Deputy Director of Contracts and Procurement (Purchasing Department)

Position Responsibilities
***Essential Functions***

• Prepares documents, advertises, and administers Invitations to Bid (ITB), Request for Proposals (RFPs), Statements of Interest (SOIs) and Surplus Sales as assigned. Analyzes vendors' bids and makes recommendations to the Director to award contracts as the result of the public solicitation process. Conducts pre-bid conferences with prospective bidders in complex purchases; functions as the chairperson of RFP evaluation committees; provides technical expertise concerning contract specifications and presides at bid and proposal openings.
• Prepares high level, Requests for Quotation (RFQ), and obtains vendor quotations. Evaluates quotations using price comparison methods; calculates the effects of transportation, minimum orders, discounts, and lead times; and identifies the responsive, responsible vendor providing the lowest cost quotation.
• Procures the more complex and technical goods and services required by the County, in a cost-effective manner and within the parameters of established regulations and procedures, determining whether to seek alternate supplier sources and/or competitive solicitations. This shall include procurement negotiation as applicable and competitive analysis of such requests, i.e., lease vs. buy etc.
• Assist in the allocation of requisitions and approval of purchase orders and assigned contracts.
• Provides guidance and work direction to the Procurement Manager, Contracts Manager, Buyers, and Sr. Contract Coordinators; develops and trains Purchasing staff.
• Management of Purchasing (procurement) staff that includes assisting the Director in the assignment, guidance, and work direction as well as handle and/or assist with the development and training of staff. This includes but is not limited to review of work product, performance evaluations, recommends discipline, implements discipline procedures as directed, mediates, and resolves problems encountered by purchasing staff.
• Review, prepare, compile and/or participate and/or handle negotiation of various contracts.
• Ensure execution of departmental objectives and strategic plan; assist in management of priorities; interpret purchasing policy, rules and regulations governing procurement activities, based upon the directive of the Director. This shall include but not be limited to Request for Quotes, Invitations to Bids, Request for Proposals, Statements of Interest and Contracts/Agreements.
• Assist in the administration, management, and support of ERP System, which currently consists of Oracle iProcurement, Purchasing, iSupplier, Contracts, Sourcing and SplashBI.
• Assist in the training of County department end users in public procurement requirements and/or procurement ERP modules. This shall also include updating of training documents as needed.
• Assist in the review of the contract agenda.
• Assist in the development of agendas and actively leads as needed staff meetings.
• Assist with the development, monitoring, and management of the department annual budget.
• Research and monitor market conditions in order to make educational recommendations and changes to solicitations and agreements.
• Assist in the oversight, support and planning for the Procurement Card program. Handle day to day transactions for the p-card program as needed to supplement current store on in the event of staff absence.
• Assist Director with compilation of data needed for reports including but not limited to procurement metrics.
• Update Facilities, Parks and Jail meeting agendas and notes, post meeting and send out as needed.
• Participate in Department of Emergency Services exercises and assist with compilation of the department's COOP plan.
• Update process and procedure documents as assigned by the Director.
• Review and approve Surplus Property Disposition forms and provide a copy to the Controller's Office
  

Maintains professional liaisons with sales agents and vendors to stay up to date on new products and product specifications. Research market to find new and current contracts and new suppliers of goods and services used by the County. Assists in educating vendors on how to do business with the County.

• Participate in the Berks County Cooperative Purchasing Council (BCCPC), the Southeastern Pennsylvania Counties Cooperative Purchasing Board (SPCCPB), and the Pennsylvania Public Purchasing Association (PAPPA) in the absence of or at the direction of the Director.
• Participates in appropriate professional activities in order to stay current with developments in the field of governmental/public procurement functions.
• Duties, tasks, and projects as assigned by the Director.
  

Minimum Education And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public procurement, or public administration and 7 years of relevant experience.
• Five years of recent purchasing experience in a public sector organization with at least $50 million of purchases annually and at least 20 user departments. Purchasing experience must have included Contracts, Invitations to Bid and Requests for Proposal. Prefer above notated public procurement experience to be within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania* and to include procurement of goods and services utilizing federal funds.
• Possession of Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) or Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) certification by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing or Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) certification by the Institute of Supply Management, or eligibility for and attainment of certification within six months of hire.
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  

Minimum Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
Extensive knowledge of large-scale public procurement policies, procedures, best practices, and regulations.
Thorough knowledge of general law of contracts and Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.
Experiencing in procuring goods and services using federal, state, and local funds.
Experience accessing and interpreting code, laws and regulations and applying requirements to public procurement. This shall include The County Code (Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
General knowledge, understanding and experience utilizing publicly solicited and awarded cooperative contracts that are able to be utilized by the County of Berks.
Ability and willingness to communicate with tact and diplomacy and frequently function in difficult situations requiring instructing, persuading, negotiating and motivating people; establish and maintain cooperative and effective relationships with people of all organizational levels, vendors, and the general public; act as liaison to advise and/or resolve differences between Purchasing, agencies/departments, and/or vendors.
Ability and willingness to procure without prejudice, seeking to obtain the maximum, ultimate value for each dollar of expenditure.
Ability and willingness to use good judgment in decision-making and to adhere to the highest ethical standard while performing purchasing functions.
Working knowledge in ERP procurement platforms, Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Access