Senior Director, Contracts and Administration

Duties and Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Vice President, Contracts and Administration (VP), the Senior Director, Contracts and Administration, is responsible for assisting the VP in the directing and managing of HCR’s procurement of goods and services, assuring that the planning and implementation of HCR’s procurement and contract activities are in compliance with applicable regulations and policies.
• Provide executive-level leadership in the development, evaluation, and oversight of all procurement methodologies, including RFPs, RFBs, RFQs, RFIs, Competitive Sealed Bids, IFBs, Sole/Single Source Procurements, Preferred Source Procurements, Discretionary Procurements, and other end-to-end sourcing processes.
• Partner with the VP to shape the strategic direction of procurement, contract administration, and related administrative functions, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as the primary leadership backup to the VP, including attending meetings on the VP’s behalf, providing authoritative guidance, and ensuring seamless continuity of procurement, contracting, and administrative operations.
• Provide strategic oversight and leadership to the Director of Procurement/Contracts and procurement staff, ensuring high performance, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Act as a senior advisor to procurement staff, offering expert guidance on complex procurement issues, best practices, compliance requirements, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Lead, in collaboration with the VP, the organization’s procurement lifecycle, ensuring that all sourcing activities are strategically designed, competitively executed, and compliant with applicable laws and policies.
• Approve purchase orders within SAP and the New York State Financial System (SFS), ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timely execution of procurement activities.
• Provide leadership in the management and optimization of procurement technology platforms, including SAP procurement modules and SFS, to enhance efficiency, transparency, and workflow performance.
• Ensure all procurement and contracting activities adhere to legal, regulatory, and organizational standards, fostering a culture of integrity and compliance.
• Oversee the evaluation, clarification, and negotiation of contract terms and procurement documentation, ensuring favorable outcomes and risk-appropriate agreements.
• Review procurement recommendations and contract actions with the VP prior to executive and oversight approvals, ensuring strategic alignment and compliance.
• Provide leadership in administering the mini-bid process among pre-qualified vendor panels, ensuring fairness, transparency, and competitive value.
• Oversee, with the VP, the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for procurement and contract administration.
• Support the VP in shaping procurement policies, procedures, and internal controls that reflect evolving legislative, regulatory, and organizational requirements.
• Serve as a senior liaison to auditors and compliance entities, identifying risks, strengthening internal controls, and ensuring full regulatory adherence.
• Lead the coordination and management of audit documentation requests and responses to oversight bodies.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of procurement tracking systems to monitor procurement activities, contract milestones, approvals, and performance timelines.
• Champion procurement best practices and performance metrics (KPIs) to drive operational efficiency, accountability, and service excellence.
• Provide leadership in the preparation of weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad hoc procurement reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure procurement and contract files are complete, accurate, and maintained in accordance with regulatory and organizational standards.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with internal departments, serving as a strategic partner to support programmatic procurement needs.
• Support the VP in developing and delivering procurement training programs that strengthen organizational knowledge and compliance.
• Advise executive leadership on procurement strategies, risks, and opportunities, offering informed recommendations to support organizational decision-making.
• Provide guidance on subrecipient procurement activities to ensure compliance and effective oversight.
• Lead and coordinate responses to Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests related to procurement and contracting.
• Prepare procurement-related materials, briefings, and reports for executive leadership and Board review.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in procurement management, ideally within a public sector or government-regulated environment; experience may include leading competitive, best-value solicitations for a government agency or managing complex proposal submissions for a government contractor.
• At least 4 years of experience in a management or leadership role, with demonstrated ability to lead teams, influence decision-making, and drive organizational outcomes.
• Proven track record of collaborative problem-solving, strategic thinking, and high-quality writing in a complex, fast-paced, and multi-stakeholder environment.
• Experience in finance (fiscal operations/budgets) a plus.
• Experience with subrecipient agreements a plus.
• Creating and implementing policy/procedures experience a plus.
• Experience in working with automated systems for contracts a plus.
• CDBG-DR knowledge and experience a plus.
• Knowledgeable in New York State and federal procurement rules, regulations, policies and best practices.
• Proven ability to handle competing priorities.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaborate cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with vendors, agency management and program staff to solve problems and recommend positive solutions.
• Strong management and organizational skills.
• Shared organizational value for integrity, flexibility and professional/ethical behavior.
• A can-do attitude.
• Ability to understand and problem solve sensitive matters.
• Ability to be discreet.