Senior Purchaser (1956) - Office of Contract Administration, Office of City Administrator

City and County of San Francisco • San Francisco, CA

4h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Office of Contract Administration (OCA), the City and County of San Francisco’s central purchasing agency, seeks several Senior Purchasers to perform procurement work of considerable complexity in support of City departments. Senior Purchasers are assigned to one of eight procurement teams overseen by a Procurement Manager. Teams are currently organized by client department to support the development of subject-matter expertise and specialization.

The role partners with client departments to translate procurement requests into delivered goods and services, conducts public procurements, supports contract compliance and vendor performance, analyzes procurement data, and advises departments on purchasing policies and practices. Senior Purchasers may also supervise and train staff. The position is advertised as a temporary provisional appointment, not a permanent appointment. Provisional appointments may not exceed three years; appointees must successfully participate in a Civil Service examination and be selected through an open competitive process to be considered for permanent appointment.

Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college, or qualifying additional purchasing experience substituted for the degree on a year-for-year basis, up to two years.
• Three years of professional purchasing experience involving responsibilities such as identifying vendors and obtaining quotes, selecting vendors based on criteria, identifying and negotiating terms and conditions, and procuring goods and services.

Nice To Haves

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, ideally developed in a public procurement environment.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to track and manage many details and decision points simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently on complex tasks and projects.
• Ability to build strong relationships and work effectively with clients and stakeholders.
• Experience procuring or contracting for large public-sector entities with complex rules and regulations.
• Experience in public procurement and contracting, research, and writing.

Responsibilities

• Partner with client departments to analyze procurement requests, determine procurement approaches, conduct market research, draft specifications and scopes of work, obtain approvals, address risks and challenges, and deliver required products or services.
• Conduct public procurements, including drafting solicitation documents, conducting vendor outreach, managing solicitation processes, analyzing bids and proposals, recommending contract awards, and developing contract documents.
• Modify and amend contracts when needed to ensure continuity of support.
• Review departmental contracts for compliance with solicitation requirements, City policies, and Chapter 21 of the San Francisco Administrative Code, and work with departments to correct identified gaps.
• Support client departments and OCA Procurement Managers in managing vendor performance issues.
• Analyze data and research to inform procurements, identify patterns or issues, prepare reports, and audit compliance and performance.
• Advise client departments on City purchasing policies, rules, processes, and practices, and propose policy and business-practice changes to improve contracting operations.
• May supervise and train staff on purchasing practices, processes, contract development, and procurement systems, and may assist in training Purchasers.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Senior Purchasers with specified certifications (CPM, CPSM, CPPB, or CPPO) receive 3% premium pay under the IFPTE Local 21 MOU, in addition to the posted salary range.
• The department supports a hybrid work schedule in compliance with the City and County of San Francisco’s remote-work policy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior