Procurement Specialist

Fairfax Water - Official; Virginia (MN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Fairfax Water seeks a procurement professional to manage procurements of goods and nonprofessional services and oversee contract activities. The role requires independent work and collaboration across departments to contract for a wide variety of services.

Experience with Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA) is highly desired and will be prioritized. The position involves competitive sourcing, bid evaluation, and contract administration to support Fairfax Water's mission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related field.
• Three years of progressively responsible procurement/contract management experience.
• CPPB/CPPO or ability to obtain within one year.
• Knowledge of Virginia Public Procurement Act preferred.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate with internal and external customers.
• Experience with public-sector procurement and contract administration.
• Experience with SAP Ariba or similar ERP systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage competitive procurement processes in compliance with VPPA and Fairfax Water policies.
• Lead strategic sourcing via RFQ/IFB/RFP and other methods for various goods and services.
• Assist requisitioners with specs and scopes of work for solicitations and contracts.
• Research sources of supply and determine availability of public contracts.
• Determine appropriate procurement method and conduct pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences.
• Evaluate bids/proposals for compliance with solicitation requirements.
• Prepare agreements with terms and conditions; assist with Board review of awards.
• Create purchase orders and negotiate contract changes with contractors.
• Prepare materials for Executive Management and Fairfax Water’s Board.
• Deliver internal procurement training as assigned; may testify in court if required.

Skills

Procurement

Contract management

Vendor management

Negotiation

Compliance

SAP Ariba

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Tools

SAP Ariba

Job description

Under limited supervision of the Procurement Program Supervisor, this position manages procurements of goods and nonprofessional services and has responsibility for the management of contract activities. Must be able to work independently and collaborate with other departments and divisions to contract for a wide variety of services, this may include managing entity-wide contracts across the organization.

Highly Desired Experience

Candidates with demonstrated experience applying and interpreting the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA) in a public-sector are strongly encouraged to apply. This experience is highly desired and will be prioritized during evaluation.

Examples of Duties:

Manages large complex procurement and contract management activities by:

• Manages competitive procurement process, formal and informal, in compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act and Fairfax Water policies and procedures.
• Manages strategic sourcing through various procurement methods including, but not limited to, competitive negotiation, competitive sealed bidding IFB, competitive negotiations (RFP), sole source, and cooperative procurements for a wide variety of goods and/or services including construction, information technology, human services, financial and other Fairfax Water mission related contracts.
• Assists requisitioners in the development, review, modification and approval of specifications and/or scopes of work for solicitations and/or contracts.
• Researches sources of supply to determine the availability of existing public contracts to satisfy user requirements.
• Determines appropriate procurement method.
• Conducts pre-bid and pre-proposal conferences.
• Completes evaluation of bids and proposals for compliance with the solicitation requirements.
• Documents procurement process to ensure all phases are conducted in a manner consistent with procurement best practices, the Virginia Public Procurement Act and Fairfax Water requirements and maintains all ethical standards and credibility in the marketplace with potential bidders and offerors, contractors and customers.
• Prepares complete agreements identifying appropriate and applicable terms and conditions for purchase of goods and/or services. Works with supervisor on revisions to terms and conditions as appropriate.
• Assists with review and editing of Board Items for contract awards.
• Creates purchase orders under the authority delegated by the Procurement Manager.
• Works with supervisor to negotiate contract changes with contractors.
• Performs contract administration functions, identifying problems and initiating corrective action when appropriate.
• Prepares materials, reports and supporting documentation on procurement related matters for Executive Management and Fairfax Water’s Board.
• May be required to deliver internal Procurement training, as assigned.
• Testify in court to support Fairfax Water’s actions or interest in procurement or contract disputes, as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Typical Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or other business-related field from an accredited college or university; and at least three years of progressively responsible experience in management of complex procurements which includes information technology, facility operations, construction professional / non-professional services and management of awarded contracts.
• Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO), or ability to obtain within one year of employment.
• Knowledge of Virginia Public Procurement Act preferred, procurement policies, regulations, procedures and procurement best practices.
• The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, co-workers, internal and external customers and the general public.
• Considerable experience in state and/or local government procurement and contract administration.
• Ability to use sound judgment in making independent decisions.
• Ability to prepare clear and concise reports.
• Experience drafting, procurements, specifications and contracts.
• Experience negotiating complex and technical contracts, change orders, amendments and renewals.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in SAP Ariba Supplier Lifecycle Performance, Sourcing and, Contract, Supplier Management s or other similar Enterprise Resource Planning systems.
• Considerable sound judgment and problem-solving skills used in decision-making.
• Considerable expertise in MS Office with a high level of proficiency in Teams, Word and Excel and experience using PowerPoint.
• Must pass a controlled substance (drug) test for employment.