Program Specialist VII Senior Statement of Work Specialist

About the role

Procurement and Contracting Services is looking for a Program Specialist VII (Senior Statement of Work Specialist). The Senior Statement of Work Specialist reports to the Director of Major Procurement Support (MPS) within the Procurement and Contracting Services (PCS) Division of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Performs highly advanced (senior-level) procurement technical writing and consultative work supporting the development, review, and improvement of Statements of Work (SOWs) and other procurement documents for complex HHSC procurements.

Responsibilities

• Statement of Work Development and Technical Writing – 40%
  • Performs highly advanced technical writing work related to the development and revision of Statements of Work for HHSC procurements.
  • Works directly with MPS project managers to translate business and program needs into clear, organized, vendor-facing procurement requirements.
  • Drafts and edits SOW components including background and purpose; scope and objectives; Contractor and HHSC responsibilities; functional and operational requirements; deliverables; milestones and schedules; staffing and qualification requirements; reporting requirements; performance requirements; service levels; acceptance criteria; implementation requirements; transition-in and transition-out requirements; and other procurement-specific requirements.
  • Transforms technical, programmatic, and operational information into clear language that prospective contractors can understand and respond to.
  • Ensures requirements clearly identify expected Contractor responsibilities and, when applicable, associated timelines, performance expectations, deliverables, and acceptance criteria.
  • Works with subject matter experts to resolve gaps or inconsistencies identified during SOW development.
• SOW Quality Assurance and Procurement Document Review – 30%
  • Conducts comprehensive quality reviews of draft SOWs and related procurement documents before solicitation.
  • Reviews requirements for clarity, completeness, consistency, measurability, organization, readability, duplicative or conflicting language, undefined terms, missing deliverables, missing acceptance criteria, unclear Contractor or HHSC responsibilities, potentially restrictive requirements, and requirements that may be difficult to evaluate or administer after contract award.
  • Identifies vague or subjective terminology.
  • Provides written recommendations and proposed revisions to strengthen SOW language.
  • Coordinates with MPS project managers, procurement staff, program staff, subject matter experts, legal counsel, information technology staff, and other appropriate stakeholders to resolve identified issues.
  • Documents significant SOW issues requiring program or management decisions prior to solicitation.
• Program Area Consultation and Requirements Development – 15%
  • Provides consultative and technical assistance to MPS project managers during procurement planning and SOW development.
  • Facilitates or participates in requirements-development meetings to obtain information necessary to develop complete procurement requirements.
  • Assists program areas in defining the goods or services being procured, desired business outcomes, Contractor responsibilities, deliverables, performance expectations, reporting and staffing requirements, implementation requirements, milestones, HHSC responsibilities, and acceptance criteria.
  • Develops targeted questions when program information is incomplete or unclear.
  • Explains SOW development principles and procurement writing expectations to program staff in plain language.
  • Works collaboratively with procurement staff to ensure SOW development supports the solicitation process and resulting contract.
• SOW Standards, Templates, Tools, and Training – 10%
  • Develops, maintains, and improves standardized SOW templates, technical writing standards, checklists, job aids, examples, and guidance for use by HHSC program and procurement staff.
  • Develops standardized approaches for drafting common SOW components, including deliverables, performance requirements, reporting requirements, Contractor responsibilities, and acceptance criteria.
  • Identifies recurring SOW deficiencies and recommends improvements to procurement templates, processes, guidance, and training.
  • Develops and delivers training, workshops, or technical assistance to program and procurement staff regarding effective SOW development.
  • Maintains consistency in terminology, formatting, document structure, and technical writing practices.
  • Researches and recommends appropriate tools and technology that may improve the efficiency, consistency, and quality of SOW development and review.
• Special Projects and Other Duties – 5%
  • Participates in special projects and workgroups related to procurement documentation, process improvement, quality assurance, and major procurement initiatives.
  • Tracks and reports SOW development and quality-review activities as requested.
  • May serve in a lead capacity by providing technical guidance, training, work prioritization, or direction to others, consistent with the Program Specialist classification.
  • Performs other duties as assigned to support efficient and effective agency operations.
  • Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in English, technical communication, communications, journalism, public administration, business administration, information systems, or a related field.
• Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD) (formerly Certified Texas Procurement Manager) certification must be obtained within 6 months of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Knowledge of:
  • Principles and practices of technical writing and editing.
  • Procurement and contract documentation and Statement of Work development.
  • Requirements development and documentation.
  • State government procurement processes.
  • Principles of contract administration and performance management.
  • Document quality assurance and quality control.
  • Plain-language writing principles and document organization, formatting, and accessibility principles.
• Skill in:
  • Writing and editing complex technical and procurement documents.
  • Translating complex technical, programmatic, and operational concepts into clear language.
  • Identifying ambiguous, conflicting, duplicative, incomplete, or potentially restrictive requirements.
  • Developing measurable requirements, deliverables, and acceptance criteria.
  • Interviewing subject matter experts and gathering business requirements.
  • Analyzing complex information and identifying missing information.
  • Organizing large and complex documents and managing multiple assignments and competing deadlines.
  • Providing constructive written and verbal feedback and facilitating meetings with program and technical subject matter experts.
  • Advanced use of Microsoft Word, including styles, templates, formatting, tables, tracked changes, comments, and document comparison; and use of Microsoft Excel and other applicable business applications.
• Ability to:
  • Write clearly, concisely, and accurately for technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Independently review complex procurement documents.
  • Distinguish between business objectives and enforceable Contractor requirements.
  • Determine whether requirements are sufficiently clear and measurable.
  • Identify procurement-document risks and recommend solutions.
  • Ask targeted questions necessary to clarify program requirements.
  • Work collaboratively with program staff, procurement staff, legal counsel, technical staff, and executive management.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
  • Exercise sound judgment while working independently and manage sensitive and high-profile procurement assignments.
  • Provide guidance and technical assistance to others.

Benefits

• 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
• Defined benefit pension plan
• Generous time off benefits
• Numerous opportunities for career advancement