How to hire a contract administrator/contract specialist

How to hire a contract administrator/contract specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step contract administrator/contract specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a contract administrator/contract specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new contract administrator/contract specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a contract administrator/contract specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the contract administrator/contract specialist you need to hire. Certain contract administrator/contract specialist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A contract administrator/contract specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, contract administrator/contract specialists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of contract administrator/contract specialists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist	Buyers and purchasing agents buy products and services for organizations to use or resell. They evaluate suppliers, negotiate contracts, and review the quality of products.	$16-37
   Purchasing Agent	A purchasing agent's general task is keeping purchase records and making sure that there won't be any discrepancies with the handling of orders. The purchasing agent should be responsible for the order processing and payment collection... Show more	$17-34
   Media Buyer	Media Buyers are marketing professionals who manage the company's advertisements. They create the company's media plan to determine the advertising needs of the company... Show more	$26-47

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Contract Management
   • Purchase Orders
   • Contract Terms
   • Data Entry
   • Price Analysis
   • Defense Finance
   • Contract Modifications
   • Delivery Orders
   • Market Research
   • Strategic Sourcing
   • DOD
   • Logistics
   • RFP
   • Contract Audit

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the projects through initial project execution at local CMO's.
   • Create operational efficiencies by effectively managing databases containing RFP library responses and approve responses to request revisions to form agreements.
   • Ensure refund to DLA from vendor if applicable.
   • Make recommendations to the ACO concerning property issues as required.
   • Monitor the contractor's purchase material and vendor QA controls.
   • Review and analyzes contractor or vendor QA data and adjusts receiving process.

   More contract administrator/contract specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your contract administrator/contract specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A contract administrator/contract specialist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, contract administrator/contract specialists' average salary in maine is 57% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level contract administrator/contract specialists earn 56% less than senior-level contract administrator/contract specialists.
   • Certifications. A contract administrator/contract specialist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a contract administrator/contract specialist's salary.

   Average contract administrator/contract specialist salary

   $53,425yearly

   $25.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level contract administrator/contract specialist salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average contract administrator/contract specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Maryland	$71,307	$34
   2	Virginia	$62,784	$30
   3	Texas	$61,692	$30
   4	Illinois	$60,229	$29
   5	California	$59,701	$29
   6	Florida	$59,449	$29
   7	New Mexico	$58,463	$28
   8	Pennsylvania	$57,255	$28
   9	Missouri	$56,293	$27
   10	Alabama	$56,026	$27
   11	North Carolina	$54,712	$26
   12	Washington	$54,419	$26
   13	Michigan	$54,358	$26
   14	Georgia	$52,946	$25
   15	Nevada	$52,722	$25
   16	Wisconsin	$51,965	$25
   17	Ohio	$50,896	$24
   18	South Carolina	$50,299	$24
   19	Wyoming	$47,580	$23
   20	Arizona	$47,085	$23

   Average contract administrator/contract specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Jacobs Engineering Group	$78,949	$37.96
   2	Aerojet Rocketdyne	$78,097	$37.55
   3	The PNC Financial Services Group	$77,067	$37.05	5
   4	Planate Management Group	$66,119	$31.79
   5	Stantec	$64,388	$30.96	9
   6	Tkda	$61,895	$29.76
   7	National Renewable Energy Laboratory	$60,271	$28.98	1
   8	Wolters Kluwer	$60,163	$28.92
   9	The Squires Group	$57,978	$27.87
   10	Rotech Healthcare	$57,296	$27.55	2
   11	Peraton	$56,390	$27.11	36
   12	First Commonwealth Bank	$55,611	$26.74
   13	Kuehne+Nagel	$55,053	$26.47	2
   14	Altarum	$54,836	$26.36
   15	Alere	$54,704	$26.30
   16	Murraysmith	$54,635	$26.27
   17	Abbott	$54,614	$26.26	9
   18	ScriptPro	$54,595	$26.25
   19	A & S Co	$54,366	$26.14
   20	CB Richard Ellis Memphis LLC	$54,366	$26.14

4. Writing a contract administrator/contract specialist job description

   A good contract administrator/contract specialist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a contract administrator/contract specialist job description:

   Contract administrator/contract specialist job description example

   Supporting Shipping and Receiving of all customer deliverables as well internal hardware and software needs.
   
   Receive and process customer orders into Salesforce.com and track orders from receipt to delivery and invoicing.
   
   Process prospective customer bailment agreements with contracts department and help arrange equipment to be delivered to customer and returned to BAE upon bailment completion.
   Support Maintenance Support Renewals Team in managing overall schedule. Support team in arranging, packing, and shipping marketing materials for trade shows and customer demonstrations. Burn media (CDs/DVDs) of software to provide to customers. Support Sales & Sales/Engineering teams on various prospective & current customer deliverables. Support team in overall office management. Responsible to support daily Business Operations for Cybersecurity Product Portfolio.Team consists of 4 team members.1 Program Manager, 2 Functional Support Specialists, and one Customer Renewal Support Specialist.
   
   This role will be performed in a Hybrid capacity, with the incumbent working both in-office & remotely, from home.
   
   Required Education, Experience, & Skills
   Bachelor's Degree Preferred Pursuant to a specific U.S. Government contract, selected individual must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
   
   About BAE Systems Electronic Systems
   BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services. Improving the future and protecting lives is an ambitious mission, but it's what we do at BAE Systems. Working here means using your passion and ingenuity where it counts - defending national security with breakthrough technology, superior products, and intelligence solutions. As you develop the latest technology and defend national security, you will continually hone your skills on a team-making a big impact on a global scale. At BAE Systems, you'll find a rewarding career that truly makes a difference. Electronic Systems (ES) is the global innovator behind BAE Systems' game-changing defense and commercial electronics. Exploiting every electron, we push the limits of what is possible, giving our customers the edge and our employees opportunities to change the world. Our products and capabilities can be found everywhere - from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of space. At our core are more than 14,000 highly talented Electronic Systems employees with the brightest minds in the industry, we make an impact - for our customers and the communities we serve.
   
   Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
   At BAE Systems, we work hard every day to nurture an inclusive culture where employees are valued and feel like they belong. We are conscious of the need for all employees to see themselves reflected at every level of the company and know that in order to unlock the full potential of our workforce, everyone must feel confident being their best, most sincere self and be equipped to thrive. We provide impactful professional development experiences to our employees and invest in social impact partnerships to uplift communities and drive purposeful change. Here you will find significant opportunities to do meaningful work in an environment intentionally designed to be one where you will learn, grow and belong.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right contract administrator/contract specialist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your contract administrator/contract specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit contract administrator/contract specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with contract administrator/contract specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new contract administrator/contract specialist

   Once you've selected the best contract administrator/contract specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new contract administrator/contract specialist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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