Procurement Professional III

Careers Listing•Fullerton, CA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

California State University, Fullerton (Cal State Fullerton) is a leading public university committed to student success, academic excellence, and inclusive excellence. The university fosters a collaborative environment that supports teaching, research, and service while promoting innovation and professional growth. Cal State Fullerton is both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, and a recipient of the Seal of Excelencia (2021 and 2024) from Excelencia in Education. Joining Cal State Fullerton means becoming part of a community dedicated to advancing student achievement, career success, and economic mobility. The Contracts and Procurement department within the Division of Administration and Finance provides the campus community with cost efficient and effective handling of acquisitions and contracting needs in accordance with State laws and CSU policies. Our goal is to streamline processes, provide guidance, and ensure that all procurement activities meet the highest standards of integrity and transparency. We seek an exceptional individual to join our team as the Procurement Professional III. The ideal candidate in this role should have a positive attitude and an active, energetic mind characterized by highly ethical practices and a commitment to inclusivity, openness, flexibility, integrity, and kindness.

Requirements

Equivalent to a bachelor's degree in a related field and two years of relevant experience or one year as a CSU Procurement Professional I.
Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Under general supervision, performs a variety of professional procurement activities.
Incumbents perform moderately complex procurements that require analysis and tend to specialize in particular commodities or services.
Independently conducts formal bidding and routine negotiations for procurements.
Proactively recommends procurement methods and utilizes systems and technology to assist with procurements.
May develop contracts of limited complexity for the purchases of supplies and services.
Evaluates and recommends procedure and process changes.
Works independently on most day-to-day assignments with general supervision on new assignments or projects to ensure alignment with objectives.
Handles multiple work priorities and is accountable for own work results.
Working knowledge of current principles, statutes, regulations, policies, procedures, practices, methods of procurement, contract delivery methods, and contract administration activities.
Public procurement knowledge is preferred.
General knowledge of principles and practices used in the development of contracts, contract administration, and contract law.
Working knowledge of pricing, cost analysis, and principles and practices used in accounting.
Working knowledge of benchmarking, budgeting, and cost estimating.
Knowledge of equipment, materials, and services required by a public or large organization.
Skill in evaluating and comparing the product specifications, contract details, and cost elements of a bid or proposal.
Demonstrated ability to perform pricing and cost analysis.
Ability to analyze and provide solutions.
Skill and experience in cost-reduction techniques.
Ability to research and compare product, quality, performance, and options.
Skill in performing moderately complex negotiations, which may include, but not limited to, legal terms.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills to present ideas and work effectively in a diverse environment.
Ability to prioritize, schedule, and undertake concurrent work assignments.
Strong organizational skills to plan, organize, and prioritize multiple projects.
Ability to effectively use procurement software and tools as well as applicable systems and applications in analysis, research, and reporting activities and projects.
A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily and is required for employment.
Live Scan Required

Nice To Haves

Two or more years of progressively responsible procurement and contracting experience in higher education, government, or another public or large organizational environment.
Knowledge of California public contracting requirements, CSU procurement and contracting policies, and applicable Small Business/Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise and recycled-content requirements.
Experience preparing and administering formal competitive solicitations, including Request For Proposals and Invitation For Bidss; negotiating complex agreements; and procuring professional services, consulting, information technology/software/SaaS, leases, maintenance, public works or construction-related requirements, and other specialized goods and services.
Experience with clinical, affiliation, internship, fieldwork, practicum, or student learning agreements is desirable.
Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning/procurement and contract-management systems such as PeopleSoft Financials and CSUBUY, electronic-signature platforms, and Microsoft 365.
Professional procurement certification is desirable.

Responsibilities

Working independently under the general direction of the Contracts and Procurement Manager, the Procurement Professional III independently performs moderate to complex procurement and contracting activities, which may be unique or specialized in nature, for supplies, equipment, professional services, information technology, leases, maintenance agreements, and other University requirements.
The Procurement Professional manages procurements from initial request through solicitation, negotiation, award, contract or purchase order execution, administration, and closeout in accordance with applicable federal and State laws, CSU policies, and campus procedures.
The Procurement Professional III exercises judgment in selecting appropriate procurement and contract methods; develops and reviews specifications and scopes of work; prepares and administers formal and informal competitive solicitations, including RFQs, IFBs, and RFPs; coordinates pre-bid activities and evaluations; determines supplier responsiveness and responsibility; and documents award decisions.
The Procurement Professional establishes and administers annual and multi-year contracts, performs procurement and contract risk analyses, negotiates prices, payment schedules, provisions, terms, and conditions, and coordinates reviews with Risk Management, Information Technology, General Counsel, and other subject-matter experts as appropriate.
As a member of the Contracts and Procurement team, the Procurement Professional III provides consultative guidance and training to campus stakeholders; conducts spend, cost, price, total-cost-of-ownership, benchmarking, and supplier analyses to support sourcing decisions; identifies cost-reduction and process-improvement opportunities; supports supplier performance and compliance; prepares required reports; and recommends improvements to procurement policies, tools, procedures, and business practices.
The position represents Contracts and Procurement in campus and supplier interactions and maintains effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Other classification-related duties as assigned.