Contracts Specialist 3

Salary: $5,779.00 - $7,774.00 Monthly
Location : Thurston County - Olympia, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Job Number: 2026-RES-001
Department: Dept. of Enterprise Services
Division: Real Estate Services
Opening Date: 11/10/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step

Description
Contracts Specialist 3
Full Time | Permanent
Monday - Friday | 8am - 5pm | Hybrid

The hiring authority reserves the right to offer the position at any time after the required posting period, and during the recruitment process. It is to the applicant's advantage to apply as early as possible.

Application review process will begin November 23rd until this position is filled.

About this Opportunity:
The Contracts Specialist 3 position supports the mission of Real Estate Services (RES) by independently conducting expert level complex solicitations (request for proposal) for real property; drafting and finalizing legal contracts on behalf of state agencies, boards, and commissions; and, in coordination with the State Office of Attorney General (ATG), resolve legal issues that arise. The incumbent works closely with various stakeholders and the ATG in finalizing lease contracts and other legal documents on behalf of State Agencies, Boards, and Commissions. Incumbent must also be able to communicate effectively and professionally and be well organized to manage multiple workflows.

Essential duties associated with this position include contract administration, conducting solicitations, market search, lease and legal drafting & processing, and real estate professional services.
For the full job description, contact the recruiter Rachel Vaughan and request an email copy.
Duties
Duties associated with this position include:

• Facilitate team members in negotiations of complex real estate transactions and acquisition of space on a statewide basis. Independently resolve issues as they arise.
• Provide expert level control, preparation, and oversight of statewide lease documents, contracts, Interagency Agreements, as well as other real estate legal documents.
• Determine, draft, and finalize appropriate legal documents for various lease transactions, which include standard leases, rental agreements, deeds, and easements.
• Review legal documents of professional staff to ensure that input/output is in compliance with rules, policies and procedures.
• Correspond with the ATG on lease provisions, processes, legal documents, and other related actions, as necessary.
• Facilitate the lease execution process in a timely manner, which includes lease drafting, and coordinating reviews and signatures by the ATG, RES leadership, client agency, and lessor.
• Provide expert level research of leases and business operations to formulate responses to inquiries from lessors, public entities, client agencies, and DES leasing staff to respond to questions about leases such as rent payments, lease project status, and lease provisions.
• Implement and operate record retention policy of executed lease records in coordination with the Secretary of State. Duties include operating a file room with hard copies of lease records as well as transitioning to an electronic records management method.
• Enter and maintain lease data in the Lease Inventory System (LIS) to form an abstract of the lease. Generate reports using LIS to support RES management to develop data driven decisions, which include project status and lease status.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Requirements for this position normally include acquired advance competency of seven years of experience.

**Relevant education in public or business administration, real estate, real estate law, commerce, or a closely related field may substitute for required experience on a year-for-year basis.

Ways to meet the requirements of this position:
(OPTION 1)

Seven (7) years of progressive experience with lease and legal document drafting, contracts negotiations, and/or administering/managing government contracts or real estate contracts; as well as experience with contract cost or price analysis and managing work in a deadline driven environment.

Competencies include:

• Real estate industry practices, laws, best practices, lease and legal drafting and administration.
• Public solicitation/procurement processes and requirements.
• Regulations, policies and procedures for preparation of contracts, agreements, etc.
• Contract principles, terminology and development.
• Customer relations and stakeholder engagement.
• Deal with representatives of businesses, landlords, state agencies to agree on terms of contract. Assure compliance with term of contracts, agreements, etc.
• Developing short and long-range work plans and planning processes.
• Observing and interpret trends and analyze data.
• Collaborating and partnering with coworkers, customers, and stakeholders to produce successful real estate transactions.

(OPTION 2)

• Associate's degree in public or business administration, real estate, real estate law, commerce, or a closely related field AND five (5) years of progressive experience with lease and legal document drafting, contracts negotiations, and/or administering/managing government contracts or real estate contracts; as well as experience with contract cost or price analysis and managing work in a deadline driven environment.

(OPTION 3)

• Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, real estate, real estate law, commerce, or a closely related field AND three (3) years of progressive experience with lease and legal document drafting, contracts negotiations, and/or administering/managing government contracts or real estate contracts; as well as experience with contract cost or price analysis and managing work in a deadline driven environment.

(OPTION 4)

• Master's degree or higher AND one (1) year of progressive experience with lease and legal document drafting, contracts negotiations, and/or administering/managing government contracts or real estate contracts; as well as experience with contract cost or price analysis and managing work in a deadline driven environment.

Preferred/Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in commercial real estate/ leasing industry/ escrow services.
• Experience in public real estate solicitation/procurement processes and requirements.
• Knowledge of regulations, policies, and procedures for preparation of real estate contracts, agreements, etc.
• Knowledge of business and professional services, practices and trends focusing on commercial real estate.
• Knowledge of building systems (HVAC, lighting, EVSE, etc.).
• Lease negotiation experience and techniques.
• Knowledge of real estate law, Contract law, and document preparation practices.
• Knowledge of government organization and administrative structures at the state and local levels.
• Knowledge of state law and agency policy with regard to contracting regulations and requirements.

Equity Competencies:
State of Washington Employees contribute to ensuring services, programs, workplaces, and interactions are responsive, respectful, accessible, and effective to the people and communities we serve. Employees are expected to:

• Take action to learn and Grow: Demonstrate a willingness to learn from new experiences, seek feedback, consider different perspectives, and continuously improve knowledge, skills, communication, and approaches to work.
• Take action to meet the needs of others: Seek to understand the needs and experiences of customers, coworkers, and communities. Identify barriers to access and participation and address them before they become obstacles for the people we serve, providing support that is respectful, timely, and effective.

Supplemental Information
Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment

How to Apply: Interested? We would love to hear from you! Click "Apply" at the top of this page to start your application. You can save the application and come back to it, if needed. Be sure to complete the application fully to include a full work history and responses to the supplemental questions.
Please provide the following documents in order to be considered; failure to do so may result in you not being considered for the position:

• A letter of interest that describes why you are the successful candidate and how you meet the specific qualifications for this position.
• A current resume, detailing experience, and education.
• A current list of at least three (3) professional references with current contact information.

Do not attach any documents that include photos or private information (social security number, year of birth, etc.).

Please Note: By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed. A resume will not substitute for completing the "duties summary" section of the online application. Please do not refer to the resume for detail or your application may be disqualified.

Learn more about the Washington Fair Chance Act:

Background Check Notice: Prior to any new appointment into The Department of Enterprise Services, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted as a condition of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials, and we will honor this as you interact with our organization.

Contact Information:
For questions about this recruitment or to request a reasonable accommodation in the application process email at Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

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More than Just a Paycheck!
Employee benefits are not just about the kind of services you get, they are also about how much you may have to pay out of pocket. Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation.

We understand that your life revolves around more than just your career. Like everyone, your first priority is ensuring that you and your family will maintain health and financial security. That's why choice is a key component of our benefits package. We have a selection of health and retirement plans, paid leave, staff training and other compensation benefits that you can mix and match to meet your current and future needs.

Read about our benefits:
The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits
Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care e