DNR Executive Director's Office Purchasing Agent III - Procurement

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and Dental plans

Strong retirement plans (PERA)

Paid life insurance

Disability coverage

Employee Wellness programs

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Savings Accounts

11 paid holidays

Job summary

State of Colorado's Department of Natural Resources is seeking a seasoned Purchasing Agent I/II to oversee procurement of goods, services, and construction. The role requires evaluating needs, preparing solicitations, and ensuring compliance with applicable rules and procedures while maximizing competition.

Hybrid work options are available, with occasional on-site meetings in Denver. Strong knowledge of CORE and Colorado Fiscal Rules is preferred, along with experience in contract management

Qualifications

• Six years of public or private sector experience in business administration, contract management, procurement, economics, law, supply chains, purchasing, or finance.
• Combination of related education and experience may substitute for the degree requirement (six years equivalent).
• Part-time work prorated; substitution rules apply.

Responsibilities

• Review purchase requests for completeness, pricing, and compliance.
• Determine the most effective procurement method to maximize competition.
• Prepare and publish solicitations with specifications and terms.
• Convene pre-bid meetings and coordinate vendor questions.
• Lead evaluation teams and negotiate awards to best-value proposals.
• Provide guidance on CORE, procurement rules, and processes.

Skills

State service

Supervisory experience

Multi-tasking

CORE proficiency

Procurement code familiarity

Tools

CORE

Job description

This posting is only open to residents of the State of Colorado at the time of submitting your application.

Consider joining the dedicated people of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. It's our mission to manage and conserve Colorado's natural resources for the benefit of people today - and tomorrow. That means we have to balance development with conservation so the state we all love provides similar opportunities for our children and their children.

We invite you to explore our website at https://dnr.colorado.gov/about-us to find out more about the work we do to manage Colorado’s natural resources for today - and tomorrow.

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

In addition to offering rewarding, meaningful work, we offer:

• Medical and Dental plans
• Strong, flexible retirement plans including PERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan, plus pre-tax and Roth 401K and 457 plans
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• Employee Wellness programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave
• Flexible work schedule options and remote-work options
• Career advancement opportunities throughout the State system
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Department of Natural Resources, Executive Director's Office

The Executive Director’s Office (EDO) within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources (DNR) exists to manage and supervise the activities of the Divisions within DNR in the development, preservation, and enhancement of Colorado’s natural resources for the benefit and enjoyment of its citizens – both now and in the future. EDO combines and manages the administrative, operational and performance functions of all DNR divisions, including the EDO.

The purpose of the work unit is to manage all aspects of procurement including solicitations, contracting using purchase orders, formalizing agreements and vendor agreements for the Department. These activities fall under the Group II Purchasing Delegation from the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration to the Department of Natural Resources, as well as individual delegations from the State Controller for no-risk and low-risk contract approvals. The unit ensures that all procurement activities are in compliance with the Colorado Procurement Code, Fiscal Rules, and applicable policies, procedures and guidelines.

• Assist DNR divisional staff to acquire all necessary goods, services, and construction services in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Make procurement decisions at the department level by interpreting and analyzing needs, specifications, data and circumstances; to clarify State and federal procurement requirements
• Determine optimal method of procurement and develop prepare and publish various solicitation documents, including documented quotations, formal invitations for bids, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, and requests for information
• Convene and manage review teams in order to evaluate bidder proposals and qualifications to make negotiated purchases and awards;
• Provide professional purchasing expertise, counsel and assistance to divisional staff. Provide additional customer service to divisions for questions related to DNR and statewide procurement standards and procedures.
• Provides technical guidance to customers using CORE
• Help to develop purchasing processes and schedules, and make the judgments and decisions implicit in these activities based on professional discretion.

Solicit commodities, Services, Construction and Professional Services

1. Review purchase requests for various factors, including completeness, if requisite pre-reviews and pre-approvals are necessary and have been obtained, fair and reasonable pricing, compliance with required rules and policies, and urgency. Determine the most effective method of procurement that will provide the requested commodities/services/construction when needed, while maximizing competition and complying with relevant laws and rules. Formulate, solicit, analyze, evaluate and award solicitations, which includes developing and/or reviewing the proper specifications with applicable terms and conditions and sending to the appropriate vendors to obtain maximum competitions. Convene and direct pre-bid meetings between users and bidders when required. Coordinate vendor questions, provide answers and clarifications to solicitation requirements. Lead teams of program and subject matter experts and guide individual teams through the evaluation of multiple proposals, including interaction with vendors to ensure that proposals are fully understood. Award solicitations in compliance with procurement rules and regulations to the lowest responsible bidder or best value proposal based on the recommendation of an evaluation team. Announce the ranked order of qualified professional services consultants resulting from a Request for Qualifications issued under Colorado Statutes.

Review and Approve Purchase Orders

Review purchase orders and small dollar grant awards submitted by procurement liaisons within the DNR divisions, evaluating purchase order requests for compliance with required pre-reviews and pre-approvals, procurement and fiscal code, rules, as well as federal, statewide and department policies and guidelines. Make determinations if the purchase order is in compliance and meets fair and reasonable pricing requirements. Work with division procurement liaisons in order to bring deficient purchase order requests into compliance. Approve purchase orders and small dollar grant awards.

Reference and Outreach to Division Staff

Provide guidance and counsel to employees throughout the Department’s divisions, particularly procurement liaisons, contract administrators and program/project managers, by analyzing problems, interpreting laws and statutes, researching best practices and seeking information from the State Controller’s Office, Attorney General’s Office and State Purchasing Office. Train department staff on procurement rules and regulations and processes. Assist agencies in setting up efficient procedures for processing purchases, managing purchasing needs, and monitoring vendor performance. Work with division procurement liaisons and program managers to gain understanding and support of accountability and responsibility, even when there are unique problems and/or circumstances. May conduct audits of discretionary purchases, contract monitoring and other division procurement activities.

Develop and Provide Formal Trainings and Related Resources

Owning the other responsibilities outlined herein the position will become a subject matter expert in State procurement, and the position will develop and deliver training for the divisions related to the same. Training will vary in forms and settings, including individuals, small and large groups, and will occur online, in person, or a hybrid. The position will develop policy guidance documents, step-action process, and similar resources to post on the DNR intranet for reference and use by division liaisons and program staff. The position will update and maintain online resources.

Other duties assigned.

ONLY CURRENT, CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION

Minimum Qualifications

Six (6) years of public and/or private sector Business Administration, Contract Management, Procurement, Economics, Law, Supply Chains, Purchasing, Accounting and Finance, Public Administration, Business, Political Science, Government or an occupation related to the work assigned to this position

OR

Education and Experience:

A combination of related education in Business Administration, Economics, Contract Management, Government, Law, Journalism, Political Science, Paralegal Studies, Procurement, Project Management, Public Relations, or other field related to the assignment and/or public and/or private sector contracting, purchasing, sourcing, or logistics in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to six (6) years

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. “See Resume” statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Substitutions:

Additional appropriate experience will substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Additional appropriate education will substitute for the required general experience on a year-for-year basis.

Please note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. Your resume will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications; only the work experience section of your application will be reviewed to determine this. “See Resume” statements on the application will not be accepted. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.

Class Code: Purchasing Agent I II

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Preference will be given to those candidates with previous State Service related to the work assigned to the position.
• Previous supervisory experience.
• Ability to multi-task and process high volume contracting/purchasing requests
• Proficiency in CORE
• Familiarity with the Colorado Procurement Code and/or Fiscal Rules

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

• Attention to Detail
• Analytical & Critical Thinking Skills
• Compliance
• Leadership
• Problem Solving
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience interpreting and applying the Colorado Fiscal Rules and/or Procurement Code to complex purchasing/contracting situations.

(Please note, this arrangement can be subject to change)

• This is a Hybrid position - Work is primarily performed from a home office, however the selected candidate will at times report to the office at 1313 Sherman Street - Denver, CO for meetings, trainings and projects as directed by the supervisor.

APPEAL RIGHTS

It is recommended that you contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below to resolve issues related to your possession of minimum qualifications. However, if you receive notice that you have been eliminated from consideration for this position, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board or request a review by the State Personnel Director.

An appeal or review must be submitted on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative. This form must be delivered to the State Personnel Board by email, US Mail, faxed or hand delivered within ten (10) calendar days from your receipt of notice or acknowledgement of the department’s action.

ONLY CURRENT, CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION

The Assessment Process

• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement.
• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
• This recruitment may involve additional testing and/or exams to arrive at the top group for interviews.
• This posting may fill multiple vacancies.

A salary range is posted for this position and any job offer is based upon a salary analysis to comply with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. The salary analysis considers relevant experience, education, certifications, and state seniority as compared to others doing substantially similar work. While all offers are compliant with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, there is no guarantee an offer will be at the top of the posted range based on the salary analysis.

We are committed to increasing a “Colorado for ALL” of our staff and providing culturally responsive programs and services. Therefore, we encourage responses from people of all backgrounds and abilities. The State of Colorado believes that a “Colorado for ALL” drives our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Department of Natural Resources is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinator, at [e-mail].

ADAAA Accommodations

Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided a reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact [e-mail] at least five business days before the date that any accommodation will be required to allow us to evaluate your request and prepare for the accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and type of accommodation needed. Please ensure that you have this information available well in advance of the assessment date.

E-Verify

The Department of Natural Resources participates in E-Verify in accordance with the program's Right to Work for all newly-hired employees. Employees are queried through the electronic system established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify identity and employment eligibility. You may complete section 1 of the I-9 form upon your acceptance of a job offer letter, but no later than your first day of employment and in addition, on your first day, but no later than the third day, you are required to submit original documents to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Toll-Free Applicant Support - Technical Help

If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (e.g. uploading or attaching documents to your online application) call NEOGOV at 855-524-5627, Mon-Fri between 6 am and 6 pm (Pacific Time). The Human Resources Office will be unable to assist with technical issues. Helpful hints: If you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files and close the document before you attempt to upload it.