Contracts Specialist

Job Title: Contracts Specialist

Job Description

The Contracts Specialist leads and supports the full spectrum of contracting and procurement activities to ensure the timely, cost-effective, and compliant acquisition of goods and services. This role oversees contract development, vendor relations and negotiations, procurement operations, and requests for proposals while ensuring adherence to internal policies, collective bargaining agreements, and industry standards. The Contracts Specialist establishes standardized procurement processes, conducts market analysis, mitigates risk, and optimizes contract terms to align with organizational strategy, regulatory requirements, and internal controls. The role also serves as a functional subject matter expert for the Unit4 ERP system in contracts and procurement, supports internal stakeholders with data-driven recommendations, and champions continuous improvement and an excellent internal customer experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the management of contracting and procurement functions to ensure timely, cost-effective, and compliant acquisition of goods and services.
• Oversee the development, review, negotiation, execution, and maintenance of contracts throughout the full contract lifecycle.
• Manage vendor relationships, including leading complex contract negotiations and competitive procurement processes.
• Coordinate and execute requests for proposals (RFPs) and other competitive sourcing activities in alignment with internal policies and industry best practices.
• Establish, document, and refine standardized procurement processes and practices that are cost-efficient, effective, and scalable.
• Conduct market analysis and ongoing industry research to identify qualified suppliers, emerging vendors, pricing trends, and innovative sourcing opportunities.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate contractual, financial, and operational risks associated with vendor relationships and purchasing activities.
• Ensure that contracting and procurement activities comply with applicable rules and regulations, as well as internal policies, collective bargaining agreements, and internal controls.
• Serve as a functional subject matter expert for the Unit4 ERP system in the contracts and procurement domain, including configuration input, process optimization, and best practices.
• Use Unit4 and comparable ERP tools to create and maintain vendor tracking and evaluation mechanisms that support data-driven decision-making.
• Conduct budget and cost analyses to support sourcing decisions, contract negotiations, and overall procurement strategy.
• Partner closely with internal stakeholders and business units to understand requirements, provide guidance, and ensure alignment of contracts and procurement strategies with organizational goals.
• Develop and deliver training related to procurement policies, contract management processes, and ERP system use to promote compliance and user adoption.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives by identifying process gaps, recommending solutions, and implementing enhancements that increase efficiency and improve the internal customer experience.
• Engage with industry experts and leverage a variety of resources to stay informed about market conditions, regulatory changes, and best practices in contracts and procurement.
  
  

Essential Skills

• Five (5) years of progressive professional experience in contracts and procurement.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex contract negotiations and competitive procurement processes.
• Proven ability to manage the full contract lifecycle, including negotiation, review, execution, and maintenance.
• Experience working in regulated or mission-driven environments.
• Experience using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, specifically Unit4 modules, or comparable cloud-based ERP systems such as Workday, Oracle Cloud ERP, or Microsoft Dynamics 365.
• Ability to identify and mitigate contractual, financial, and operational risks associated with vendor relationships and purchasing activities.
• Proven skill in conducting ongoing market research and industry analysis to identify qualified suppliers, emerging vendors, pricing trends, and innovative sourcing opportunities.
• Demonstrated effective organizational and project management skills.
• Experience interpreting and applying rules and regulations related to federal, state, and local requirements.
• Strong negotiation, vendor management, and contract administration capabilities.
• Bachelor’s degree, preferably with a focus related to contracts, procurement, business, or a similar discipline.
  
  

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience establishing standardized procurement processes and practices in a complex organizational environment.
• Background in environments influenced by collective bargaining agreements and internal policy frameworks.
• Comfort working with real estate contracts and related procurement activities.
• Ability to partner effectively with diverse internal stakeholders and business units to align contracts and procurement efforts with organizational strategy.
• Strong analytical skills for conducting budget and cost analyses to support strategic sourcing decisions.
• Ability to design and implement vendor tracking and evaluation mechanisms using ERP tools.
• Experience conducting and participating in training sessions focused on procurement policies, contract management, and ERP system use.
• Commitment to continuous improvement, efficiency, and maintaining a high standard of internal customer service.
  
  

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Washington, DC.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $98000.00 - $158000.00/hr.

Requirements

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
  
  

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Washington,DC.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Apr 24, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® double diamond winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options.