CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR 1
Career Family: CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR
To land Contract Administrator 1 in New Jersey you go through the competitive route: you sit an announced exam and the score puts you on the eligible list agencies hire from.
On pay it sits at the foot of the Contract Administrator ladder. One promotion up is Contract Administrator 2, whose band tops out about $21,179 higher. A master's degree is the listed credential, and extra years on the job can be traded for it. The FY2026 range lands between $70,431 and $103,187, and state payroll currently lists 4 people in the title, most of them at Transportation.
How to get hired
- Watch for an open-competitive announcement for Contract Administrator 1 on the NJ Civil Service Commission jobs portal. Announcements run for a fixed filing window.
- Apply during that window and sit the examination. Depending on the title, that can be a written test, a rating of your training and experience, or a mix of the two.
- Passing scores go onto a ranked eligible list. Veterans get preference points added on top of their score.
- When an agency has a vacancy it must appoint from the top of that list under the "Rule of Three." Many competitive jobs are first filled provisionally while the list is being built.
Read the official specification at NJ Civil Service Commission.
Pay ladder: Contract Administrator series
- Contract Administrator 1 — $70,431 – $103,187 (this title)
- Contract Administrator 2 — $84,548 – $124,366
- Contract Administrator 3 — $92,711 – $136,605
Promoting to Contract Administrator 2 raises the top of the band by about $21,179. Its top salary lands around the 48th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 4 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $72,069. The agencies employing the most are:
- Transportation (4)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under the limited supervision of a supervisory official, participates in the review and administration of various contracts and/or grants; provides technical assistance in the areas of contract and/or grant preparation, monitoring and/or evaluation; provides recommendations for contract/grant approval to supervisory staff; does other related duties.
Examples of work
Participate in the development and administration of contracts for the provision of services. May participate in conducting the solicitation of Request for Purchase (RFP) bidding process, negotiating and drafting contract language and developing evaluation criteria. Gather information used to develop procedure manuals and policy transmittals containing financial and administrative contracting and/or grant application guidelines that comply with all related laws and regulations and promote standardization, administrative and cost efficiency, accountability, and integrity in the contracting and/or grant process, and in the delivery of purchased services. Conduct field visits and reviews reports to ensure compliance with and adherence to prescribed agency contract and/or grant policies and procedures and federal and state regulations; recommends changes when required. Conduct less complex work associated with the planning and preparation involved in the administration of construction and/or professional service or other contracts. Participate in conducting contract award meetings and reviews documents to ensure compliance with and adherence to prescribed department-wide contracting policies and procedures and Federal and/or State regulations to ensure the efficient management of contracts; recommends changes based on monitoring experience. May prepare evidence for use in courts actions and hearings and give testimony under oath. As required, reviews and finalizes scope of work documents and/or develops specifications for those projects requiring use of outside architect or engineer or other professional service. Attend selection meetings to ensure the selection of qualified architects and/or engineers and/or other professionals upon successful completion of approved scope-of-work documents. Utilize the computerized contract and/or grant information system, compiles input data, analyzes output information, and prepares reports. May award or coordinate the review and selection process for the awarding of contracts. Preview purchase of proposals and contract/grant modifications and provides recommendations. Prepare and process various contract documents according to current administrative policies and procedures. Act as liaison with using agencies, project managers and contractors; interprets and resolves disputes about contract terms. Provide technical assistance in the areas of proposal/contract preparation, review and approval control, the development and management of adequate contract/grant administration and financial reporting systems, contract/grant monitoring, modification, amendment and closeout, audit compliance, service evaluation, and consultant classification. Administer financial aspects of contracts/grant awards, including procurement, vendor invoice review and voucher processing, financial analysis, quality assurance, change orders and/or investigating disputes and appeals. Monitor vendors and contracts for compliance with contract requirements. Review, audit and resolve discrepancies in consultant and contractor invoices to ensure compliance with financial contract terms. Participate in the resolution of audit findings relating to design, construction and procurement contracts. May participate in completing project closeout, including final invoice payments, compliance inspections and audits. Participate in evaluating the effectiveness of contracted services and provides consultation and expertise to using agency management. Collect and analyze data, prepares reports, and notifies supervisor of problems. Provide input into the resolution of audit findings. May assist in the analysis of new legislation and regulations pertinent to the contract/grant operations of the agency. Maintain essential reports, records and files. Participate in in-service training programs. Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of legal and administrative requirements of grant and contractual agreements. Knowledge of the forms required in design, construction and procurement work, including vouchers, change orders, progress reports, proposal forms, contracts and other documents. Knowledge of problems involved in the review of contract/grant proposals. Knowledge of principles of cost allowability and reasonableness, contract/grant budget principles, principles of matching fund accounting, and procurement guidelines. Knowledge of the methods used to collect and analyze data. Ability to negotiate mutually acceptable resolutions to disagreements. Ability to read, interpret, and apply information on the programs of the agency, and sources of funds available to finance components of those programs. Ability to interpret laws, rules and regulations and apply them to specific situations. Ability to gather and analyze data. Ability to provide technical assistance. Ability to prepare reports and correspondence. Ability to recognize and identify problems in the administration of contracts and/or grants. Ability to establish and maintain essential reports, records and files. Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. This job specification is applicable to the following title code(s) which are different work week or work month and/or variants of the job class title: Job Spec Code State, Local or Common Class of Service Work Week State Class Code Local Class Code Salary Range
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Six (6) years of professional experience involving contract/grant work, project financing, construction management, fiscal administration, social service administration, and/or budget and management operations of a government or business entity, at least one (1) year of which shall have involved responsibility for some aspect of contract/grant administration. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and two (2) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, at least one (1) year of which shall have involved responsibility for some aspect of contract/grant administration. OR Possession of a master's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Health, Public or Hospital Administration or Social Work (with concentrations in Health, Administration, or Social Policy); and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience which shall have involved responsibility for some aspect of contract/grant administration. "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions. CCNE2202P22-SC4022N/AP23- This job specification is for government use only. Salary range is only applicable to state government. Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions. 6/29/2013