Contracting Officer

The Contracting Officer is responsible for managing procurement and contracting activities within Headquarters Allied Maritime Command (HQ MARCOM). This role involves developing contracting strategies, evaluating bids, negotiating contracts, and ensuring compliance with regulations to safeguard NATO interests.

Responsibilities

• Exercise the functions associated with being a Contracting Officer in accordance with the limitations of a warrant.
• Develop purchase and contracting strategies.
• Evaluate purchase requests.
• Conduct market research when required.
• Publicise competition and invite bidders or process requests for deviations to normal procurement procedures.
• Evaluate bid proposals to assess prices and contractor reliability as part of a CAC or independently.
• Negotiate contract terms and conditions when necessary.
• Prepare the contract for award.
• Award contracts to successful bidders independently or countersigned by the Financial Controller in accordance with established limits.
• Ensure contractors adhere to regulations by periodically evaluating their performance.
• Train and supervise work delegated to Contracting Officer's Technical Representatives.
• Take appropriate actions such as making determinations and findings, issuing cure notices, suspension of work, stop work orders, terminations, assessment of liquidated damages, and issuing final contracting officer determinations.
• Close out contracts verifying all administrative matters are concluded.
• Exercise all functions to safeguard the interests of MARCOM, SHAPE and NATO in all assigned contractual relationships.

Requirements

• At least 3 years of prior contracting experience at a contracts management level.
• Proven experience in Contract Management.
• Proven experience in Contract Negotiation.
• Proven experience in Contract Law.
• Proven business knowledge.
• Experience in contracting for military or international organisations.
• Experience with use of e-commerce tools.
• Educated to University Degree level in supply chain management, commercial and mercantile law, logistics, inventory management, procurement or related discipline and 2 years function related experience, or Higher Secondary education and completed advanced vocational training in that discipline leading to a professional qualification or professional accreditation with 4 years post related experience.
• Desirable: Experience in contracting for military or international organisations, as a Buyer and/or Contracting Officer.
• Desirable: Experience with use of the NATO Financial System, Oracle Financials, or other automated accounting systems and purchasing application software.
• Desirable: Experience in evaluating complex, urgent and sensitive requisitions (requirements and costs) for a wide variety of goods, services and engineering works.
• Desirable: Experience in translating complex, urgent and sensitive technical or operational requirements into commercially adequate invitations for bids.
• Desirable: Experience in executing the full cycle of procurement activities, i.e., from conducting market surveys, devising acquisition strategies, issuing solicitations, and evaluating proposals to awarding, administering and closing out contracts.
• Desirable: Demonstrated ability to negotiate, execute competitive bidding procedures, award and administer contracts, and effectively prosecute contractor claims and related disputes.
• Must demonstrate organisational awareness, analytical thinking, impact and influence, initiative, and flexibility.

Skills

• Contract Management
• Contract Negotiation
• Contract Law
• Business Knowledge
• Military Contracting
• International Organization Contracting
• E-commerce Tools
• Supply Chain Management
• Commercial Law
• Mercantile Law
• Logistics Management
• Inventory Management
• Procurement
• NATO Financial Systems
• Oracle Financial Systems
• Automated Accounting Software
• Purchasing Application Software
• Market Surveying
• Acquisition Strategy Advising
• Competitive Bidding Procedures
• Contract Administration

Languages

English