Procurement Lead: Federal Contracts & Compliance

DART - Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) seeks a Procurement Lead who will serve as the agency’s expert on complex procurement, contract administration, and federal compliance. Based in Des Moines, IA, this in-office role leads high-risk procurements and develops standards and templates to ensure quality, schedule, cost, and compliance.

You will coordinate lifecycle activities, monitor awards, provide guidance to internal teams, and collaborate with grants, finance, legal, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in public procurement, sourcing, and contract administration.
• Experience with federally funded procurements, including FTA and DBE requirements, is strongly preferred.
• Public sector, transit, grant-funded, or multi-stakeholder procurement experience preferred.
• Professional procurement certification (CPPB, CPPO, NIGP-CPP, or equivalent) preferred.
• Experience with e-procurement, ERP, and contract management systems such as Bonfire preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex, high-risk, and federally funded procurements and contract administration activities.
• Coordinate the full procurement lifecycle, including solicitation development, vendor outreach, evaluations, negotiations, contract execution, amendments, renewals, and closeouts.
• Ensure procurements and contracts comply with applicable laws, FTA requirements, grant conditions, DART policies, and ethical procurement standards.
• Develop sourcing strategies, procurement standards, and agency-wide contracts that support operational efficiency, compliance, and best value.
• Review procurement and contract documents for regulatory, legal, insurance, DBE, and business compliance requirements.
• Monitor contract performance, deliverables, vendor compliance, and renewal timelines; address vendor issues and corrective actions as needed.
• Maintain procurement policies, procedures, templates, and related documentation to align with changing regulations and operational needs.
• Coordinate procurement records, vendor documentation, and system files to ensure audit readiness and accurate recordkeeping.
• Provide technical guidance, workflow support, training, and procurement expertise to internal staff and departments.
• Partner with IOC Hub, grants, finance, operations, legal counsel, and project teams to support federally funded purchases, compliance initiatives, and audit activities.
• Support process improvements, procurement metrics, ERP workflows, and Capital Improvement Plan initiatives.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with vendors, agencies, DBE firms, and internal stakeholders to promote fair competition and procurement opportunities.
• Represent DART in vendor meetings, negotiations, committees, training sessions, and procurement-related discussions.
• Support surplus and asset disposition activities in coordination with operational, financial, and compliance requirements.

Skills

Procurement

Negotiation

Analytical

Project management

Microsoft Office

ERP systems

Contract administration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Bonfire

ERP systems

Contract management

Job description

The Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) seeks a Procurement Lead who will serve as the agency’s expert on complex procurement, contract administration, and federal compliance. Based in Des Moines, IA, this in-office role leads high-risk procurements and develops standards and templates to ensure quality, schedule, cost, and compliance.

You will coordinate lifecycle activities, monitor awards, provide guidance to internal teams, and collaborate with grants, finance, legal, and