Contract Specialist

What We Offer

• Paid Time Off: Starting at 3 weeks annually along with 11 company-paid holidays
• Health and Wellness Benefits: The first day of the month after your start, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well.  
• 401(k) Program with Matching Contribution: We offer a 100% match on contributions up to 4% of your salary, plus an additional 3% employer contribution.
• Grow With Us: Professional development opportunities through training, professional certifications, and education allowance.   
• Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include company provided life insurance and Employee Assistance Program just to name a few.
• Employee Resource Groups (ERG): ERGs are voluntary employee groups that form based on shared characteristics or backgrounds and are sponsored by the organization. 

Overview

Texas Water Utilities is a privately owned water utility who is seeking a Contract Specialist.This role primarily supports the Engineering and Legal Departments in their contract management processes and administrative support. Reporting to the Planning Manager, the Contract Specialist serves as a member of the Planning Team, supporting the contract life cycle, ensuring compliance with organizational standards and policies. Working as a subject matter expert with a strong attention to detail and familiarity with full-cycle contract management, including contract drafting, editing, execution, and post-execution management, the Contract Specialist supports the Business Unit by managing multiple agreements and stakeholders in a face-paced environment. 

Work Location and Schedule

This role is hybrid reporting to the office 3 days a week, Tuesday-Thursday.

What You'll Do

• Draft, review, edit, and monitor a variety of contracts, including but not limited to Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Master Service Agreements (MSAs), purchase agreements, service agreements, purchase orders, bonds, and change orders.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, such as Legal, Regulatory, Procurement, Risk Management, and Engineering, to align contract terms with legal, regulatory and company requirements.
• Manage the full life cycle of contracts within Engineering and Planning after drafting, contract execution, tracking, renewals, amendments, or termination for planning, engineering, and construction initiatives.
• Ensure all executed contracts are accurately stored and indexed in the contract management systems, ensuring accessibility and readiness for review and/ or audit.
• Creates new and revises existing standardized agreements/contracts for various types of work as needed.
• Serve as point of contact for contractual related matters, questions, and process guidance between Engineering and Legal business units.
• Provide guidance and training to internal stakeholders on contract management procedures, concepts, best practices and obligations.
• Identify opportunities to improve contract processes, templates, and workflows to increase efficiency and scalability.
• Preform various administrative services including but not limited to ordering supplies, mailing/FedEx documents, and processing invoices.
• Maintain working knowledge of applicable and evolving local, state, and federal laws and regulations affecting current contracts and ensure ongoing compliance.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You'll Bring

Experience and Education

• 3 to 5 years of experience in contract management with paralegal experience or certification
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, English, Finance, or a related field.
• Must hold a valid Texas driver's license with acceptable driving record as determined by Company insurance carrier, familiar with safety practices and rules applicable to job duties.

Nice to Have

• A current appointed and commissioned notary public in the state of Texas prfeerred.
• Familiarity and experience with Diligent Entities and ContractWorks (or similar contract management tool) preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficiency in MS Office and related applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, Forms
• Ability to develop successful relationships with a wide variety of individuals.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail, excellent planning and organizational skills and ability to work efficiently and effectively without direct supervision.
• Proven track record of successfully managing agreements and other documents with multiple stakeholders.
• Good understanding of contract law, terms and conditions.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Work Environment

• Normal office setting
• Light to moderate levels of physical activity on an occasional to regular basis 
• Light physical activity could include normal office work.
• Little to no travel required.
• Usage of PC and/or laptop, copy machine, telephone, and other general office equipment.
• Requires normal hearing and vision.
• May require moderate intervals of mental focus or sensory effort for length of time greater than 4 hours. 
• May spend an extensive amount of time focused on a screen or on a task.
• May work on a moderate amount of mentally or sensory stimulating tasks.
• Occasional mental exertion and time spent interacting or collaborating with internal team members and/or external stakeholders.
• Expends mental effort into communicating and persuading others. May include presenting.
• Moderate degree of mental focus solving non-routine problems