PROCUREMENT AGENT

Village Center Community Development District•The Villages, FL

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The Villages Community Development Districts (The District) is a growing community development district in Florida. The District values hospitality, innovation, creativity, hard work, and stewardship. This full-time opportunity is for an individual with commitment, a passion for excellence, and a drive for accuracy to join the Purchasing Team. The position requires a solid background of advanced purchasing skills. The incumbent will be part of a productive team supporting all departments within The District and the surrounding community. The District seeks an individual with cutting-edge management skills and offers a supportive and engaging workplace, competitive compensation, and benefits. The Buyer, a member of the Purchasing team, reports directly to the Purchasing Manager. This role is responsible for strategic initiatives, ensuring compliance with public procurement policies, and purchasing goods, materials, and services for all District Departments. The Buyer ensures operational needs are met, considering price, quality, and delivery, and maintains continuity of supply. The position also handles solicitations for contractual services in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations.

Requirements

Associate degree in business, public administration, accounting or related discipline from an accredited institution or related public procurement experience required or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position.
Valid Florida Driver’s License required.
Successfully pass background screening.
Knowledge of governmental purchasing methods and procedures as well as the laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the purchase of commodities and services and their importance to the District.
General knowledge of the policies, procedures, terminology used and activities of the Purchasing Department as they pertain to the performance of duties relating to the position of Buyer, including a good working knowledge of purchasing regulations, ordinances, purchase orders, requisitions, bids, proposals, etc., and procedures and methods as required in the performance of duties.
Intermediate to strong Microsoft Word and Excel skills.
General knowledge in the use of pivot tables.
Strong time management and organization skills as well as the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
Advanced critical thinking and writing skills in the development and evaluation of solicitations.
Proven ability to plan, organize and/or prioritize daily assignments and work activities using independent judgment in a varied and busy work environment to successfully and efficiently meet required deadlines.
Ability to compile, prepare and maintain an assortment of records and information in an effective manner and according to departmental and/or governmental regulations to make recommendations that result in complete and accurate reports.
Ability to successfully interact and communicate with supervisors and other staff members, as well as with vendors to include courtesy, tact and diplomacy as needed to provide/gather information, assign and follow up on work duties, and establish effective relationships.
Remain competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the Purchasing Manager.
Display responsibility, ownership, a sense of urgency for all issues regarding the purchasing operating procedures.
Strong oral, written, and interpersonal and presentation skills to effectively communicate purchasing policies and provides training and assistance to all levels of District personnel concerning Florida state statutes, regulations, and procedures for the public procurement of commodities and services.
Ability to use good judgment in formulating recommendations and preparation of independent analysis.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills and detail minded.
Ability to work collaboratively as a team across internal departments and external vendors and clients to meet and exceed expectations.
Professional appearance.
Mathematical ability to handle required calculations.
Ability to understand and interpret specifications and drawings.

Nice To Haves

3-5 years Florida municipal, county &/or state purchasing department/contracts experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Review Solicitation Requests, prepare solicitation documents, analyze solicitations, and execute all aspects of the competitive solicitation process for Invitation to Bids (ITB), Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Qualifications (RFQ), Invitations to Quote (ITQ), Piggybacks and Sole Source justifications as requested by End Using Departments.
Assist in locating and identifying items and services being sought, contacting vendors and developing sources of supply and/or services, using appropriate methods to prepare a formal solicitation.
Identify varied sources of commodities and services, evaluate bids, award contracts and quotes, and develop standards for new products or services.
Execute Formal Solicitations for commodities or services using automated web-based procurement systems.
Conduct the Solicitation process from pre-solicitation development through Notice to Proceed.
Prepare and issue public notices, bid packets, newspaper advertisements, reference checks, public record requests and other related correspondences.
Formulate written reports, addendums, amendments, memoranda, award recommendations, agenda items with all accompanying documentation, and other related report writing under time restraints.
Facilitate public meetings such as bid openings and selection committee meetings.
Review vendor compliance to requirements, perform pricing analysis and make recommendation of awards that result in the best value for the District.
Act as liaison between Vendors and District personnel to facilitate product and pricing information.
Provide purchasing information to departments, elected officials and others as requested.
Organize, track, and update documents in Department Drives, such as Piggyback and District Solicited Agreements, renewals, amendments and approved Sole Source/Standardizations.
Review respondents’ submittal packets to determine most responsive and responsible.
Schedule and facilitate Selection Committee Meetings and Bid Openings as well as pre-solicitation, on-site pre-bid and pre-construction meetings.
Proactively contribute to the overall success of the Purchasing Department by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Purchasing Director and Purchasing Manager.
Assist and support the Purchasing Director and Purchasing Manager with Purchasing Department correspondence, scheduling and various administrative tasks.
Provide excellent customer service to members of the public and other District employees.
Assist in greeting and interacting with walk-ins, and answer and assist with incoming calls.
Perform other duties as assigned.
May be expected to perform additional duties in an emergency.
Cultivate and maintain effective working relations within the department, the District, as well as outside of the organization.
Model behavior to the District Core Values at all times.
Foster a teamwork environment.