Contract Administrator III

Salary : $59,460.00 - $95,124.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: IHA 04130 08/11/2026
Department: Colorado Department of Human Services
Division: OCYF (Office of Children, Youth & Families)
Opening Date: 08/11/2026
Closing Date: 8/25/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address: 1575 Sherman St., Denver, CO 80203
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information: View email address on click.appcast.io
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.


Department Information
This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Most State of Colorado employees are eligible for a great benefit package! Please see the Supplemental Information section below for details!
About the Division of Youth Services: The Division of Youth Services (DYS) provides a continuum of residential and non-residential services that encompass juvenile detention, commitment, and parole. DYS is the agency statutorily mandated to provide for the care and supervision of youth committed by the District Court to the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services. The Division operates twelve secure facilities that serve youth between the ages of 10 and 21 who are pre-adjudicated, sentenced, or committed. The Division also contracts with numerous private residential and non-residential service providers throughout the State. For pre-adjudicated youth, the Division is also responsible for the management and oversight of Senate Bill 91-94; a State-funded, locally administered program that provides services to youth at risk of further progressing into the juvenile justice system. In addition to residential programming, the Division administers juvenile parole services throughout the State.

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) Director's office exists to provide comprehensive administration of the operations of all State operated institutions, privately contracted residential and non-residential programs, Regional Offices and centrally managed programming. The Director's office consists of the Division's Central Administration, Medical and Psychological services, Education services, Assessment, Training and Staff Development, Food Services, Research and Evaluation, Quality Control, Financial Services/Contract Management, and Senate Bill 94 Alternatives to Detention

Description of Job
Weekly Hybrid Working Arrangements

Minimum 2 days In Office and Maximum 3 days Remote Work
Summary of Position:
This position is a permanent, full-time position that serves as a Division Contracts and Purchasing Administrator and Contract Monitoring Lead.


This position performs a full range of financial, contractual, budgetary, and analysis services to the Division, which includes writing and revising scopes of work (SOW) that accurately reflect program workplans, compiling and routing full contract package, providing consultation and guidance to program staff to ensure understanding and adherence to federal and state requirements, assisting with the development of standards, guidance and tools to support SOW creation, coordinating with finance team members, program staff and departmental contracts and purchasing staff to efficiently and effectively process contracts and purchase orders in a timely manner. Position makes recommendations to the DYS Finance Director, Budget Analysts, and Program Managers to support complete and appropriate utilization of funds in contracts. This position creates and maintains assigned tracking spreadsheets, send executed contracts and purchases orders to vendors, create and perform entry into assigned databases, draft correspondence, maintain electronic files, and serve as a Contract and Purchasing division specialist.


This position performs a set of documented planned, ongoing and periodic activities to determine whether the contractor (contractor, vendor, or subrecipient) is in fiscal compliance with commitment document agreement terms and conditions and all applicable laws and regulations. The position must maintain current knowledge of department contract monitoring policy and guidance, and the laws, rules, and policies associated with procurement and contracting. This position works closely with program staff to train, support, monitor and document programmatic contract monitoring efforts and practices, and makes recommendations to responsible program staff to improve programmatic contract monitoring practices and documentation.


Contracts and Purchasing :
Independently draft contracts, amendments, and renewals in accordance with the department's Procurement and Contracts Section contracts and procurement standards, including the use of standard contract templates. Ensure complete and appropriate contract packages that adhere to Fiscal rules, Procurement rules, State Statutes, department policies and guidance and division reporting and confidentiality requirements. Identify and resolve contractual and/or budgetary discrepancies. Analyze, evaluate and recommend solutions and/or reallocation of funds as appropriate.


Independently work with and support Division program staff by providing consultation and guidance on when personal services purchase agreements are needed and type of agreement to be initiated: purchase order, contract, contract amendment, or contract renewal letter/option letter. Collaborate with budget analysts to provide all programs with technical guidance in purchasing, contract drafting, and contract management.


Receive and review purchasing and contracting documents from program staff to ensure the documents adhere to the State fiscal/procurement rules, CDHS policies and the funder's or legislative intent. Maintain current knowledge and proficiency in all applicable state, federal, and department rules, regulations, policies and procedures and act as a resource and guide to Division staff. Guide program staff on all contracting solutions that meet the program's needs and conform to all applicable requirements. Review applicable documents and actions to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations.


Maintain, enter, and record entries into the following State systems to ensure compliance: eClearance, Contract Management System (CMS), and the department's electronic signature system for contracts.


Independently evaluate documents submitted by program staff for completeness and accuracy to process requests in an efficient and effective manner. Obtain program approval for final document and route through Department systems and approval process for execution. Prepare and assemble internal and external routing forms, Personal Service Certification forms and justifications as appropriate, monitor contract status throughout approval process. Carry out procedures for notification to division vendors and programs of fully executed contracts and purchase orders.


Participation in department work groups on procurement/contracting and attendance of all department-offered contracting and procurement training.


Scope of Work Development :
Serve as a Scope of Work (SOW) specialist and work plan liaison to division program staff by providing technical assistance, consultation and guidance from conception to execution of personal services purchase agreements. Perform relevant quality assurance reviews, such as analysis of the sequence and schedule of proposed deliverables, program objectives and available data to verify the actual SOW/work plan is adequately described; evaluation of the stated performance controls to ensure there is a reliable basis for verifying service deliverables; assure the financial documentation required is adequate to ensure costs are adequately reflected. Advise, educate and support program staff to ensure understanding and compliance with proper procedure and timeframes needed to successfully develop a strong and legally binding SOW/work plan.


Formulates, recommends, develops, and reviews scopes of work and works with program staff to ensure SOW language is within fiscal guidelines, state and Department rules and confidentiality requirements. Ensures adequate description of deliverables and timelines are included in the SOW. Perform negotiations with program and/or contractors, as necessary and when required, to establish the SOW and the budget for funded projects. Obtain program approval for final document and route for processing.

Contract Monitoring Lead :
Position establish and document DYS contract monitoring guidance.

Position works with program staff with oversight of contracts to ensure that DYS contract monitoring practices are completed on every contract which include: assessing compliance with DYS and CDHS contract monitoring standards, programmatic provisions, and addressing contractor performance issues.


This position ensures that DYS contracts are appropriately monitored to the deliverables, timelines, quality, budget, and business relations detailed in the agreement and that contract monitoring activities in DYS adhere to DYS and department standards, and other applicable laws and regulations for all contracts by conducting training, providing technical assistance, and maintaining appropriate contract monitoring documentation for all DYS contracts.


The position delivers trainings to the program manager responsible for each contract to ensure that the following key monitoring tasks are performed for each contract in accordance with the work and timelines specified in the scope of work:

• Develop and maintain communication plan with current contact information for the monitoring team
• Monitor contract according to financial and program risk ratings. Ensure file has documentation for risk ratings assigned to contractors
• Coordinate and conduct post award meetings with each contractor and/or vendor to communicate agreement expectations; department point of contacts; methods of monitoring and evaluation; etc.
• Follow documentation and tracking procedures for logging communications and deliverables.
• Duties for assessing contractor compliance with DYS and CDHS standards and other contractual provisions include:
  • Requesting and receiving ongoing performance data from contractors;
  • Analyzing data and reports to detect potential areas of noncompliance;
  • Coordinating with program staff to ensure logging and documenting all performance-related communication to contractors and their responses; and,
  • Making overall assessment of contractor programmatic performance, consistent with the Contract Monitoring Program guidelines.
• Monitor contract budget through invoice reviews and regular reconciliations between program staff, fiscal staff and contractor.
• Plan, schedule, and conduct site visits, utilizing program/division/department standardized approaches including examine records, interviews of key contractor staff, and direct observation of performance. Document and save site visit notifications, agenda, report and/or notes.
• Ongoing analysis of process and outcome data submitted to observe contractor performance. Duties for addressing contractor performance issues include:
  • Highlighting any fiscal and/or program areas that are assessed as below standard as a result of site visits or other monitoring activities;
  • Conveying these areas to contractors in a timely manner, and documenting all requests and outcomes;
  • For areas that continue to show evidence of noncompliance after having been discussed with contractors, develop a written Performance Improvement Plan consistent with department and program guidelines;
  • When warranted, follow contract cancellation or nonrenewal provisions in contracts to prevent misuse of funds or harm to clients.
• Organize, schedule, conduct and document contractor performance evaluations in compliance with DYS and CDHS contract monitoring standards
• Contract close-out responsibilities include receiving all deliverables and final invoice, completing final performance evaluation, and ensuring contract file is complete before final payment.

If contract compliance issues are identified, the position confers with the program staff and supervisor to identify appropriate follow up actions, which may include a performance improvement plan or initiation of contract cancellation. The position remains current on contractor compliance, and communicates the need for escalated action when deemed necessary.


The position is required to stay up to date on CDHS contract monitoring standards through ongoing participation in training and education opportunities.

Division Procurement functions: Solicitation design, evaluation, monitoring:
Designs, solicits, evaluates, negotiates, and awards to vendors specific orders for goods or services. Assure appropriate procurement rules have been followed by leading program personnel in development of RFPs, Doc Quotes, IFB's and purchase orders. Support program staff in other procurement methods such as doc quotes or IFBS. Evaluate appropriate procurement method by doing financial forecast of total expense including life of the project. Review solicitation statement pricing methods including any application of overhead, profit, and/or indirect costs

Other Duties As Assigned:
Other duties as assigned
Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
You are required to work at your assigned work location during your scheduled work times.
Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications listed below to continue in the selection process for this position. Work experience must be specifically documented on your application. Do not use "see resume" or "see attached" statements on your application.
Minimum Qualifications:
Experience Only:
Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position

OR
Education and Experience:
A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to six (6) years.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience drafting, creating, or developing contracts, agreements, and/or purchase orders
• Experience identifying inaccuracies, ambiguities, or inconsistencies in contracts, agreements, Scope of Work, or other similar written documentation
• Experience prioritizing and managing a large portfolio of work tasks with differing deadlines

Conditions of Employment:

• Standard Background ALL CDHS employees (non-direct contact): CBI name check, ICON Colorado court database, Medicare fraud database, Reference checks, Professional License verification (licensure requirements), and drug screen (commercial Driver's license)
• Travel - Travel to meetings, site visits trainings, and other DYS locations may be required
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify the applicant from the current position. Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with CDHS.

Appeal Rights:

If you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.
An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email (View email address on click.appcast.io), postmarked in US Mail or hand delivered (1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver CO 80203), or faxed View phone number on click.appcast.io) within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department's action.

For more information about the appeals process, the official appeal form, and how to deliver it to the State Personnel Board; go to spb.colorado.gov; contact the State Personnel Board for assistance at View phone number on click.appcast.io; or refer to 4 Colorado Code of Regulations (CCR) 801-1, State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, Chapter 8, Resolution of Appeals and Disputes, at spb.colorado.gov under Rules.
Supplemental Information
Link to: How to Apply


Link to: The Assessment Process

For additional recruiting questions, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io
About Us:
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated people of the (CDHS). Our professionals strive to design and deliver high quality human and health services that improve the safety, independence, and well-being of the people of Colorado. In addition to a great location and rewarding and meaningful work, we offer:

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
• Remote work arrangements for eligible positions

*Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more
information, go to


Our Values:
We believe in a people-first approach: To serve the people of Colorado, we develop a culture and work environment that creates an energized, inspired, and healthy team capable of giving their best to Coloradans

Balance creates quality of life: We want our team to be resilient through a supportive workplace that values flexibility, health and wellness, and employee engagement.

We hold ourselves accountable: We take responsibility through our actions, programs, and results for the state of health and human services in Colorado.

Transparency matters: We are open and honest with employees, our partners, the Coloradans we serve, and the public.

We are ethical: We abide by what is best for those we serve by doing what is right, not what is easy.

Collaboration helps us rise together: We work together with all partners, employees, and clients to achieve the best outcomes for Coloradans.

We are committed to increasing the diversity of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

ADAA Accommodations: CDHS is committed to a Colorado for ALL qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment. This includes completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries View email address on click.appcast.io.
~THE STATE OF COLORADO IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER~

Toll Free Applicant Technical Support
The State of Colorado offers permanent employees a variety of benefits including medical, dental, life and disability insurance, as well as a comprehensive leave program. Please click the following link for detailed information:


Please note that each agency's contact information is different; therefore, we encourage all applicants to view the full, official job announcement which includes contact information and class title. Select the job you wish to view, then click on the "Print" icon.
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If you are a current or former State of Colorado employee, please list your employee number (starts with 9971...) and/or the years that you were employed with the State:
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Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application.In the space below, please provide an explanation as to why the prior termination or resignation should NOT disqualify your application from the current position.
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Describe your experience working with a large portfolio with tasks of differing deadline, difficulty level, and prioritization. How to you manage multiple competing priorities?
Required Question