FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in Health, Education, Nutrition, Environment, Economic Development, Civil Society, Gender, Youth, Research and Technology; creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries, all 50 U.S. states and all U.S. territories.
A Contracting Officer is primarily responsible for managing the administrative processes for contract administration from pre-award to contract close-out. He/she will provide professional expertise in contract administration to ensure full compliance with donor rules and regulations. The functions of the position include: a) Comprehensive analysis of contract terms and conditions to ensure that the organization has the organizational capacity or is able to acquire the necessary capacity to successfully perform and meet contractual obligations; b) Expert interpretation of donor (USG and non-USG) rules and regulations; c) Standardization of administrative procedures for efficient award and sub award management; d) Development of contractual documents including templates and ancillary business forms; and e) Capacity building and replication of contract portfolio management systems and best practices in award and sub award management. A Contracting Officer may lead or supervise other staff in the efficient operation and maintenance of an effective contracts portfolio management system. Contracting officers will work in partnership with operations staff and other enterprise services staff to achieve successful and compliant contract performance. The scope of contract administration may include contract interpretation, compliance with regulatory requirements and restrictions, sub award administration, and donor relations among others.
This specific position will be aligned with an assigned technical business unit(s) and focus exclusively on the pre-award contracts function on assigned proposals to enhance support to proposal teams and organizational pre-award functions (including but not limited to the centralized business development and cost & pricing teams as well as business development functions embedded in operating units).
- Participate in planning activities and key meetings from capture through bid submission to provide input on contractual components.
- Provide detail review of solicitations and develop associated compliance matrices to ensure requirements are fully assessed.
- Collaborate with the assigned proposal manager on the formulation and review of questions on solicitations.
- Review of business volume to ensure components of the negotiation are clearly presented and that the cost submission aligns with the solicitation and the points of negotiation.
- Negotiation of substantive aspects of pre-award agreements (e.g., teaming agreements)
- Participate as assigned on competitive range negotiations leading up to issuance of draft contracts.
- Ensure coordinated hand-off to post-award contracting officer by documenting key aspects of the negotiation during the pre-award phases.
- Partner with business development management to document after-action reviews and debriefs (with a focus on items related to the business volume).
- Participate as assigned on strategic activities or teams. Examples include but are not limited to the following:
- Strengthening library of pre-award templates and associated guidance (teaming agreements, MOUs, NDAs, business volume templates)
- Identifying recurrent items of a contractual nature in the bidding and negotiation process. Develop best practices for representing organizational needs in those processes.
- Developing guidance for specialized pre-award processes (e.g., bidding through the General Services Administration).
- Addressing themes on lessons learned/best practice across after-action reviews and debriefs.
General:
- Advises senior management on matters of concern and elements of risk that can be detrimental to successful contract performance. Recommend alternative approaches to overcome negative impact.
- Conducts complex negotiations requiring senior staff engagement.
- Develops and maintain strong relationships with counterparts (internal and external).
- Responds to audit matters (internal and external).
- Articulates and advocate for the organization’s position on matters of regulation and other contractual issues.
- Advises executive leadership and general staff on critical contractual issues and indications of high risk based on established expert knowledge of organizational policy, donor regulations, and specific award terms and conditions. Level of interaction can be at the highest level in the organization.
- Reviews and negotiate critical contracts, subcontracts and modifications.
- Closely engage in managing disputes, business-sensitive transactions, and delicate customer relationships to preserve the reputation and good standing of the organization.
- Contributes to the development and delivery of specialized training to staff on policy, regulations, and best practices in contract administration.
- Demonstrates deepened expertise, professional growth, and managerial and leadership skills through evidence of effective crisis management.
- Trains, coaches, and mentors contracts department staff on the values and key competencies to be successful in performing the tasks below.
Pre-award:
- Serves as a technical resource to proposal development units (Business Planning and Proposal and Cost and Pricing) by analyzing solicitations, interpreting regulations and award provisions, clarifying compliance issues, etc.
- Reviews and negotiate critical award terms and conditions.
- Identify significant risks and recommend plan for mitigation including justification of working at risk.
- Post-award:
- Manages contract set-up in the contract management and/or financial management system.
- Reviews the work of contract specialists before submission to donors. These will include contract add-ons, budget realignments, cost extensions, and other transactions requiring donor approval such as sub awards, salaries, consultant rates, waivers, etc. The contracting officer will handle the more complicated or business-sensitive transactions.
- Collaborates with operations staff and other enterprise services staff to monitor prime contract and subcontract performance.
- Negotiates substantive provisions in lower- tier subcontracts.
- Trains other staff in standardized procedures for efficient award and sub award management.
- Manages input to contract close-out.
- Leads in seeking reconsideration of requests denied by donors such as those for salaries, consultant rates, budget revisions, procurement, subcontracts, waivers, etc.
- Conducts periodic reviews of the contract portfolio with the senior management.
- Mastery of donor (USG and non- USG) rules and regulations.
- Considered a subject matter expert.
- Effective customer management skills are essential to developing and growing critical business relationships within and outside of the organization.
- Influential leadership skills to facilitate and support transitions to new systems at the unit level.
- Highly articulate (compelling and persuasive) oral and written communication skills to convey complex business concepts and information both inside and outside of the organization.
- Strong and effective ability to develop, articulate, and implement.
- Good knowledge of strategic planning methodologies and practices.
- Minimum of 8+ years’ experience in a position of contracting authority in either the Federal Government acquisition system or a Non- governmental Organization (NGO) – domestic or international.
- At least 5 years of negotiating experience and direct management of a diverse portfolio of complex contracts and other agreements.
- Comprehensive knowledge of donor (USG and non-USG) rule and regulations including but not limited to USAID, DHHS, DOE, etc.
- Expertise in USG acquisition and assistance processes.
- Experience working in a not-for-profit or non- governmental organization (NGO).
- Experience working with international donors.
- Prior supervisory or mentor experience preferred.
Problem Solving & Impact:
- Has very strong customer orientation and demonstrates service values.
- Beyond complex issue analysis, highly developed crisis management skills are critical at this level.
- Keen sense of judgment.
- Expanded decision rights carry both positive and (potentially) negative impact on the unit and the organization.
Supervision Given/Received:
- Works in team environment as a mentor and leader.
- Mentors other staff to grow the competencies that are essential for success.
- Demonstrated abilities to increase team work and support.
- It is expected that at this level, there will be demonstrable modeling of behaviors that reflect organizational and unit values.