Director of Contracts and Procurement

Full Job Description

The Employment Security Department (ESD) is seeking an experienced, solutions-oriented leader to serve as the Director of Contracts, Asset Management & Procurement (CAMP).

The ideal candidate is a steady, thoughtful decision-maker—someone who brings clarity to complex rules, communicates with confidence, and leads with integrity.

You are collaborative, inclusive, and committed to equity.

You build strong relationships, navigate ambiguity with calm, and translate technical requirements into clear guidance for staff across the agency.

You are skilled at balancing compliance, risk mitigation, and operational needs while fostering a culture of accountability and service.

Requirements

As the CAMP Director, you will guide a team of professionals responsible for the agency’s contracting, procurement, and asset management functions.

You will serve on the Administrative Services Division (ASD) Leadership Team and report to the Assistant Commissioner.

Your work directly supports ESD’s mission of strengthening Washington’s communities through equitable workforce solutions.

You will ensure that staff have the tools, training, and support needed to develop legally sound contracts, responsibly manage public resources, and comply with state and federal requirements.

As the agency’s subject matter expert in contracting and procurement, you will oversee enterprise-wide policies, procedures, and risk-mitigation strategies that safeguard ESD’s delegated authority, federal funding, and public trust.

The Administrative Services Division provides essential internal services that keep ESD operating effectively—from facilities and safety to records, privacy, emergency management, and more.

Within ASD, the CAMP unit plays a critical role in protecting agency information, reducing risk, and ensuring that procurement and contracting practices are consistent, transparent, and aligned with state priorities.

This position influences agencywide policy, oversees compliance with complex regulations, and serves as a key liaison to statewide partners and oversight bodies.

You will develop and maintain contract, procurement, and asset management policies; lead strategic acquisition planning; and build strong communication and escalation pathways to ensure transparency and awareness across the agency.

This is a leadership role that requires strong judgment, excellent communication skills, and the ability to guide staff and programs through evolving legal, policy, and operational landscapes.

You will be responsible for advancing ESD’s strategic plan by identifying and dismantling barriers to equity, diversity, and inclusion, modeling inclusive leadership, and fostering a healthy organizational culture in partnership with ASD leadership.

Additionally, some of your duties include:

To request a detailed position description, click here.

Qualifications

Required Education, Experience, and Competencies:

Option 1 – Experience-Based Pathway

Eight (8) or more years of experience in public sector contracting and procurement. Relevant professional certification (e.g., CPPB, CPPO, CPCM) may substitute for up to two (2) years of experience.

AND Experience must include the following:

Option 2 – Education and Experience Pathway

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Policy, Finance, Law, or a closely related field; AND Four (4) or more years of experience in public sector contracting and procurement.

Relevant professional certification (e.g., CPPB, CPPO, CPCM) may substitute for up to two (2) years of experience.

AND Experience must include the following:

AND, the following Competencies:

Preferred/Desired Education, Experience, and Competencies.

Additional Requirements of Employment:

• If driving a privately owned vehicle on state business, employee shall have liability insurance on the privately-owned vehicle.
• Must be able to pass Unemployment Insurance (UI) & Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) claim and fraud check.

Please submit only the required documents as noted below and ensure all Personal Identifying Information (PII) such as Social Security numbers etc. are edited out of your materials for privacy.

Additionally, we ask that you not include photographs or external links within your documents. Any documents uploaded through this platform will be securely transmitted electronically to support application review.

Please submit your Resume and Cover Letter with your Online Application through the "Add Attachments" field.

A resume will not substitute for the "work experience" section of the application or vice versa.

Applications with blank fields, or supplemental question responses with comments such as "see attachments" may be considered incomplete.

Additional Information

Our agency's mission and values drive every decision that we make, determine how we interact with others and are at the core of who we are. We value Access, Love, Belonging, Equity, and Stewardship.

We understand that a work environment that respects your work/life balance is key; that's why many of our positions are eligible for flexible work schedules and teleworking opportunities.

Through support, value, and trust, our employees are empowered to grow and develop into their best self.

Opportunity for All

We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity.

Women, racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people over 40 years of age, people with religious beliefs, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

The Employment Security Department is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

If you are a person needing assistance in the application process, if you need this job announcement in an alternate format, or if you have general questions about this opportunity, please contact Katie Swanson, 360-742-8208 or the Talent Acquisition Team, or Washington Relay Service 711 prior to the recruitment closing.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please contact careershelp@des.wa.gov or (360) 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960, Washington Relay 711.

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