Procurement and Contract Administrator I/II - Human Services Agency (Departmental Promotional Only

Full Job Description

The County of San Mateo's Human Services Agency is seeking highly motivated professionals for the position of Procurement and Contract Administrator. The successful candidate will have experience negotiating and executing agreements and contracts for services and strategic sourcing for goods. The candidate will be a self-motivated, highly analytical, and strategic thinker with the ability to solve business problems and deliver insights that enable timely and effective operational decision-making.

The position will work with cross-functional teams of the organization to coordinate the development, execution and administrative monitoring of programmatic, administrative, facility, technological and other solicitations, procurement, and contracts. The position will analyze programmatic requirements and needs to assist with the planning and improving of existing processes, including the monitoring of contract agreements for compliance, reporting requirements, possible amendments and site visits with a multi-disciplinary team. The position is responsible for purchasing duties in difficult or complex commodity areas of a wide variety of materials, supplies, and equipment, and perform a broad scope of purchasing transactions with independence of action. The position will provide program support and lead the coordination and facilitation of planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting activities for Departmental agreements and purchases as assigned.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Solid experience in the development of contracts, negotiation of terms, and contract execution.
• Knowledge of and experience in governmental policies and practices in relation to procurement.
• Ability to develop and analyze purchasing request and evaluate specifications, proposals, bids and contracts for products and complex commodity areas and purchases.
• Knowledge of sources of supply, marketing practices, pricing methods, differentials, and other factors in public agency purchasing.
• High level of proficient writing and editing skills; experience in doing research to build scopes of work, set target levels, and develop performance measures.
• Excellent analytical, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Excellent detail-oriented and organization skills.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective work relationships with customers and vendors.
• Knowledge of principles, practices, procedures and applications of purchasing and governmental purchasing including but not limited to informal bidding.
• Knowledge of the laws and regulations governing purchasing policies and procedures in public agencies.
• Knowledge of office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment.
• Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to develop and maintain effective business partner relations at all levels of the organization. Incumbents at this level are typically assigned complex procurements and contracts.

There is currently one vacancy within the Financial Services Division of the Human Services Agency.

NOTE: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies.

Requirements

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Apply principles and practices of procurement and contract administration and evaluation, public agency budget development and reporting, and financial management policies and procedures.
• Conduct research on a wide variety of administrative topics including contract feasibility, cost benefit analysis, budget and staffing proposals, and operational alternatives.
• Develop and standardize procedures and methods to improve and continuously monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of operations and service delivery methods and procedures in order to maximize funding and minimize costs.
• Partner with County procurement to create strategic procurement vehicles that maximize volume discounts, and shorten the timeline of procurements.
• Perform cost/benefit analysis of procurements and operational alternatives.
• In collaboration with Program, Administrative, and Financial Management, evaluate purchasing processes and timelines to establish efficiencies and effectiveness in business processes.
• Monitor contract agreements for compliance, reporting requirements, possible amendments, and site visits with a multi-disciplinary team.
• Develop and maintain weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting mechanisms.
• Serve as liaison to branches, departments, governmental agencies, and the public to disseminate information.
• Prepare or assist in the preparation of operating manuals, organization charts, and workflows.
• Train staff in work procedures and provide technical and programmatic assistance to staff and subcontractors.
• Receive, review, and check purchase requests to determine needs, market conditions and product availability.
• Consult and assist with product selection and purchasing methods.
• Invite and accept bids, evaluate prices, discounts, and delivery conditions.
• Prepare and assist in the preparation of product specifications and contracts.
• Analyze bids for conformance to specifications; make awards on bids.
• Confer with vendors about products and services.
• Prepare reports, recommendations and correspondence.

Qualifications

Department Status: An applicant must be a current Human Services Agency employee with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the recruitment closing date.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of public administration.
• Principles and practices of program areas to which assigned.
• Principles and practices of contract development, negotiation and monitoring, including budgeting and financial record keeping.
• Principles, practices and techniques of administrative and programmatic research and analysis.
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations and County and program policies and guidelines.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment.

Skill/Ability to:

• Develop and evaluate proposals and negotiate contracts and agreements.
• Develop, monitor and analyze budgets and program performance.
• Plan, coordinate and implement administrative and programmatic research and analysis.
• Analyze, interpret and apply various regulations and requirements.
• Train staff in work procedures and provide technical and programmatic assistance to staff and subcontractors.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with grantors, subcontractors, County staff, elected and appointed officials, the public and others.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Compile, analyze and interpret data using research techniques; draw sound conclusions and prepare and present effective reports regarding findings and recommendations.
• Exercise sound independent judgment within general policy and regulatory guidelines.
• Prepare clear and accurate reports, correspondence, procedures and other written materials.
• Organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines.
• Maintain accurate records and files.

Education and Experience:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is:

• Contract Administrator I: Two years of professional level administrative or programmatic experience, primarily in the area of contract administration in a community services or related setting.
• Contract Administrator II: Four years of professional level administrative or programmatic experience, primarily in the area of contract administration in a community services or related setting.

Additional Information

Departmental Promotional Only. Only current County of San Mateo employees of the Human Services Agency with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/limited term position prior to the final filing date may apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

Based solely on the information provided in the application materials, an application screening committee will select those applicants whose education, training and experience most closely matches the needs of the department. Those selected will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%) which may include the evaluation of a written or performance exercise given immediately preceding the interview. Selected applicants will be notified of the date, time and place of the tests.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button above or below. If you are not on the County's website, please go to http://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
Screening: Thursday, March 12, 2026
Combined Panel Interviews: Tuesday, March 17, 2026

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.


Analyst: Arlene Cahill (Contract Administrator I/II - G247/G248)