State Procurement Assistant Director

State of Louisiana•Baton Rouge, LA

14h

About The Position

The Division of Administration/Office of State Procurement has a vacancy. This job title has an assigned pay grade of AS-623. The Office of State Procurement serves as the centralized purchasing and contracting agency of the State of Louisiana, establishing competitive, cost-effective contracts for goods and services in full compliance with the law, and facilitating access to those contracts by State agencies and political subdivisions, equipping them to effectively serve the needs of the people of Louisiana. This promotional position is a highly responsible and integral part of the Office of State Procurement (OSP) headed by the Director of State Procurement (Director), the Deputy Directors, as well as the Assistant Commissioner over procurement ("Management"). OSP has been tasked with the responsibility, in addition to its oversight of all State procurement matters, of consolidating and streamlining all procurement activities of the various Departments of the State and incorporating those activities into OSP's responsibilities, as well as streamlining the procurement process internally in order to take advantage of efficiencies and economies of scale. This is a highly complex and versatile position due to the various responsibilities assigned to the incumbent. The incumbent must have exceptional management skills, superior computer skills, and extensive knowledge of procurement. The incumbent is expected to be in regular contact with, and to be available after-hours, in order to correspond and to coordinate with Management, the Commissioner's office and the various Directors and Undersecretaries who regularly conduct business with OSP. The Division of Administration is the state government’s management arm and the hub of its financial operations. Division offices perform a wide variety of activities, including the following: Overseeing the state’s capital construction program Working to provide state and federal grants for community development Development of the state budget Providing technology services Giving agencies guidance in the state purchasing and contracting process as they seek goods and services Administering a program that provides federal funds to help Louisiana residents recover from a series of devastating hurricanes.

Requirements

Eight years of experience in procurement, contracts or grants management, financial management, accounting, or auditing; OR Six years of full-time work experience in any field plus five years of experience in procurement, contracts or grants management, financial management, accounting, or auditing; OR A bachelor’s degree plus five years of experience in procurement, contracts or grants management, financial management, accounting, or auditing; OR An advanced degree plus four years of experience in procurement, contracts or grants management, financial management, accounting, or auditing.
Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.
Designation as a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), a Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO), or a National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP) will substitute for a maximum of one year of the required experience.
Exceptional management skills
Superior computer skills
Extensive knowledge of procurement

Responsibilities

Develops, implements, and maintains a comprehensive statewide procurement training program for agencies, internal staff, and external stakeholders.
Oversees curriculum development, instructional design, and delivery methods, including in-person training, virtual sessions, e-learning modules, and self-service resources.
Ensures training content reflects current statutes, rules, policies, and best practices.
Establishes training schedules, standards, and evaluation methods to measure effectiveness and compliance.
Evaluates training effectiveness through data, feedback, and performance metrics; recommends improvements to enhance learning outcomes.
Coordinates with subject matter experts to develop specialized training modules and certification pathways.
Develops and leads OSP’s outreach initiatives to agencies, vendors, legislative partners, and statewide leadership.
Administers the Procurement Agency Liaison (“PAL”) program to ensure continuity of the program and efficiency of effort across program leads.
Develops and disseminates communication materials such as newsletters, guidance documents, website content, and modernization updates.
Ensures messaging is clear, consistent, timely, and aligned with OSP’s strategic goals.
Represents OSP at statewide meetings, conferences, and public events.
Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with agency procurement personnel to support compliance and continuous improvement.
Supervises staff responsible for training, communications, and outreach functions.
Assigns work, establishes performance expectations, and conducts performance evaluations.
Establishes clear expectations, provides coaching, and ensures accountability for deliverables and timelines.
Promotes a culture of professionalism, customer service, and open communication.
Ensures team members are informed, aligned, and equipped to support OSP’s modernization initiatives.
Ensures staff adheres to established policies, timelines, and quality standards.
Collaborates with policy and compliance teams to ensure training and outreach materials accurately reflect statutory and regulatory requirements.
Assists in drafting guidance documents, FAQs, and resource tools to support consistent statewide application of procurement rules.
Responds to agency inquiries regarding procurement processes, training requirements, and communication needs.
Participates in strategic planning related to modernization, system enhancements, and policy changes.
Identifies training and communication needs associated with new initiatives and develops implementation strategies.
Gathers recommendations to improve training delivery, outreach effectiveness, and stakeholder engagement.
All other duties as assigned.