigating adverse risk using plain talk.

This position provides formal guidance to their staff and agency staff on matters relating to contracting activities, best practices, and/or matters related to agency contracting activity that require executive leadership awareness and/or action.

In partnership with agency leaders, staff, and assigned assistant attorney general, the CCOMD works to develop and implement agency contracting policies and procedures. This position advises agency staff on matters of contract execution and conducting competitive procurements in alignment with state and federal laws, rules and regulations, and strategies for maintaining compliance while balancing unique business objectives. This position periodically reports on agency contracting activity including practices, emergent issues, and/or general performance matters using the best information available.

The CCOMD uses technical knowledge of different contracting methods, forms, and processes (inter-agency contracts, grants, memoranda of understanding, leases, loans, procurement contracts, competitive solicitations, etc.) to assess information, identify risk, and communicate in plain talk to diverse groups of professionals with varying levels of related job knowledge.

Technical Assistance and Training: The CCOMD delivers technical assistance and training to agency staff necessary to conduct effective and compliant contracting-related duties. Serving as the chair and principal coordinator of the agency contracting operations workgroup (ACOW) this position delivers effective training, consultation, and other guidance on the use of agency-provided contracting resources, state and federal contracting laws, rules, or other guidelines. This task includes providing document resources, references, and relevant interpretations.

This position oversees and/or delivers effective contracts and procurement-related training on a recurring basis and acts as policy and procedure owner for agency contracting policies. Conducting policy, procedure, and template document maintenance as needed and in partnership with agency staff and/or the assigned AAG complete reviews of assigned fiscal notes, decision packages, and/or agency request legislation. Provides both technical and policy-related feedback.

Ethics Compliance and Consultation: Serving as the agency ethics officer, the CCOMD conducts reviews and analysis of ethics related matters and provides guidance, research, and consultation on matters of compliance and interpretation of state ethics laws/rules. Tasks include:
• Acts as policy and procedure owner for agency ethics policies. Conducts policy and procedure maintenance as needed.
• Serves as primary liaison between agency staff and the Executive Ethics Board (EEB).
• Collaborates with the EEB, agency leadership, and the Chief Human Resources Officer (or delegate) to monitor and assess ongoing investigations and/or activities/issues of significant concern. Activities/issues of concern include but are not limited to matters currently under evaluation that may result in significant adverse risk or harm to the agency.
• Coordinates and collaborates with the Chief Human Resources Officer (or delegate) and as needed to the EEB to assess potential conflicts of interest, review disclosure of outside employment, volunteerism, or appointments to outside boards/committees' documentation.
• Refers suspected ethics violations to the EEB as appropriate.
• Provides consultation to agency staff on matters concerning compliance and applicability of ethics laws and rules.
• Oversees the development and delivery of ethics training to agency employees.

Contracts Team: The CCOMD manages a team of contract professionals who are responsible for delivering contracting support service work at all organizational levels. This position recruits, develops, and trains staff necessary to deliver consistently effective and efficient contracting support services.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience: Any combination of eight (8) total years of experience. This could be gained by a combination of relevant education beyond high school equivalency, and/or professional contracting experience.
• A minimum of four (4) years of professional-level experience must be performing legal risk mitigation, negotiating, contract and/or program management, or administering and terminating government contracts.
• Up to four (4) years of education beyond high-school equivalency can be substituted year for year experience.

Professional-level contracting experience means working full-time as a Contracts Specialist, Contract Negotiator, Contract Administrator, or Termination Contracting Officer.

Required Competencies:
• Advanced knowledge of state and federal contracting laws, regulations, and procedures.
• Advanced knowledge of the legislative process and federal and state government structure.
• Advanced knowledge of state laws related to ethics in public service.
• Ability to lead and oversee major government purchasing actions including development of specifications and solicitation documents, managing sealed bid processes, evaluating and selecting the winning vendor, and addressing debriefing conferences, complaints, and/or protests.
• Ability to develop and manage agency-wide policies and procedures

Incumbents at Commerce in a supervisory or leadership position are required to demonstrate the following Washington State Enterprise Leadership Competencies: Models and champions our culture and values; cultivates a shared, strategic vision; develops people; drives results; fosters learning; builds relationships; fosters teamwork and collaboration; communicates effectively; makes things happen as a public servant; leads and navigates change; embraces and embeds inclusion in decision making. Skills and abilities to:
• Ability to independently analyze, and weigh the risks versus benefits in decisions and recommendations
• Demonstrated organization and time management skills
• Strong customer service skills, with the ability to explain technical information in plain talk Strong attention to detail with the ability to effectively review and redact high volumes of documents
• Ability to lead, motivate, coach, mentor and train professional staff.
• Demonstrated skill in writing professional communications

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Competencies:
• Create and/or maintain a space that is inclusive and safe for everyone who interacts with and within our agency. Leaders recognize that oppression and inequities such as racism, sexism, classism, etc., are real, exist and need to be addressed.
• Implement practices and working conditions that achieve inclusion in the workforce and in the way we serve the public. Create a place of belonging, inclusion, safety and growth.
• Examples of this may include and not be limited to:
• Identifying where barriers and inequities exist in your area of expertise or responsibility and lead the removal, change or culture adjustment.
• Support and encourage your peers, ensuring accountability for the agency’s DEI work.
• Actively participate with the agency’s collective DEI work, initiatives, workgroups, and share knowledge gained with your team.
• Co-create and support policies, programs, practices and procedures that increase the power, voice and influence of the most impacted and marginalized employees.
• Advocate, share and encourage ongoing training for staff on the topics of diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.
• Become aware of and be open to the cultural differences within your team. Create brave spaces for discussion and respond effectively to inappropriate and non-inclusive behavior.
• Use DEI data to inform and influence your organization’s programs and services. Learn the story that data is telling and then operationalize inclusivity in decisions affecting policies and practices.

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies:
• A law degree (Juris Doctor) from an ABA-accredited law school
• Demonstrated knowledge in the area of governmental contracting and procurement
• Demonstrated ability to problem-solve, prioritize workloads, meet deadlines, and provide independent strategic direction/decision making
• Experience drafting agency policies and procedures • Ability to clearly communicate complex information, verbally and in writing to a non-technical audience
• Meets commitments, works independently, accepts accountability, stays focused under pressure
• Gives the appropriate attention to detail and accuracy, has a commitment to excellence, strives for continuous quality improvement
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work with diverse groups of people and work collaboratively with others
• Knowledge of best practices related to internal controls
• Advanced knowledge of process improvement methods
• Build consensus across divergent interests and competing priorities

To be considered for this position the following are needed:

• A complete and detailed online application.
• A cover letter (enter online).
• At least three professional references (enter online).

For questions about this recruitment, please contact our recruitment team via email: comrecruitment@commerce.wa.gov - please reference the job number in your message.

Additional Information

Work from Anywhere in Washington State
This position may be located anywhere within Washington State though occasional travel to a Commerce office building or in-state travel to attend events or meetings may be required. If selected, you will need to travel to pick up equipment and receive instruction. Many Commerce employees work remotely or have a hybrid schedule.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies over the next 60 days.

Technical support is provided by NEOGOV, 855-524-5627 (can't log in, password or email issues, error messages). DES job seeker support may answer general questions regarding the recruiting system at careershelp@des.wa.gov.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Washington State Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process or this job announcement in an alternative format may email Human Resources at Human.Resources@commerce.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.

Department of Commerce also offers a competitive benefits package including: medical and dental insurance benefits, retirement and deferred compensation plans, 11 paid holidays each year, 14-25 vacation days per year (depending on length of employment), 8 hours of sick leave per month (if full time employed), bereavement leave, an employee assistance program, as well as other benefits. Please see the Benefits Tab for more details.