Purchasing and Contracting Manager

Full Job Description

This vacancy is with the Finance department on the Strategic service team. The eligibility list created by this vacancy may be used to hire other vacancies in the department or County.

The ideal candidate will collaboratively lead, organize, and continuously improve a relationship-centered purchasing and contracting function for Ramsey County.

Serving as a subject matter expert, they will work closely with Division leadership to foster a strategic and productive work environment that supports both team success and broader organizational goals.

Key responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of procurement including solicitations, evaluations, contract development, and ensuring compliance with county policies and regulatory standards.

The role demands extensive expert experience in drafting and publishing solicitations and complex contracts across a wide range of categories, including construction, information technology, client services, professional services, supplies, equipment, materials, and labor.

The candidate will manage a team of seven professionals, providing mentorship and training in procurement practices and contract writing.

Strong policy development skills and a deep understanding of county governance and authority structures are essential to succeed in this role.

Manage one of three county purchasing and contracting functions. Collaboratively plan, organize, manage and improve a relationship focused purchasing and contracting function for Ramsey County. Serve as an expert in the area of purchasing and contracting in collaboration with Division leadership. Creates a productive and strategic work environment, ultimately contributing to the success of their assigned team and purchasing and contracting organization as a whole. Functions may include the intake process, purchasing and contracting procedures and evaluating policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and business needs.

To view or print a copy of the complete Ramsey County job (class) description for this position, go to: Job Descriptions. Once at this page, you can browse the alphabetical list or search for a job description.

Flexible Workplace:
This position is identified under the designation of ‘flex work eligible’, meaning that the employee can formally opt to be in-office full-time or work a flex schedule in which at least two-days per week are performed in office and other days can be performed in a remote-first environment. Regardless of selection, the position carries expectations regarding on-site responsibilities and will require schedule flexibility beyond the minimum expectations set forth in the county’s flexible workplace policy. To view Ramsey County’s Flexible Workplace policy, go to: Flexible Workplace Policy

Requirements

1. Promote a diverse, culturally competent, and respectful workplace.
2. Collaboratively develop and continually improve and adapts the standards of purchasing policies and procedures adapted for the county.
3. Partner with other Division leaders, County Attorney’s office, Risk Management and others across the county to support an efficient and relational purchasing and contracting system.
4. Collaboratively design, implement, and monitor a comprehensive internal training program for all participants in the purchasing process.
5. Develop long and short range plans; provide advice on cost- effective approaches for procurement of materials, supplies, equipment, space and services.
6. Forecast all staffing needs for their team(s) based on workload and anticipated purchasing and contracting volumes.

Purchasing and Contracting Coordinators and Support Services

1. Act as main point-of-contact for (MPOC) for business owners and representatives and establish a strategic and operational relationship with assigned service team.
2. Partners with business owners to develop the solicitation and perform the purchasing and contracting process components.
3. Develops and maintains purchasing and contracting portfolios reflecting planned, in process and completed initiatives while maintaining a 3-year roadmap.
4. Engages with community as needed throughout the Purchasing and Contracting process.
5. Supports all purchasing and contracting teams throughout the entire contracting life cycle.
6. Collaborates with the Contract Administration Team (CAT) to track contract and vendor information and collect, develop and distribute defined reports.
7. Supports communication including website management and external postings and manages internal and external feedback loops.
8. Facilitates collaboration across all purchasing and contracting functions to develop and deliver purchasing and contract training content.
9. Performs internal audits to ensure official purchasing and contracting records will meet audit requirements.

Purchasing and Contracting Management Team

1. Collaborates with business representatives and purchasing and contracting personnel to manage the solicitation process from the initial posting through response review/contractor selection, through execution of contracts and amendments.
2. Creates draft and final solicitations for approval.
3. Act as main point-of-contact for contractors during the solicitation and contracting process.
4. Reviews, advises, utilizes, approves for use cooperative and/or state contracts.
5. Creates draft and final contracts and amendments for approval.
6. Collaborates with communications and business personnel to develop and manage solicitation social media campaigns and community advertisements.
7. Facilitates pre-proposal conferences.
8. Collaborates across all purchasing and contracting functions to develop and deliver training content.

Contract Administration Team (CAT)

1. Main point-of-contact (MPOC) for contractors subsequent to contract execution.
2. Provides orientation for contractors with business personnel.
3. Tracks contracts: ensures contracts are renewed, amended or closed.
4. Collaboratively administers contracts with business representatives and/or purchasing and contracting personnel.
5. Performs quality assurance activities through contractor service reviews and status reports; facilitates contractor evaluation with relevant stakeholders.
6. Addresses breaches and performance issues.
7. Monitors contractor invoices, payments, and overall spend against the contract.
8. Develops and delivers training content.
9. Tracks contract and vendor (contractor) information in the system of record.
10. Collects, develops and distributes defined ad hoc reports.

(The work assigned to a position in this classification may not include all possible tasks in this work and does not limit the assignment of any additional tasks in this classification. Regular attendance according to the position’s management approved work schedule is required.)

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: All essential functions listed

Qualifications

Education: Bachelors’ Degree in Purchasing, Contracting, Business or Public Administration, Economics, Marketing or other closely related field.

Experience: Three years of professional level purchasing and/or contracting experience, two or more years of supervisory experience preferred

Substitution: Equivalent combination of education and related experience.

Additional Information