Assistant Chief Procurement Officer, Austin Financial Services

City of Austin•Austin, TX

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Austin Financial Services (AFS) serves residents, vendors, and City departments, providing a variety of financial services and programs. Our mission is to serve as a trusted steward of public resources with integrity and accountability to ensure a fiscally sound city. Our staff supports a wide variety of financial processes, including preparing the annual budget and annual fiscal report, procurement processes, franchise agreements, real estate transactions, and overseeing the City’s investment portfolio and debt management. As an internal support function within the larger City organization, AFS is proud to serve and act as a leader in financial management to its partner departments. Under general direction and within their delegated procurement authority, this position will perform a variety of procurement services to assigned department customers including the management of procurement staff; all formal and occasional informal source selection services; contract monitoring and contract administration; category management; customer management; program management; as well as a range of advisement and technical support in these same areas. This position will be responsible for soliciting contracts of the highest value, greatest complexity and most public interest.

Requirements

Knowledge of the principles and practices of municipal finance, budgeting, accounting, and contract law including terms and conditions.
Knowledge of procurement and contract management standards, planning, solicitation processes, procurement and contract monitoring, compliance practices, and best practices nationally in public procurement.
Knowledge of Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, policies, procedures and regulations governing commodities and services purchasing for the City; the methods, policies and procedures involved in purchasing a large quantity and variety of supplies, equipment, services and goods.
Knowledge of buying procedures, purchase orders, delivery orders and the use of purchasing cards.
Knowledge of alternative delivery methods for the procurement of construction and construction-related professional services.
Knowledge of informal and all formal source selection processes including price competition.
Knowledge of contract negotiation and formation, contract management, contract administration processes, and contract category management.
Knowledge of automated purchasing systems.
Skill in leading, managing and training a multi-disciplinary workforce.
Skill in providing internal consulting services.
Skill in relationship management to assigned customer departments.
Skill in developing and leading cross-functional teams.
Skill in computer applications including spreadsheets, databases and word processing software.
Ability to work independently and perform procurement and contract service projects from inception to completion.
Ability to exercise a high degree of independent judgement and discretion and maintain confidentiality of sensitive and/or confidential information.
Ability to resolve complex formal contract disputes and to analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project the consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of established goals.
Ability to establish and maintain effective communication and working relationships with City employees, City Management and their staff, vendors and contract service providers and the general public.
Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
Ability to provide administrative and professional leadership and direction to subordinate staff.
Ability to develop, implement and administer goals, objectives, and procedures for providing effective and efficient services for the City.
Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a degree in Business or Public Administration, or related field plus six (6) years of experience in a related field, of which two (2) years were in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
Graduation a Master’s degree, CPPO, NIGP-CPP, CPSM or CPCM may substitute for one (1) year of experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience in public procurement
Experience in a public procurement leadership role with demonstrated experience in leading, managing, and training multi-disciplinary and cross-functional teams
Relevant certifications such as CPPO, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, CPSM, CPCM, or C.PM.
Extensive experience in procuring general categories including information technology
Proven experience resolving complex formal contract disputes

Responsibilities

Provides leadership and management for Central Procurement, contributes to division goals and objectives; measures performance, and ensures an effective, customer-oriented service level is attained.
Assists in the overall supervision of the division to ensure effective interdivisional cooperation; represents the Chief Procurement Officer as needed.
Directs one or more procurement units composed of management, supervisory, professional and administrative staff; interviews, selects, supervises, develops, evaluates, counsels, and if necessary, disciplines personnel according to policies, procedures and guidelines; as well as oversees and develops division budget for areas of responsibility, which involves forecasting staff, equipment, materials and supplies.
Oversees multiple programs managed by subordinate staff as well as directly manages programs as assigned; develops and maintains policy and procedural knowledge in assigned programs; develops short- and long-term goals, priorities, objectives and strategies; monitors and reports on program performance.
Drives the direction, planning and procedures to ensure implementation of best practices and compliance with applicable federal, state, local and regulatory agency laws, rules, and grant requirements in procurement activities.
Ensures appropriate support and assistance is provided to department managers and staff relative to procurement planning, proposal review, evaluation, negotiation and contract awards.
Leads or assists in the development of departmental procurement plans; monitors and reports on the performance of departmental procurement plans.
Monitors and maintains compliance with policies regarding conflict of interest and ethics by ensuring appropriate measures are taken to identify contractors who may have conflicts of interest.
As necessary, may perform any procurement activity also performed by subordinate staff including all buying services, all formal and informal source selection; all contract management and administration; all category and customer management; as well as serves as a liaison to internal and external stakeholders for procurement guidance and technical support.
Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.