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Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination as part of the hiring process, prior to their start date. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Financial Services Office within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Contracts Specialist 3 position. This position will be located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

This position is part of the Contracts and Purchasing Unit in Ecology’s Fiscal Office. The Contracts and Purchasing Unit is located within the Fiscal Office of the Financial Services Division. Financial Services provides centralized financial support and management in accounting, budget, contracts, purchasing, and inventory, so the agency can meet its environmental goals and strategic priorities. The result is Ecology managers, the Governor, State Auditor, Office of Financial Management, and the Legislature have confidence in Ecology and our financial information and management, and can rely on it to make crucial decisions affecting the environment.

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is not currently required to work in the office on a regular basis. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. Looking ahead, Ecology has recently updated the agency policies on telework and flexible and compressed work schedules. Applicants with questions about position location options, telework, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” 
 
Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of October 27, 2022. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before October 26, 2022. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.


About the Department of Ecology
Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people.

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

  • A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
  • An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
  • Continuous growth and development opportunities. 
  • A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
  • Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
 
Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
 
Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.
 
Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.
 
Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.
 
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued. 

 
Duties

What makes this role unique? 
Ecology's Contracts & Purchasing team members are highly sought after for their skills dealing with challenging contracts and procurements. Employee skills are utilized through knowledge of applicable state and federal laws, policies, and rules to provide direct services to program staff. Work on a team providing contract and procurement oversight for the agency. Use your technical and people skills to consult program in best practices. Support the agency mission of protecting the environment.

What you will do: 

  • Perform a full range of senior-level professional and technical duties for the procurement and contracting of goods and services used by the agency. 
  • Serve as an Assistant Contracts Administrator, resolving issues that arise during the procurement and contracting process, i.e., disputes, complaints, protests, appeals, defaults, language exceptions, performance issues, etc. 
  • Review agency agreements, contracts, grants, and loans documents for accuracy, uniformity, completeness, and legality, and compliance with state and agency policies. 
  • Provide guidance and assistance to all agency programs for procurement processes, draft suggested bidding and contract language, and review and provide recommendations to bidding and contract language. 
  • Work with Ecology program staff to contract for or procure goods and services.
  • Focus on the full array of agency procurement and contract needs from simple low dollar value contracts to complex high value contracts. 
  • Focus on bids and contracts for goods, services, architecture and engineering services, interagency agreements, public works, and state and federal grants, and loans. 
  • Lead, assist, and advise programs in the bidding processes for goods and services. 
  • Instruct and educate agency staff on state and federal regulations and requirements, and procurement practices and policies. 
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, educational and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.
Option 1:
Bachelor’s degree involving major study in business administration, public administration, business law, commerce, mathematics, statistics, economics, or closely allied field.

AND

Three years of experience in public procurements and contracts, including initiating, negotiating, awarding, administering, terminating, cost or price analyses, and managing bids and contracts for compliance. At least two years of the three years of experience must include state procurements and contracts.
Option 2:
Master’s degree involving major study in business administration, public administration, business law, commerce, mathematics, statistics, economics, or closely allied field.
AND 
Two years of experience in public procurement and contracts, including initiating, negotiating, awarding, administering, terminating, cost or price analyses, and managing bids and contracts for compliance. At least one year of the two years of experience must include state procurements and contracts.

Option 3:

A law degree from an accredited college or university approved by the Washington State Bar Association.
AND

One year of experience in state procurement and contracts, including initiating, negotiating, awarding, administering, terminating, cost or price analyses, and managing bids and contracts for compliance.


All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:

Possible CombinationsCollege credit hours or degree as per above
Years of required experience per above.
Combination 1No college credit hours or degree7 years of experienceCombination 230-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.6 years of experience
Combination 360-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).5 years of experience
Combination 490-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.4 years of experience
Combination 5 A Bachelor's Degree3 years of experience
Combination 6 A Master's Degree2 years of experience
Combination 7A law degree from an accredited college or university
1 year of experience


Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

Must sign and abide by the Financial Services/Fiscal Office Agreement on Confidential Information (Part A), Internal Control Responsibility (Part B), Safeguarding and Preventing Misuse of Ecology’s Data (Part C).


Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.

  • Five years of experience in Washington State public procurement and contract at a state agency, including initialing, negotiating, awarding, administering, terminating, and managing contracts for compliance.
  • One year of experience with bidding and contracting for Information Technology goods and services.
  • One year of experience with bidding and contracting for Public Works.
  • One year of experience working with grant and loan agreements.
  • Advanced proficiency using Microsoft Office software applications and products including Word, Excel, and Outlook; able to create, edit, modify, save, and delete documents and spreadsheets.
  • One of the following professional certifications: Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO), Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), or other related procurement certifications.
Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

Supplemental Information

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.


Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

  • Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
  • If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
  • If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.
  • If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.  
Application Instructions:

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

  • A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
  • A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.
  • Three professional references.

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable. 
 
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

  • Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc. 
  • Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded. 

Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:
 
Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

Application Attestation: 

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed. 

Other Information:
If you have specific questions about the position, please email Mark Gaffney at: mark.gaffney@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Mark to inquire about the status of your application.
 
To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

Why work for Ecology?

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help
The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.
To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.  

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.