Central Rural Electric Cooperative is hiring!!

Contract Specialist

Department: Accounting

Job Type: Full-Time

CLICK HERE for more information and to apply online.

Job Responsibilities

Exhibiting stewardship for the cooperative, the Contract Specialist professionally represents the cooperative by overseeing the entire contract lifecycle while ensuring compliance and mitigating organizational risk. The Contract Specialist will administer construction, maintenance, and vegetation management contracts for electric and broadband infrastructure.  

Core Values and Responsibilities

The core values and responsibilities described below are the essential functions of the job and represent the code of conduct required of every employee to ensure a higher standard of performance and cooperation is demonstrated and maintained throughout the cooperative. 

•    Safety First - It is our responsibility to educate and protect ourselves, coworkers, members and the public from hazards exposed by the nature of our work.
•    Purpose Driven - We believe that safe, affordable and reliable electricity is the foundation of our communities and has the power to transform lives.
•    Dedicated to Serve - We make every decision and measure every outcome based on how well it serves our members.
•    Respectful Engagement - We listen to one another and embrace diverse opinions, tactful honesty and authentic integrity.
•    Servant Leadership - We look for ways to help each other grow through collaboration and teamwork. Above all, we treat others with the respect, compassion and equality they deserve.
•    Results Oriented - We follow through on commitments and show forward progress.
•    Manage the contract lifecycle through identification, creation, negotiation, execution, performance monitoring, and renewal or termination of contractual needs of the cooperative.
•    Monitor contract performance by examining billings, financial data, and eligibility determinations for compliance with terms of contracts, RUS specifications, construction standards, and policies.
•    Administer the billing process and eligibility monitoring functions for contract billings.
•    Serves as a liaison with contractors and retained consultants to ensure participation is consistent with all requirements including but not limited to applicable law, regulation, and cooperative policy.
•    Review construction plans and coordinate with appropriate personnel to ensure proper permitting, easements, and other requirements are in place prior to construction and maintenance activities.
•    Coordinate construction changes with appropriate personnel and document construction changes. Ensure as-builts documents accurately reflect changed assembly units.
•    Coordinate storm restoration efforts of contract personnel in service restoration emergencies in response to cooperative’s needs.
•    Perform construction inspection during and post construction in coordination with appropriate personnel to ensure compliance with applicable construction standards and requirements.
•    Provide appropriate personnel status updates periodically and as requested.
•    Research, recommend, and implement contract management software and recommend updates, as necessary.

Qualifications

A successful candidate must believe in the core values of the cooperative and be driven by the mission. The duties and responsibilities described above are the essential functions of the job. The qualifications below represent the knowledge, skills and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Specific requirements and competencies include: 

•    Solid Educational Background - Associate’s Degree or Two-Year University equivalent required (including technical school completion); 1-4 years of related work experience which may include electric distribution or telecommunications fields and understanding of related construction methods is required.
•    Must be knowledgeable on electric and/or fiber optic distribution system, configuration, and layout.
•    Meticulous attention to detail required.
•    Knowledge of federal procurement standards and project management highly desired.
•    Must have and maintain a valid Oklahoma driver’s license.
•    Analytical Skills - Synthesizes complex or diverse information, collects and researches data, uses intuition and experience to complement data, identifies data relationships and dependencies, and designs workflows and procedures.
•    Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions, conducts cost-benefit analyses, displays orientation to profitability, demonstrates knowledge of market and competition and aligns work with strategic goals.
•    Customer Service - Displays courtesy and sensitivity, manages difficult or emotional customer situations, meets commitments, responds promptly to customer needs and solicits customer feedback to improve service.
•    Initiative - Volunteers readily, undertakes self-development activities, seeks increased responsibilities, looks for and takes advantage of opportunities and asks for help when needed.
•    Job Knowledge - Competent in required job skills and knowledge, exhibits ability to learn and apply new skills, keeps abreast of current developments, requires minimal supervision, displays understanding of how job relates to others and uses resources effectively.
•    Project Management - Develops project plans, coordinates projects, communicates changes and progress as necessary, completes projects on time and budget, and manages project team activities.
•    Self-Management - Regulates impact of own emotions upon others, remains focused and energized under stress, accepts criticism, and recovers quickly from setbacks, projects realistic self confidence in abilities.
•    Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness, displays commitment to excellence, looks for ways to improve and promote quality, applies feedback to improve performance and monitors own work to ensure quality.
•    Use of Technology - Demonstrates required skills, adapts to new technologies, troubleshoots technological problems, keeps technical skills up to date, uses technology to increase productivity and keeps technical skills up to date.  

CLICK HERE for more information and to apply online.