Procurement Contract Specialist at County of Riverside in Riverside, California

Job Description:

ABOUT THE POSITION

The County of Riverside's Purchasing and Fleet Department has multiple opportunities for Procurement Contract Specialists to serve as advisors in purchasing and negotiating matters. These positions serve as an amazing development opportunity for promotional growth including the ability to have signing authority.

Acting as a liaison, the Specialists will understand the unique needs of the department they support. The incumbent will be a procurement subject matter expert with the proven ability to implement industry best practices. They will also be responsible for the negotiation and drafting of contracts including services and tangible goods as well as issuing purchase orders and acting as a primary contact for vendors. Other duties will include researching, developing, and reviewing appropriate and complete specifications to assist a public agency in the solicitation of quotes, bids, and proposals for all types of goods and services as well as participating in and conducting public bid openings. Additionally, this position will work closely with internal stakeholders, leading meetings and assessing procurement needs, with a strong emphasis on writing skills and understanding procurement terminology.

The department is looking for candidates with a penchant for innovation who will bring new ideas and efficiencies to their role. The ideal candidate will have a strong background handling a variety of complex procurement duties (purchases, bids, proposals, quotes, request for quotes/RFQs, request for information/RFIs, requests for proposals/RFPs, and request for bids/RFBs) which included extensive service related procurement experience within the public sector. Those who are Certified Public Procurement Officers (CPPO) or Certified Professional Public Buyers (CPPB) and can provide proof of CPPO/CPPB certification from the Universal Public Procurement Council (UPPC) are also strongly encouraged to apply!

Meet the Team!

The Purchasing and Fleet Department's primary function is to provide vehicles, goods and services to other County Departments and agencies within the County of Riverside. Providing a unified purchasing system that ensures integrity and fairness, with centralized responsibility for oversight of solicitation, vendor selection, negotiation, award, contract management, reporting, disposal of surplus property and emergency logistical support for the benefit of Riverside County agencies.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Work independently in developing and coordinating complex contracts for commodities and services for departments; research, develop and maintain vendor product information lists.

• Assist in developing and defining contract specifications; write solicitations for bids (e.g., Request for Proposals, Requests for Quotations, Invitations to Bid); analyze and determine the most appropriate contract types to reduce the County's exposure to risk.

• Review findings for accuracy, cost-effectiveness, adherence to standards, codes, and County policies and procedures; identify operational problems and formulate appropriate solutions.

• Communicate and act as a liaison between vendors and departments to develop compromises and resolve contractual problems or complaints; organize, direct and lead negotiating teams in evaluating and negotiating contracts.

• Develop and present training sessions for County staff, industry and other organizations on purchasing related procedures and policies; market County awards to other political subdivisions when applicable.

• Lead diverse technical and professional committees in problem resolution relative to County-wide standard and contractual relationship.

• Supervise, assign, and evaluate work of subordinate staff.

• Preparing and administering contracts and contract renewals (drafting of amendments) for professional and general services.

• Reviewing bids and proposals for responsiveness and legal compliance.

• Conducting vendor debriefing.

• Documenting and maintaining required contractual/purchase order records and correspondence.

• Reviewing and monitoring contract requirements, terms, and conditions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

OPTION I

Education : Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree with major coursework in purchasing, business administration, economics, or a related field. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for up to two years of the required education on the basis of 30 semester/45 quarter units equaling one year of full-time experience.)

***A copy of your degree or transcripts MUST be uploaded with your application, please see "Supplemental Information" below for guidelines***

Experience : Two years of buying experience in a Purchasing Department or Agency, which includes contract negotiation, development of contract standards and procedures, and development of multi-year or major high value multi-commodity agreements.

OPTION II

Experience : Four years of buying experience in a Purchasing Department or Agency, two years of which should be equivalent to the County of Riverside Buyer II classification, which included contract negotiation, development of contract standards and procedures, and development of multi-year or major high value multi-commodity agreements.

Competitive Candidates will Possess:

• A Bachelors Degree.


• Broad and complex procurement experience which included completing purchases, bids, proposals, quotes, request for quotes/RFQs, request for information/RFIs, requests for proposals/RFPs, and request for bids/RFBs .


• Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) or Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) certification from the Universal Public Procurement Council (UPPC).


• Extensive service related procurement experience


• Public sector purchasing experience.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Knowledge of: The methods, principles, and practices of purchasing/material management and of governmental purchasing; County purchasing policies and practices; a variety of product standards required by assigned departments; products, commodities, and services used within one or more commodity grouping; methods and resources used in researching and analyzing commodities and services; competitive bid practices and procedures; methods used in evaluating vendor capability and performance.

Ability to: To work independently and in a team environment; to handle sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy;establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees, management, and vendors; read and interpret rules and regulations; collect, organize, and evaluate product or service information; identify alternative solutions, and project consequences of decisions and recommendations; compose clear and concise reports, recommendations, and correspondence; communicate in a clear and persuasive manner; establish and maintain effective relationships with department officials, company/vendor representatives, and staff members; prepare purchasing specifications; lead specialized focus groups and support staff.

Other Requirements:

A successful Sheriff Level One Security Clearance conducted by the Sheriffs' Department is required for Procurement Contract Specialists

License: A valid California Driver's License is required.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

What's Next?This is a continuous posting. This position will remain posted until filled and applications will be reviewed in the order received. For earliest consideration, apply now before the 1st review date of October 11th, 2024.

General Information If you have any questions regarding this posting, please contact Angela Tavaglione at atavaglione@rivco.org or at (951)955-3690

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

________________________________________________________________________________________

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, upload a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service, and a copy of your spouse's letter of disability (if applicable) with your application. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference.The Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 is available here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services ( NACES ) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ( AICE ).

Equal Opportunity Employer
The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period
As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information
Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the 'Apply' link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veteran's preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com .

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here .
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

• 
  Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.


• 
  Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.


• 
  Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.
  

A new member is defined as any of the following:

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.

A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.

A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,
Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees' Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If there's any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0< 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)

4< 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)

10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.

SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY: Short-term Disability benefit pays up to a maximum of $461.54 weekly, payable up to a maximum of 52 weeks.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

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