Procurement Contract Specialist (Finance)

The County of Riverside's Purchasing and Fleet Department has multiple opportunities for Procurement Contract Specialist to serve as advisors in purchasing and negotiating matters. These positions serve as an amazing development opportunity for promotional growth including the ability to have signing authority.

Acting as a liaison, the Specialists will understand the unique needs of the department they support. The incumbent will be a procurement subject matter expert with the proven ability to implement industry best practices. They will also be responsible for the negotiation and drafting of contracts including services and tangible goods as well as issuing purchase orders and acting as a primary contact for vendors. Other duties will include researching, developing, and reviewing appropriate and complete specifications to assist a public agency in the solicitation of quotes, bids, and proposals for all types of goods and services as well as participating in and conducting public bid openings. Additionally, this position will work closely with internal stakeholders, leading meetings and assessing procurement needs, with a strong emphasis on writing skills and understanding procurement terminology.

The department is seeking innovative procurement professionals who can drive process improvements and bring strategic thinking to the development of contract standards and complex agreements. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience leading and managing a wide range of complex procurement activities, including multi-year and high-value, multi-commodity agreements. This includes developing solicitations such as requests for proposals (RFPs), requests for bids (RFBs), requests for quotes (RFQs), and requests for information (RFIs), as well as negotiating, drafting, and administering contracts with a strong focus on service-related procurements in the public sector. Candidates with proven expertise in establishing procurement policies and contract standards that promote efficiency and compliance are highly desirable. Certification as a Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) or Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) through the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC) is strongly encouraged.

Meet the Team!

The Purchasing and Fleet Department's primary function is to provide vehicles, goods and services to other County Departments and agencies within the County of Riverside. Providing a unified purchasing system that ensures integrity and fairness, with centralized responsibility for oversight of solicitation, vendor selection, negotiation, award, contract management, reporting, disposal of surplus property and emergency logistical support for the benefit of Riverside County agencies.• Work independently in developing and coordinating complex contracts for commodities and services for departments; research, develop and maintain vendor product information lists.

• Assist in developing and defining contract specifications; write solicitations for bids (e.g., Request for Proposals, Requests for Quotations, Invitations to Bid); analyze and determine the most appropriate contract types to reduce the County's exposure to risk.

• Review findings for accuracy, cost-effectiveness, adherence to standards, codes, and County policies and procedures; identify operational problems and formulate appropriate solutions.

• Communicate and act as a liaison between vendors and departments to develop compromises and resolve contractual problems or complaints; organize, direct and lead negotiating teams in evaluating and negotiating contracts.

• Develop and present training sessions for County staff, industry and other organizations on purchasing related procedures and policies; market County awards to other political subdivisions when applicable.

• Lead diverse technical and professional committees in problem resolution relative to County-wide standard and contractual relationship.

• Supervise, assign, and evaluate work of subordinate staff.

• Preparing and administering contracts and contract renewals (drafting of amendments) for professional and general services.

• Reviewing bids and proposals for responsiveness and legal compliance.

• Conducting vendor debriefing.

• Documenting and maintaining required contractual/purchase order records and correspondence.

• Reviewing and monitoring contract requirements, terms, and conditions.OPTION I

Education : Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree with major coursework in purchasing, business administration, economics, or a related field. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for up to two years of the required education on the basis of 30 semester/45 quarter units equaling one year of full-time experience.)

***A copy of your degree or transcripts MUST be uploaded with your application, please see "Supplemental Information" below for guidelines***

Experience : Two years of buying experience in a Purchasing Department or Agency, which includes contract negotiation, development of contract standards and procedures, and development of multi-year or major high value multi-commodity agreements.

OPTION II

Experience : Four years of buying experience in a Purchasing Department or Agency, two years of which should be equivalent to the County of Riverside Buyer II classification, which included contract negotiation, development of contract standards and procedures, and development of multi-year or major high value multi-commodity agreements.

Competitive Candidates will Possess:

• A Bachelors Degree.
• Broad and complex procurement experience which included completing purchases, bids, proposals, quotes, request for quotes/RFQs, request for information/RFIs, requests for proposals/RFPs, and request for bids/RFBs .
• Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) or Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) certification from the Universal Public Procurement Council (UPPC).
• Extensive service related procurement experience.
• Public sector or utility company purchasing experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Knowledge of: The methods, principles, and practices of purchasing/material management and of governmental purchasing; County purchasing policies and practices; a variety of product standards required by assigned departments; products, commodities, and services used within one or more commodity grouping; methods and resources used in researching and analyzing commodities and services; competitive bid practices and procedures; methods used in evaluating vendor capability and performance.

Ability to: To work independently and in a team environment; to handle sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy;establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees, management, and vendors; read and interpret rules and regulations; collect, organize, and evaluate product or service information; identify alternative solutions, and project consequences of decisions and recommendations; compose clear and concise reports, recommendations, and correspondence; communicate in a clear and persuasive manner; establish and maintain effective relationships with department officials, company/vendor representatives, and staff members; prepare purchasing specifications; lead specialized focus groups and support staff.

Other Requirements:

A successful Sheriff Level One Security Clearance conducted by the Sheriffs' Department is required for Procurement Contract Specialists

License: A valid California Driver's License is required.Please note that there will be no immediate telework schedule for this position. Telework hybrid is likely a possibility in the future but selected candidates will be required to be in the office for an undetermined amount of time when first effective.

General Information If you have any questions regarding this posting, please contact Angela Tavaglione at atavaglione@rivco.org or at (951) 955-3690

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