Specializations

NIGP; Perris (CA); On-site; USD 192,000 - 239,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastern Municipal Water District in Perris, California, seeks a Director of Purchasing and Contracts to provide executive leadership for procurement, contracting, warehousing, and materials management across a 20-person department.

The role oversees competitive solicitations, purchase orders, professional services and other agreements, supplier negotiations, and about 3,800 inventory line-items, while advancing modernization through Workday Sourcing and CLM.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of government/public procurement experience with at least 5 years in management
• Bachelor's degree or higher in public/business administration, finance, or related field required
• Master's degree and professional credentials (CPPO, NIGP-CPP, CPSM) desirable

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for procurement, contracting, warehousing, and materials management across a 20-person department.
• Oversee competitive solicitations, purchase orders, professional services, and supplier negotiations; manage inventory supports.

Skills

Procurement leadership

Strategic sourcing

Contract management

Vendor negotiations

Materials management

Education

Bachelor's or higher degree in public or business administration, finance, or related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

• Location: Perris, California
• Salary: $192,296 to $239,470
• Date Posted: September 16, 2026
• Closing Date: October 16, 2026

Description

Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) provides water, wastewater, and recycled water services to nearly one million customers across a 682-square-mile service area in Western Riverside and Northern San Diego Counties.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Administrative Services, the Director of Purchasing and Contracts provides executive leadership for EMWD's purchasing, contracting, warehousing, and materials management functions and an approximately 20-person department.

The Department manages competitive solicitations, purchase orders, professional services and other agreements, supplier negotiations, and approximately 3,800 inventory line-items supporting District operations.

The next Director will lead continued modernization through Workday Strategic Sourcing and Contract Lifecycle Management, stronger contract life-cycle practices, warehouse and inventory improvements, vendor engagement, policy and process modernization, team development, and performance improvement.

Requirements

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished, forward-looking procurement executive with depth in public procurement, strategic sourcing, complex contracting, negotiations, and materials management, along with the judgment and communication skills to advise senior leadership, present to the Board, develop staff, and build constructive relationships with vendors and internal partners. Requires ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in government procurement, including at least five (5) years in a management capacity, and education equivalent to a bachelor's degree with major coursework in public or business administration, finance, or a related field.

A master's degree and professional procurement credentials such as CPPO, NIGP-CPP, and CPSM are desirable.