The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) is a political subdivision established by Chapter 1230 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly. VPRA is responsible for promoting, sustaining, and expanding the availability of passenger and commuter rail services in the Commonwealth, including all administrative and fiduciary responsibilities for Virginia's state-supported passenger rail services. The VPRA also funds Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and administers all capital expansion projects, infrastructure, and land acquisitions related to the $3.7 billion Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative, which will double Amtrak and VRE service in Virginia over the next decade. The VPRA acts as a "responsible public entity" for the acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, or operation of a "qualifying transportation facility" under the Public Private Partnership Act of 1995.

VPRA's Operations Team is hiring! The Operations team is searching for an enthusiastic and energetic Contract Administration Specialist to manage and store all program- and project-related records and manage document control functions supporting the engineering project teams. This position will also assist in establishing a Program Management Information System to serve as a secure repository for all documents, records, drawings, and correspondence for VPRA programs and projects undertaken in fulfilling the Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative. In addition, the Contract Administration Specialist will assist with information gatekeeping and gathering, organizing, and maintaining all specific program/project information. The Contract Administration Specialist will interact with various staff, consultants, and key stakeholders. This full-time position could be in either VPRA's office in Richmond, Virginia, or Alexandria, Virginia.

Under the direction of the Director of Program Management, the Contract Administration Specialist will:

• Be responsible for detailed review of vendor invoices, partnering with project managers throughout the organization to ensure deliverables and billing are aligned and overall contract compliance.
• Assist in establishing, adopting, and maintaining document management protocols and processes for implementing the Program Management Information System.
• Maintain and administer contract documents according to policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Verify that all required and associated materials specified in contract packages are in place.
• Follow contract monitoring procedures to ensure documents are up to date and that contractual obligations are met.
• Ensure contract renewal dates are tracked, and applicable renewal documents are generated and processed.
• Maintain contract records used to ensure compliance with reporting and regulatory requirements.
• Assist in preparing, reviewing, and administering contractual proposals for construction projects.
• Secure all necessary approvals and ensure standard company procedures are followed.
• Provide regular updates to leadership on status and process improvement ideas.

Required Education:

• High school diploma

Preferred Education:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration or equivalent

Required Experience:

• 4 years of experience in a comparable position.
• Basic database management software and MS Office knowledge, including Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Basic knowledge of document control procedures and programs.
• Basic knowledge of record retention and filing systems.
• Highly motivated with a strong work ethic and a willingness to take the necessary initiative to complete the work accurately and on time.
• Excellent organizational, attention to detail, and time management skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively. Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Experience:

• 5 years of experience in comparable positions on multi-billion-dollar projects.

Are you interested in this position, but you don't meet every single requirement? At VPRA, we are dedicated to building a talented team and an inclusive, authentic workplace. So, if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other positions.

Applicants must fully and accurately represent their qualifications and work history on the application or resume. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information in the application, resume, or other relevant documents; therefore, applicants must supply detailed information. Submitting an incomplete application/resume or an application/resume lacking in detail may impact your interview eligibility. This website will confirm receipt when the application is submitted successfully. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. VETERANS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AMERICORPS, PEACE CORPS, AND OTHER NATIONAL SERVICE ALUMNI ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. Equal Opportunity Employer