Consultant (Seasonal)- Sr Contracts Officer

Come join and be part of our Procurement team at AURA’s Central Administrative Services group that supports the day-to-day operations for a $170 million division.  AURA’s Centers enable the next decade of astronomical discoveries through world-class facilities and science.

As a part-time Seasonal Consultant -Contracts Officer at AURA, you will work closely with our astronomical researchers, observatory engineers, and organization management on a variety of contracting matters, including conducting RFPs, negotiating and administering contracts, and managing business agreements issued under Uniform Guidance and FAR.

Essential Functions:

• Conducts requests for proposals, contract negotiations, and cradle-to-grave administration of routine and complex contracts and other business agreements.
• Coordinates the review and analysis of proposals for services, material, and equipment; provides consultation in selection of qualified suppliers and manufacturers.
• Ensures terms & conditions on assigned projects meet contractual, regulatory, and legal requirements.
• Monitors vendor cost and schedule performance for conformance to contract specifications, legal requirements, and government regulations.
• Provides guidance regarding contractual and agency requirements, vendor communications, foreign purchase requirements, and other matters of concern.
• Ensures proper authorization is obtained for those requisitions requiring agency, institutional, or partner authorization.
• Works collaboratively with team members to develop and implement effective processes and controls to ensure the effectiveness and integrity of the organization.
• Develops and maintains effective relationships with customers and internal partners based on understanding and trust.

Required Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Law, or related field required; MLS or JD helpful
• Seven years of experience performing cradle-to-grave contract management for Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) or Uniform Guidance based contracts
• Demonstrated ability to develop effective relationships with NSF, NASA, and other federal funding agencies
• Additional training or education in contract negotiations, terms and conditions, risk assessment, and Project and Program Management desired.
• Knowledge of export control and technology transfer issues in contracting and sponsored agreements
• Relies on experience and judgment to prioritize work activities, anticipate, and resolve complex problems, and plan and accomplish goals.
• Demonstrated initiative, flexibility, and ingenuity with the ability to effectively achieve organizational established goals and objectives
• Demonstrated ability to unfailingly exercise sound judgment and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, customer service and collaborative team environment
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with adaptability to differing cultural and business environments
• Experienced user of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) and shared databases
• Experience with Costpoint 

Salary Range: $40.00-$63.00 per hour.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This work is mostly carried out in an office environment. Long periods of sitting may be required.

As a recipient of U.S. Government funding, AURA is considered a government contractor and is subject to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action regulations. As an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, AURA and all of the centers, do not discriminate based on race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender identity expression, lawful political affiliations, veteran status, disability, and/or any other legally protected status under applicable federal, state, and local equal opportunity laws. The statements below as well as the requests for self-identification are required pursuant to these regulations. We encourage your participation in meeting these federal reporting requirements which are included for protection and to assist us in our record keeping and reporting. Your responses are kept strictly confidential.

Veterans, disabled individuals or wounded warriors needing assistance with the employment process should request assistance at  employment@aura-astronomy.org.

Salary : $40 - $63