Contract Liaison

Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

Pay Range:

$38.00 - $46.70 Hourly

Department:

Department of County Human Services (DCHS)

Job Type:

Regular Represented

Exemption Status:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

January 08, 2025

The Opportunity:

Overview:

Multnomah County voters chose to invest in high-quality, culturally responsive, inclusive, joyous early learning opportunities for all 3 and 4 year-old children. This investment will transform and impact educational experiences for young children and their families and we want you to help make it a success! Apply today to join the budget and contracts team with Preschool for All.

As the Contract Liaison (Program Specialist job profile) for the Preschool & Early Learning Division (PEL) in the Department of County Human Services (DCHS), you will be part of a team that actively champions racial justice and equity within highly visible early childhood programs and systems at Multnomah County and in the community. 

You will be a collaborative member of PEL’s budgets and contracts team and will actively engage with the PEL program team and DCHS Business Services to aid in the development and administration of a portfolio of contracts and the corresponding budgets to ensure they align with County requirements and the initiative’s goal of providing free, high quality, culturally affirming preschool for families that currently have the least access.

Primary responsibilities include:

Budget and Contract Development and Administration:

• Act as a liaison between PEL program development staff and DCHS accounts payable and contracts unit to coordinate and process new contracts, contract amendments, change notifications, budget approvals, and invoices.

• Develop and accurately maintain budget and invoice tracking systems using complex formulas in spreadsheets

• Prepare operational and/or technical reports related to contract budget, spending, and invoicing for use in contract monitoring.

• Provide training and consultation to program development staff related to timeline and process for setting up contracts, contract renewals, budget review and approvals.

• Act as a representative of the program with contracted service providers, programs, vendors, County staff, community organizations and the public to accomplish position objectives. 

• Advance the Division’s racial equity work through positive relationships with funded partners, including listening deeply to concerns and suggesting process improvements that reduce barriers for culturally specific organizations and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color owned businesses.

Contract Development: Collaborate with program subject matter experts to ensure consistent and accurate information is provided to stakeholders. Collaborate with the PELD program matter experts and DCHS Business Services to approve budgets for contracted agencies.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:

• Promoting Equity: Deconstruct barriers to a racially just system. Cultivate work environments that value truth-telling, courage and vulnerability, space to think and reflect, community-mindedness, shared power, hope, and openness to difficult conversations.

• Leadership & Creativity: Demonstrate understanding of the culture, political nature, and interpersonal relationships that drive success at the County. Lead by example and move work forward through personal actions and collaboration. Provide meaningful feedback regarding the nature, design and intended outcomes of work in relation to the needs and demands of the County and the communities it serves. Seek, advocate for, and implement improved methods, systems and approaches to meet changing organizational needs.

• Acting with Integrity: Act in a manner that is consistently truthful, reliable, trustworthy and transparent in words and actions.

• Navigating Change: You accept change as an inevitable part of work and adapt to plans as needed. You demonstrate self-awareness, effectively manage emotions under pressure, and readily offer support and encouragement to others.

• Learning Agility: Awareness of changing workplace trends, and possess the abi