Contract Administrator

Engineering a world of possibilities

Join Mines Office of Procurement and Contracting as our next Contract Administrator!
In this position, you will oversee the application and utilization of statutory guidance, administrative rules, policies and practices pertaining to the drafting and negotiation of expenditure, revenue and other types of contracts for the Procurement and Contracting Department. You will review contracts and draft unique contract language when existing terms and conditions do not satisfy the needs of Colorado School of Mines.
The Contract Administrator is responsible for contracting related to the procurement of materials supplies, equipment, and services for the University that will meet the needs of Mines’ administrative and academic departments and will comply with regulatory guidelines, accepted purchasing principles, and University policies. You will serve as a key member of the procurement and contracting team and as a resource to faculty, staff and campus administrators.
The person in this position will be responsible for handling a large amount of data, a high volume of requests where attention to detail and timeliness is essential.
This office currently operates in a hybrid model with on campus presence required on a regular basis.

Primary Duties 

• Maintain the integrity of the public procurement and contracting processes.  

• Determine appropriate contracting methods and ensure required approvals are obtained. 

• Supports the Procurement Team with contracts and amendments necessary for the procurements being processed.  

• Review expenditure and revenue contracts for adherence to State of Colorado Statutes, Mines fiscal policies, Mines procurement policies, and other business appropriate terms.  

• Contract review and negotiations on Mines’ contract templates and vendor contracts.  

• Understands and complies with internal controls related to the procurement and contracting processes to help ensure that risks associated are mitigated.   

• Maintains high ethical standards in order to treat fairly and equitably all persons involved with Mines to ensure the financial integrity of the University. 

• Identifies when a contract requires a waiver of Mines’ policies/rules and makes effective recommendations to Director of Procurement and Contracting.  

Contract Review, Negotiation, and Management 

• Drafts, negotiates and administers low to medium complexity contracts on Mines or vendor templates; identify and communicate business risks to campus users. 

• Reviews and negotiates non-grant funded expense contracts, revenue contracts, revenue neutral contracts,  donation agreements, and other types of contracts for compliance with the general requirements of relevant state and federal statutes, interpretations thereof, and Mines policies and procedures.  With assistance, resolves issues and problems related to contracts and identifies when issues or problems should be escalated to a higher level. 

• Develops a strong understanding of the substance of contracts being processed and summarizes business risks associated with the contracts for discussion with appropriate levels of Mines staff. 

• Conduct contract negotiations with vendors.  

• Identify high risk, problematic, or difficult contract terms, working with senior contracting staff to resolve.  

• Ensure compliance with internal procurement controls and regulations. 

• Execute contracts within delegated authority limits.  

• Understand, identify and review scopes of work, business and legal terms in contracts that impacted and need to be reviewed.  

• Protects the interests of Mines by reviewing   University Contracts, Donation Agreements, and Vendor Agreements in terms of the adequacy of contract terminology, content, and obligations of the physical resources of the University. 

• Assess contracts for completeness, including all legal and Mines requirements, and determine that appropriate contract language is included in order to mitigate risk to Mines. 

•  Determine, through strategic and critical thinking analysis, when legal and business risks exist that require input from leadership  

• Determine and/or recommend appropriate agreement format for the activity (purchase order, contract, master agreement, consortium agreement, etc.) to mitigate risk and meet the business needs of the University. 

• As necessary and with assistance, determine when resolving negotiations through alternative solutions are in the best interest of the University. This requires evaluating the other party’s position(s) and working knowledge of State statutes, Procurement rules, and University policies in order to ensure mutually acceptable solutions remain compliant with all applicable rules and policies.  

Process Improvement / Innovation 

• Support as necessary the implementation of procurement process redesign or changes.  

• Assist with drafting and testing updates to policies, procedures, template contract documents, purchase order terms and conditions and other updates as necessary.  

• Identify and report reoccurring process bottlenecks to the Senior Contract Administrator Specialist or the Contracts Manager to suggest areas of improvement.  

Training / Support  

• Delivers formal and informal contracts training to campus stakeholders on policy, tools, and workflows. 

• Contributes to the overall success of the department by assuming duties and responsibilities as designated by management.  

Systems, Reporting, and Procurement Data 

• Utilize Workday, contracts database, Microsoft suite, and other campus and procurement tools to support process efficiency and provide campus user training. 

• Basic understanding of end of fiscal year and beginning of fiscal year activities.  

• Proficiently utilizes the contracts database for contract tracking and reporting, provides feedback on system functionality to support continuous improvement.  

Minimum Qualifications: 

• 1 – 4 years of relevant contracting experience.  

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field.  
• Professional working history.  
• Knowledge of contract law. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite.  
• Ability to use spreadsheets, databases, presentation software, and enterprise financial systems  
• Demonstrated customer service skills, the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community and ability to meet multiple deadlines. 
• Analytical and problem-solving skills including the ability to identify risks and use independent judgment within the scope of standard operating procedures. 
• Effective oral and written communication skills.  
• Ability to successfully deal with all persons in a fair and equitable manner.  
• Ability to know when to ask questions and for assistance.  
• Possess and maintain integrity and a high sense of personal and professional ethics.  
• Analytical thinking, research skills, and problem-solving skills.  
• Self-motivated and ability to multitask.  
• Skill in establishing and fostering a cooperative work environment.  
• Excellent administrative and communication abilities, negotiation, and interpersonal skills; detailed-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with a cross functional team.  
• Ability to apply and adhere to (with guidance from senior contract staff) Colorado Revised Statues and University policies as they relate to standard procurement and contract.  
• Ability to effectively provide technical support and guidance on contracting workflows and tool usage.  
• Demonstrated ability to manage a high volume of routine tasks with accuracy while recognizing when to seek higher level contracting expertise.  
• Excellent administrative and communication abilities, negotiation, and interpersonal skills; detailed-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities; ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with a cross functional team.  
• Ability to review and interpret (with assistance of Director and/or Mines’ Office of General Counsel) Colorado Revised Statutes that are applicable to contract and procurement laws and apply that review and interpretation to contracts for Mines.     

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate or advanced degree in business, paralegal or other related field.  

• Experience in drafting, reviewing and negotiating expenditure and revenue contracts in an institution of Higher Education or K-12 education or public institution. 

Salary and Benefits

$76,851 - $88,600 annual salary

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.

How to Apply

Applicants must:

Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)

• Upload a resume or CV
• Upload a cover letter

Application review will begin 6/11/26. Applications will not be received after 6/10/26 at 11:59 p.m.

Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

References will not be contacted until later in the selection process and you will be informed before that contact is made.

Successful Completion of a Background Investigation is Required for this Position.

This posting may be used to fill more than one position, based on business needs.

About Mines & Golden, CO

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines.

Colorado School of Mines is a top-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 36 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2025).

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.

At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size.

That size – roughly 8,200 undergraduate and graduate students – also translates to a close-knit campus community, where employees have opportunities to get involved in multiple ways, continued professional learning is valued and everyone can make an impact.

Community Alliance groups bring together employees for professional development, networking, and community involvement, and all Mines employees also have access to the wealth of activities happening every day on campus – nationally-renowned speakers, special events and Mines traditions like Engineering Days, just to name a few.

And don’t get us started on our hometown. We are located in the heart of Golden, Colorado --with its charming historic downtown and nearby hiking trails – and in close proximity to all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. That includes the sunny, high-altitude climate and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities that make the Denver area an ideal place to live, work and play.

Are you looking for an inspiring, mission-driven workplace where you can contribute to solving the world’s problems and educating the next generation of change makers? Are you an individual who values a community where our individual perspectives and experiences enrich the educational and work experience?

Look to Mines.

Additional Information and Reasonable Accommodation Requests
It is the intent of Mines to comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and their implementation rules and regulations, in support of equal opportunities for qualified applicants with disabilities. To meet this goal, Mines will make reasonable accommodations during the employment selection process and within our working environment.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on our site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting our Human Resources team at [email protected] or 303.273.3250 for assistance.

Successful completion of a background investigation is required for this position.
Equal Opportunity

Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons. Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.

Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a talented student body and workforce.

Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequality or concerns for safety.

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting