DescriptionWhat Did You Do at Work Today?  

Research?  From doctors to nurses, students to patients, researchers to clinicians, the University of Colorado is breaking down barriers in health science to accomplish the extraordinary.

Exploration?  CU Boulder’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics just helped launch the Hope orbiter on the Emirates Mars Mission sending the space craft on its two-year mission to orbit the red planet.

Innovation?  CU is the first university to achieve a STARS Gold rating for sustainability. #20 in top global universities granted U.S. patents. 276 license and option agreements granted to businesses in the past 6 years from CU Boulder discoveries. $3.8 billion in capital raised by 136 startups.  Top 50 US universities.

Come join a team where making these things … and more … happen every day!  The University of Colorado's Procurement Service Center (PSC) is one of the leading higher education procurement offices in the nation. CU is an internationally known public research university serving Colorado, the nation, and the world through leadership in high-quality instruction, professional training, public service, research, and health care. With multiple national awards and recognitions, PSC is dedicated to using technology to enhance the University's procurement programs and create efficiencies within policies, procedures, and systems. PSC supports the entire CU community, which includes four campuses and system administration, by assisting customers with their purchasing, spend management, procure-to-pay, and travel management responsibilities. PSC partners with CU constituents and suppliers to provide collaborative, innovative, and leading practices that deliver high quality expertise, significant value, and excellent customer service.

PSC’s Contract Administrator is a critical role that supports the procurement activities of all four CU campuses and the Office of the President.  Every day, you’ll bring your expertise to a dynamic, ever changing environment supporting the activities of one of the nation’s most prominent universities.  Whether your experience includes shaping policy, creating innovative contracting vehicles, protecting the University from risk, or driving ideas that bring excellence to higher education, research and more, PSC provides a collaborative, fun environment where you can thrive.  The PSC’s inclusive and diverse culture also provides an energetic place for you to succeed and offers a generous benefits package assuring a great work-life balance.

This position reports to the Contract Services Manager and is exempt from the State of Colorado Classified Staff System.  

Duties:
Duties and responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to: 

Contract Negotiation

• Working with the Contract Services Manager, and in partnership with the University Counsel, Compliance, and Risk Management teams, you will support the preparation and negotiation of complex and unique contracts for the University’s acquisition of goods and services  
• You will address complex contract problems and provide resolutions for negotiations with third-party solution providers
• You will work collaboratively with Purchasing Services to robustly participate in transaction completion
• You will review and draft contracts and amendments to protect the University from liability and risk
• Prioritizing contracts to meet important deadlines
• You will collaborate with University stakeholders to ensure their successes in the classroom, labs, and the community
• You will assist in the development and enhancement of best practices and incorporates such practices into procurement processes
• You will learn and enhance expertise related to compliance issues, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and information technology (IT) Security and payment card industry (PCI) compliance  

Relationship Management

• Your daily experiences will allow you to:
  • Develop and manage effective relationships with suppliers, counsel, teammates, and internal stakeholders/requesters
  • Inform suppliers and CU constituencies of contract status and needs 
  • Provide assistance, guidance, and support to coworkers, suppliers, and CU customers where needed
  • Proactively manage transactions upon assignment through contract formation and execution
  • Promote a positive work environment, spirit of cooperation, and support for coworkers within the organization and when interacting with internal customers, external suppliers, and business partners
  • Engage in activities at high levels of professionalism with effective/integrity-rich communications
  • Partner with University Counsel, Risk Management, Controllers, and Compliance to maintain excellent working relationships and ensure complex and unique contracts appropriately address contractual liability/risk mitigation

Knowledge and Process Maintenance and Improvement

• You will have opportunities to:
  • Maintain and utilize subject matter expertise to contracting functions (legal sufficiency, risk mitigation, compliance regimes
  • Proactively and continuously improve processes
  • Serve on committees, as needed, to revise policies and procedures concerning contracting and purchasing issues

Who we are: System Administration, which also houses the Office of the President, is located in the uptown neighborhood of Denver with an office in Broomfield and a few smaller offices located on the campuses.  However, this position is located in Denver.  Many of our departments support the educational and research missions of the four University of Colorado campuses, but System Administration is not considered a campus. We provide diverse opportunities for professional development, innovation, and collaboration with talented staff and faculty.  Learn more about CU System Administration. 

The University of Colorado has been proactive in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can visit our COVID-19 webpage for more information.

What we offer:
Salary: The hiring salary range has been established at $62,000-$65,000.

The University of Colorado has been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and has issued furloughs for select employee groups. This position may be subject to furlough. You can visit our furlough FAQ for more information.

Benefits: The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision and Wellness
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
  • Vacation Days: 22
  • Sick Days: 15
  • Holiday Days: 10
• Tuition Benefit: System employees have the benefit on all campuses  
• ECO Pass: RTD Bus and light rail service
• Additional Perks & Programs: Click here to access a few more Perks and Programs 

Click here to access our Total Compensation Calculator to see what your total rewards could be at CU. This position is a University Staff position.
More information on benefits programs, including eligibility, is available at www.cu.edu/employee-services/.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
To be successful in this position, candidates will need the following:

• Knowledge of and expertise in legal/contractual concepts, terms and conditions
• Knowledge of and ability to use various proven negotiation methods
• Excellence in oral, written, and listening communication skills, including the ability to accurately interpret what others are saying and convey messages, information, concepts, and details clearly
• Organizational skills, including the ability to set and meet goals and deadlines, manage appointments, create schedules, organize and facilitate meetings, and make decisions 
• Computer skills, including the ability to utilize Microsoft Office programs (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) and learn and experiment with new software and systems
• Ability to articulate goals, strategies and direction
• Ability to critically analyze legal risks and consequences during fast-paced negotiations
• Ability to work with internal stakeholders (University Counsel, Risk Management, Controllers, and Compliance) and in-house and outside counsel  
• Ability to meet critical deadlines
• Ability to work independently and as part of a dynamic team of diverse and seasoned procurement professionals
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple concurrent tasks and responsibilities, and adapt to changing priorities while maintaining personal effectiveness
• Ability to maintain good business judgment and think critically balanced with a pragmatic ability to support the University in achieving and implementing its mission and vision
• Ability to be cognizant of and address details

QualificationsMinimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, or equivalent professional experience (professional experience may be substituted on a year for year basis for the educational requirement)
• Three (3) years’ experience drafting, negotiating, and administering contracts

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or post-baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in legal studies (e.g. Juris Doctorate), or related field, or paralegal certification
• Five (5) years’ experience drafting, negotiating, and administering contracts
• Paralegal, contract administration or other related experience in a contract negotiator position at a law firm, in-house legal or contract management department, preferably in the procurement arena
• Professional experience working in or with an institution of higher education

Job Category: Business Services
Primary Location: Denver
Schedule: Full-time
Posting Date: Sep 22, 2020
Unposting Date: Ongoing