Contracting Officer

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The Contracting Officer reports to the Purchasing Contracting Manager and is a key member of the purchasing team. The Contracting Officer performs all the tasks necessary to acquire goods and services for one or more departments/divisions and provides general purchasing and contract administration.

Essential Job Duties

• Handling moderate to complex procurements of supplies, equipment, and services with high financial exposure.
• Communicating with suppliers and internal customers to develop technically sound contracts and/or procurement documents.
• Sourcing, obtaining quotations/bids, making awards, and preparing and issuing purchase orders.
• Monitoring, amending, and closing out standard and declining balance purchase orders.
• Processing and reconciling credit card purchases.
• Preparing competitive and non-competitive procurement justifications.
• Performing cost or price analyses and recommending options that best meet customer requirements.
• Negotiating specifications and terms and conditions and administering procurement contracts.
• Documenting procurement packages to comply with internal and external audit requirements.
• Being a self-starter with the ability to work as part of a team or independently as an individual contributor.

Special assignments may include:

• Developing and issuing solicitation documents, coordinating the evaluation of proposals, and negotiating specifications and terms and conditions
• Leading a project or task team including speaking or presenting to small groups of internal or external customers
• Participating in Purchasing's Supplier Relations Committee, which seeks to foster and build relationships among Caltech's e-procurement catalog suppliers and Campus customers.
• Assisting Procurement's Systems Analyst in building and generating reports for the purpose of strategic sourcing
• Responsibility for creating, maintaining, and overseeing supplier contracts/master purchasing agreements using Purchasing's Compliance Contract Tracker tool.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 4 years of purchasing experience OR 6 years of purchasing experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
• Strong customer focus and demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in business administration or equivalent degree.
• Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) certification. Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) certification.
• Experience in higher education. NCMA membership.
• Experience with government procurement and government property accountability.

Required Documents

• Resume.