Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

Pay Range:

$40.27 - $49.52 Hourly

Department:

Department of County Human Services (DCHS)

Job Type:

Regular Represented

Exemption Status:

United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

October 11, 2026

The Opportunity:

Overview

Multnomah County voters chose to invest in high-quality, culturally responsive, inclusive, joyous early learning opportunities for all 3 and 4 year-old children. This investment will transform and impact educational experiences for young children and their families and we want you to help make it a success! Apply today to join the budget and contracts team with Preschool for All.

As the Bilingual Spanish Contract Liaison (Program Specialist job profile) for the Preschool & Early Learning Division (PEL) in the Department of County Human Services (DCHS), you will be part of a team that actively champions racial justice and equity within highly visible early childhood programs and systems at Multnomah County and in the community. 

You will be a collaborative member of PEL’s budgets and contracts team and will actively engage with the PEL program team and DCHS Business Services to aid in the development and administration of a portfolio of contracts and the corresponding budgets to ensure they align with County requirements and the initiative’s goal of providing free, high quality, culturally affirming preschool for families that currently have the least access.

Primary responsibilities include:

Budget and Contract Development and Administration:

• Act as a liaison between PEL program development staff and DCHS accounts payable and contracts unit to coordinate and process new contracts, contract amendments, change notifications, budget approvals, and invoices.
• Develop and accurately maintain budget and invoice tracking systems using complex formulas in spreadsheets
• Prepare operational and/or technical reports related to contract budget, spending, and invoicing for use in contract monitoring.
• Provide training and consultation to program development staff related to timeline and process for setting up contracts, contract renewals, budget review and approvals.
• Act as a representative of the program with contracted service providers, programs, vendors, County staff, community organizations and the public to accomplish position objectives. 
• Advance the Division’s racial equity work through positive relationships with funded partners, including listening deeply to concerns and suggesting process improvements that reduce barriers for culturally specific organizations and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color owned businesses.

Contract Development: Collaborate with program subject matter experts to ensure consistent and accurate information is provided to stakeholders. Collaborate with the PELD program matter experts and DCHS Business Services to approve budgets for contracted agencies.

Key Knowledge & Experience:

• Knowledge of principles and practices of the development, management and evaluation of contracts
• Knowledge and experience of basic accounting principles with a strong ability to manage consistent, transparent, and accurate data and information.
• Experience providing technical and non-technical subject matter expertise as a consultant to multiple stakeholders with differing priorities,concerns, and levels of experience with contracting.
• Experience monitoring, reviewing and preparing technical reports related to expenditures, invoices and payment authorizations to ensure fiscal compliance.
• Knowledge and experience with developing basic to intermediate spreadsheet formulas and queries
• Knowledge and experience with cost reimbursement budgets for contractual services
• Ability to manage extensive invoicing and payment data sets and tracking systems with a high level of precision and accuracy.
• Ability to effectively coordinate with multiple stakeholders in order to meet competing timelines and project objectives.
• Ability to easily adapt to changing priorities and to demonstrate close attention to details
• Knowledge and understanding of the issues surrounding equity, inclusion, implicit bias, institutional racism, and other forms of systemic oppression
• Knowledge and understanding of cultures, customs and social experiences of historically excluded communities experiencing barriers to opportunity, and which communities are most disproportionately impacted

The eligible list created from this recruitment may be used to fill future regular, limited duration, full or part time, temporary, or on-call positions. 

To Qualify 

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant. For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview on the selection process page. 

Equity note: Research suggests that women and Black, Indigenous, and other persons of color are less likely than men and white job seekers to apply for positions unless they are confident they meet 100% of the listed qualifications. We strongly encourage all interested individuals to apply, and allow us to evaluate the knowledge, skills and abilities that you demonstrate, using an intentional equity lens. 

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills: 

• Ability to promote a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and values 
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study, or equivalent education and/or practical experience 
• Two years of experience working in human services and/or public sector contract administration
• Must pass a criminal background check 

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Fluent in Spanish for both written and verbal communication.
• Advanced understanding of culture, customs and norms of Latinx communities.
• Knowledge of principles, accounting methods and fiscal compliance related to reviewing and approving cost reimbursement budgets and complex invoices with multiple expenditure types associated with public sector contracts. 
• Knowledge and ability to build and maintain pivot tables and formulas for spreadsheet calculations, queries, data lookup and data importing. 
• Ability to identify and address personal biases. 
• Advanced knowledge and skill in advancing racial equity.

*Transferable Skills: Your transferable skills are any skills you have gained through education, work experience (including the military) or life experiences that are relevant for this position. Be sure to describe any transferable skills on your application and clearly explain how they apply to this position. 

Screening and Evaluation 

The Application Packet: 

Your completed application must include both of the following items: 

• A completed online application and/or resume. 
• A cover letter. Please attach your cover letter as a separate document. In your cover letter:
  • Describe how you meet the minimum qualifications and how your background makes you a great candidate in this role described in the Overview and To Qualify sections of the job announcement, in particular your experience working with contracts, budgets and programs. 
  • Describe why working on Preschool for All, a truly unique opportunity to build a new system for children and families in our community, appeals to you. 
  • Describe any work experience and transferable skills that demonstrate a commitment to racial justice and equity. 

Please note: Your application and/or resume and cover letter should demonstrate your work experience/skills and how it is related to those shown in the Overview and

To Qualify sections of the job announcement. Please be thorough, as these materials may be scored and determine your eligibility for an interview. The quality of your response may determine if you are moved on to the next review. Please be clear and specific in the applicable sections of the online application/resume about how your background is relevant. Information stated in your cover letter must be consistent with your application and/or resume (when applicable). 

The Selection Process: 

For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows: 

• Initial review of minimum qualifications 
• An evaluation of application materials to identify the most qualified candidates 
• Consideration of top candidates through phone screen and/or interviews 
• Background check and reference checks 

  

Note: Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice. 

  

Additional Information 

Type of Position: This hourly union-represented position is eligible for overtime pay.

Schedule: This position works Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week

Location: 458 SE 185TH Avenue, Portland, OR 97233

Teleworking: At this time, the position is designated as routine telework with plans to transition to a hybrid work schedule that requires three in-office days, effective no later than July 01, 2027. This designation of telework may be subject to change at a future time. Currently, all employees must reside in Oregon or Washington; the county cannot support ongoing telework from other locations.

Benefits:  Multnomah County offers a generous benefits package. For more information about our benefit offerings, please visit: https://multco.us/benefits/new-employee-benefits 

Pay Equity: The county regularly reviews pay equity for our workforce. When setting pay we consider applicants’ education, experience, seniority, training, and tenure in relation to other employees performing a similar level of work.

Serving the Public, Even During Disasters Everyday, Multnomah County staff work together to serve as a safety net for our communities. During a disaster, this safety net becomes even more critical. All County employees have a role in serving the public during inclement weather, natural disaster, or other types of community emergency response. During these emergency responses, while typically there begins with a call for volunteers, county employees may ultimately be reassigned from their current position to a role in the emergency response in order to support the critical needs presented by our communities. For more information, please visit the Disaster Service Worker Information page.

In accordance with Oregon Law, Multnomah County is not collecting school attendance dates in the initial application process; please do not include these dates in your resume, cover letter and other application materials.

Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals.

Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.

Questions?

Recruiter:

Anne Blumenauer

Email:

anne.blumenauer@multco.us

Phone:

+1 (971) 9175769

Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.

Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Job Profile:

6021 - Program Specialist