Contracts and Procurement Manager (Contract Analyst III)

The Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) is part of the Fairfax County Health and Human Services System and provides a wide variety of critical programs and supportive services to county residents of all ages. NCS uses a range of contract and procurement methods to meet the needs of residents and communities and is looking for an experienced contract and procurement manager with a passion for public service to lead the agency's contract and procurement processes and initiatives. This position is a great opportunity to make an impact in the local community and help provide important resources and opportunities to county families and children.

Under the direct supervision of the NCS finance manager, this position will coordinate contract requirements and activities for all departmental programs and oversee agency procurement processes, which includes management of the NCS procurement team. The position has one direct report; however, the procurement team consists of three full-time positions and one part-time position that carry out purchasing and purchase order activities for the agency.

To excel in this role, you should possess a wide range of knowledge of public procurement methods and regulations and a comprehensive understanding of contracting principles and procedures. A successful candidate should be able to think strategically and creatively to address issues and help program managers navigate procurement processes to achieve the agency's goals. Candidates should have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with various audiences.

Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Serves as a subject matter expert on county contracting processes and advises programs on contracting standards. Acts as a technical advisor to inform policy, practice, and programs as it relates to procurement.
• Develops policies and procedures related to contract and procurement processes to improve efficiency of agency operations and ensure compliance with County, state, and federal requirements as applicable.
• Assists programs with development and execution of formal and informal solicitations for supplies and services.
• Maintains an inventory of NCS contracts and implements timelines and processes for timely contract renewals and new solicitations.
• Identifies agency training needs on procurement processes and develops training materials and modules to increase staff capacity and compliance with procurement and contract principles and regulations.
• Develops and monitors accountability and quality assurance processes.
• Manages and oversees purchase order activity, including review and approval of shopping carts as needed in the county's procurement software system.
• Assists the finance manager with the management of complex procurement processes including federally funded programs, the Consolidated Community Funding Pool (CCFP), and others.
• Manages the NCS procurement team that is responsible for the establishment, management, and payment of purchase orders.
• Reviews and assists in the development of contracts, subrecipient agreements, Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), space agreements, and other types of formal and informal agreements between NCS and various vendors, community partners, and other county agencies.
• Uses various county systems and tools to conduct analysis, produce reports, and make recommendations on process improvements, areas of prioritization, and to monitor project deliverables.
• Communicates and works with NCS vendors and partners to negotiate terms and conditions, act as a liaison between program managers and outside entities, and responds to vendor inquiries.
• Researches and stays abreast of industry trends and best practices, changes in federal, state, or local procurement requirements, and other information that impacts NCS procurement activities.
• Assists program managers in researching appropriate vendors, existing contracts, and other procurement mechanisms (e.g. riding contracts from other jurisdictions, cooperative agreements, etc.) to fulfill programmatic needs.
• Acts as a liaison with the county's central Department of Procurement and Material Management (DPMM) on contract and procurement issues and processes.

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)
Supervises a team of professional staff engaged in contracts activities; Prioritizes and manages contract workload for the work unit; Provides technical assistance to contractors and program staff in implementation of client services; Oversees and implements contract solicitations; Oversees the monitoring of contracts; Performs quality assurance activities related to contracts management; Reviews staff work for accuracy and completeness; Negotiates final contracts.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all inclusive list.)
Considerable knowledge of the mission, goals and objectives of the organizational unit, program or activities to which incumbent is assigned;
Ability to manage and resolve conflicts;
Ability to supervise and lead assigned employees, including delegating and reviewing work assignments, providing coaching and guidance, monitoring and evaluating performance, and supporting training and development planning;
Ability to negotiate complex contract problems.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with a bachelor's degree in business administration, public policy, public administration or a field related to the assigned functional area; plus four years of professional level experience in contract administration or a related field.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a Child Protective Services Registry check, and a credit check to the satisfaction of the employer.

Additional Work Schedule Requirements: For special assignments/deadlines, alternate flex schedule or comp time may be required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Considerable knowledge of, and experience with governmental procurement processes including federal, state, and local.
• Demonstrated ability to work with and review details, and ability to effectively synthesize information for appropriate audiences.
• Experience with researching, preparing, and presenting reports to senior managers.
• Supervisory experience.
• Considerable experience using Microsoft Office Suite applications, specifically a high-level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel to analyze and manipulate data.
• Experience working with federal subrecipient agreements.
• Experience with financial management and purchasing software such as, but not limited to, SAP.
• Experience drafting and implementing policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and conduct training for various audiences.
• Demonstrated experience working with federal, state, and private grant agreements and programs.
• Professional certifications in procurement and/or contract management such as, but not limited to, National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP), Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS), etc.