Procurement Contract Specialist - Construction

About the role

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has a Procurement Department known for successful procurements like the Goethals Bridge Modernization, LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal Building, and Terminal One at Newark Liberty International Airport. The Department manages procurements for various delivery methods including design-build, construction manager-at-risk, and public-private partnerships. The Procurement Department is currently seeking a self-motivated individual to join the Construction Procurements Division.

Responsibilities

• Performs and/or oversees the execution of procurement processes for the retention of construction contractors and professional, technical, and advisory service firms in accordance with federal and Port Authority requirements and in support of the Authority’s Capital Plan.
• Manages the procurement and contract administration process for construction and professional service projects from solicitation through contract award and administration.
• Reviews contract documents, procurement files and solicitations prior to contract award to ensure compliance with Port Authority policies, federal regulations, and applicable funding requirements.
• Reviews and negotiates task orders and change order packages (ranging from simple to highly complex transactions), consultant and contractor cost proposals, and supporting documentation to ensure conformance with contractual and procurement requirements.
• Performs cost analyses, develops negotiation strategies, and participates in or leads negotiations to achieve fair and reasonable pricing.
• Conducts pre-audit compliance reviews of procurement actions and contract modifications and prepares audit responses, studies, reports, and supporting documentation as required.
• Debriefs unsuccessful proposers and contractors regarding procurement outcomes and evaluation results.
• Performs and oversees SAP/AVM transactions associated with procurement and contract administration activities, including preparation and review of justifications and supporting documentation for award actions.
• Provides guidance and consultation to Procurement staff, internal clients, external stakeholders, consultants, and contractors regarding procurement methods, strategies, schedules, and compliance requirements.
• Develops, manages, and maintains division-wide training materials, standard operating procedures, templates, and version control processes.
• Prepares, edits, and organizes procurement records and historical data to document negotiations, supports cost acceptance determinations, and establishes price reasonableness.
• Participates in and leads outreach initiatives, including Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), and Local Business Enterprise (LBE) programs, serving as the Authority’s Procurement representative.
• Prepares and compiles ad hoc reports, analyses, presentations, and workload updates in response to management, executive, audit, and operational requests.
• Supports continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to enhance procurement processes, increase efficiency, strengthen compliance, and improve service delivery across the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Contract Administration, Construction Management, Business Administration, Finance or a related field OR
• Five (5) years of Procurement / Contract Administration experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with technology solutions, systems and process improvement measures.
• Experience with construction-related procurements.
• Experience with federal procurement/contract administration processes.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with ability to interact effectively with all levels of internal and external staff.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to independently multi-task in a dynamic environment and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledge of SAP/AVM.