Senior Contracts Administrator

The Giant Magellan Telescope is the most powerful ground-based telescope ever engineered. It was designed to push the boundaries of human knowledge and discover the unknown. With unmatched image quality, seven of the world’s largest mirrors will launch our view into the universe to uncover the cosmic mysteries of dark matter, investigate the origins of chemical elements, and search for signs of life on distant exoplanets for the first time.

The 30-meter class telescope is under construction at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the best locations on Earth to view the heavens. From this unrivaled vantage into the southern sky, the Giant Magellan Telescope will produce the sharpest and most detailed images ever taken of our universe, ten times greater than the famed Hubble Space Telescope and four times the James Webb Space Telescope.

When complete in the late 2020s, the Giant Magellan Telescope will be the largest public-private funded science project in history. The endeavor was founded by an international consortium of leading universities and research institutions representing five countries, and is managed by the GMTO Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Pasadena, California. Our culture is impactful, inclusive, and fearlessly innovative. We solve the most difficult engineering challenges and scientific questions with talented individuals who share a passion for revolutionizing humanity’s knowledge of the universe.

We invite you to join our team and leave your mark on astronomy’s future and beyond.

The Universe Awaits.

Working under minimal supervision and reporting to the Contracts Officer, the primary role of the Senior Contracts Administrator is to procure, expedite and schedule deliveries of materials and services to the GMT Project job site.

In this role, the Senior Contracts Administrator works collaboratively with the GMT Technical Managers to ensure that all required items of work to be purchased or contracted are bought on time, have the correct scope of work, are from qualified domestic and international suppliers and contractors, are within budget, and comply with all GMTO policies and procedures and applicable laws and regulations.

In addition, the Senior Contracts Administrator participates in the bidding and proposal process and assists in the evaluation and selection of suppliers and contractors to provide engineering services, construction services and supply major subsystems and complex, high-value equipment and components.

• Administer, modify, negotiate and terminate standard and nonstandard contracts.
• Administer the solicitation process (including identification of need, specification/scope development, RFP/RFQ drafting/issuance, receipt and analysis of bid/proposal responses, supplier selection contract negotiation, recommendation for award, award notice, contract execution, and post award contract management).
• Determine the best method for procurement of all acquisitions; negotiate pricing and obtain best value for the Project; comply with all legal requirements and regulatory deadlines.
• Contributing member in establishing procurement strategies for acquisition, receiving and tracking of major subsystems, complex equipment, and components that optimize quality, cost and timely delivery.
• Coordinate planning with forwarding agents for the effective organization and temporary storage of project materials at various company and/or independent warehouse locations, and ensure maintenance of accurate records for all stored materials, and the safe, orderly and secure shipment of materials.
• Process purchasing-related information (e.g., bid documents, tabulations, requisitions, electronic procurement, statements of work, purchase order or contract terms, etc.) update and distribute information, authorization for action and/or comply with established accounting practices.
• Respond to inquiries from a variety of internal and external sources and provide information, direction and/or appropriate referrals.
• Maintain purchasing information, files and records (e.g., RFQs, RFPs, purchase orders, contracts, vendor files, etc.) to ensure availability of documentation in compliance with company policies.
• Collaborate with Project Staff to negotiate pricing, payment terms and lines of credit with domestic and international suppliers and contractors.
• Monitor and support returns, damage replacements and warranty claims.
• Review and resolve any discrepancies with supplier invoices, claims, conflicts, product non-conformance or quality issues.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Supply Chain Management
• Minimum of 10 years of domestic and/or international experience as a Contracts Professional focusing on multi-million-dollar contracts that are one-of-kind procurements, with significant experience in both commercial and federal procurement environments.
• Experience with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
• Experience with Export Regulations and ITAR
• Proficient in using, navigating, reporting through standard ERP software (e.g., ReqLogic and Microsoft Dynamics SL).
• Able to effectively communicate commercial solutions and concepts to stakeholders.
• Must be familiar with and utilize computerized resources and tools for tracking purchases and expenditures; other contract files and reports; purchase requisitions, receipts, etc.
• Understanding of engineering and/or construction industry processes and procedures with hands-on experience in procurement and logistics.
• Experience negotiating contracts with suppliers.
• Demonstrable ability to apply strategic vision to procurement strategy.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Outstanding communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks, work under pressure with challenging deadlines while delivering high quality results.
• Must have good computer skills: MS Office.
• Experienced with financial, procurement management software.
• Able to process and compute financial data, compile information for financial reports and verify data from invoices. Requires basic understanding of business accounting and transactions.
• Strong analytic and problem-solving skills, effective business analysis, project management and quantitative skills.

• Aerospace, Engineering or Operations backgrounds are preferred (e.g. Federal Acquisition Regulations).

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance

To apply send your resume or CV and a cover letter to careers@giantmagellan.org.

If your skills and experience are a match for the position or if we need additional information, we will contact you. If we do not see a suitable match between your qualifications and the position, we will keep your information on file in the event future positions become available that are more suitable to your qualifications. The GMTO Corporation is an equal employment opportunity employer.