Procurement Contract Assistant Deputy Director

County of Orange; Santa Ana (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Orange is seeking a Procurement Contract Assistant Deputy Director to oversee procurement and contract activities across all County departments. The role ensures compliance with laws and policies, and acts as the principal procurement official in the absence of the Procurement Officer.

Ideal candidates bring extensive public sector procurement knowledge, senior leadership experience, and the ability to drive strategic initiatives, policy development, and supplier engagement across

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years of significant procurement and contracts experience, with at least five years in public sector procurement.
• Strong knowledge of government procurement principles and contract law.
• Understanding of public procurement laws, contract management, and administrative oversight.
• Five years of supervisory experience and demonstrated leadership in teams.

Responsibilities

• Direct procurement and contract functions across all County departments.
• Present complex procurement and contract proposals to the Board of Supervisors via ASRs and executive briefings.
• Serve as the primary spokesperson for County procurement in media inquiries, PRA/FOIA requests, and agency audits.
• Enforce strict compliance with procurement policies, procedures, and statutory requirements.

Skills

Procurement experience

Public sector procurement

Contract law

Public procurement laws

Administrative management

Supervisory experience

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

CPP/CPPO/CPPB certs

Job description

Procurement Contract Assistant Deputy Director

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

This recruitment will establish an open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Procurement Contract Assistant Deputy Director positions. The eligible list established may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.

DEADLINE TO APPLY

This recruitment will be open for a minimum of five (5) business days and will close on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 11:59 P.M. (PST)

County Procurement Office

The Procurement Office is a division of the County Executive Office (CEO) that provides corporate level procurement support to the County. The County Procurement Officer, as head of the Procurement Office is responsible for implementing and enforcing Board of Supervisors and CEO policies pertaining to County procurement. The Procurement Office is charged with overseeing 19 Department procurement and contracts operations, ensuring that the County's process is fair, competitive, efficient and conducted under strict ethical guidelines.

The Board of Supervisors delegates the authority to procure all goods and services to the County Procurement Officer. This authority is then delegated to 200+ Deputy Purchasing Agents located at each department. Under direction of the CEO, the Procurement Office ensures that proper safeguards are in place for maintaining a procurement system of quality and integrity by providing procurement support, training and oversight countywide.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Under the County Procurement Officer's direction, the Procurement Contract Assistant Deputy Director will oversee all procurement and contract activities, ensuring compliance with laws, policies, and procedures for all departments. They will also serve as the principal procurement official in the officer's absence.

Responsibilities and duties for this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

Executive Leadership & Board Governance

• Directprocurement and contract functions across all County departments.
• Presentcomplex procurement and contract proposals to the Board of Supervisors via Agenda Staff Reports (ASRs) and executive briefings.
• Serve as the primary spokesperson for County procurement in media inquiries, Public Records Act (PRA/FOIA) requests, and agency audits.

Compliance & Strategic Oversight

• Enforcestrict compliance with internal procurement policies, procedures, and statutory requirements.
• Providestrategic oversight on high-value contracts for services, supplies, construction, and capital improvements.
• Leveragecomprehensive knowledge of public sector procurement laws, state/federal regulations, and the Contract Policy Manual to mitigate risk.
• Advise executive leadership on emerging procurement legislation and industry best practices.

Operations & Program Management

• Formulatestrategic procurement plans to maximize buying power and eliminate operational inefficiencies.
• Administercentralized County programs, including policy development, supplier engagement, surplus property, and procurement systems.
• Drive continuous improvement by designing measurable, solutions-oriented business practices.

Talent & Relationship Management

• Manageprocurement human resources functions, including talent acquisition, staff training, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions as required.
• Collaboratewith internal departments and external agencies to streamline cross-functional workflows.
• Cultivate stakeholder relationships and resolve highly complex procurement challenges.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess a minimum of seven (7) years of significant procurement and contracts experience related to the duties and responsibilities described above, with at least five (5) years in public sector procurement. The ideal candidate will also have expertise in government procurement and contracting principles, strong knowledge of public procurement laws, contract law, and administrative management, as well as proven skills in managing complex procurement processes and projects.

Additionally, the ideal candidate will have five (5) years of supervisory experience and have demonstrated leadership experience in motivating teams, managing change, and implementing continuous improvements.

While not required, the ideal candidate will also possess a Bachelor's degree and a Master's Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or other field, and/or professional certifications such as a Certification from the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (CPP), Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and/or Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) from the Universal Public Purchasing Certification Council (UPPCC) or the Institute for Supply Management (CPM, CPSM, CPSD).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

NOTE: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (N.A.C.E.S.).

RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)

Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Structured Oral Interview | SOI (Weighted 100%)

The Structured Oral Interview is a timed assessment. Applicants will provide answers to job-related questions, which will be rated by a panel of subject matter experts using standardized evaluation criteria. Only the most qualified candidates will move forward to the next step in the recruitment process or will be placed on the eligible list.

Eligible List

Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Based on the County's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedures.

Veterans Employment Preference

The county is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings.

Reasonable Accommodation

The County of Orange is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Individuals who require a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should notify the recruiter listed on the job posting as soon as possible. Documentation supporting the accommodation request may be required.

EMAIL NOTIFICATION

Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.

NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply. Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Michelle Kozai at [e-mail] or 714-834-7308.

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.