Procurement Officer

Arlington County VA•Arlington, VA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Arlington County is seeking an experienced Procurement Officer for the Department of Management and Finance's Purchasing Division to prepare, review, and approve solicitations, negotiate contracts, and manage the procurement process for a wide variety of products and services. This employee will have a high level of independence and discretionary authority in ensuring all procurement transactions meet ethical standards and comply with applicable laws and regulations.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field, plus Significant procurement experience that includes managing Invitations to Bid (ITBs), Request for Proposals (RFPs), negotiating contracts and resolving disputes
Attention to detail and the ability to coordinate with other professional and technical staff as well as with the County Attorney's Office, County Department leadership, bidders and vendors
Specification writing skills, editing, and contract preparation experience, including ability to articulate and express ideas
A customer-focused, results-oriented mindset when planning and overseeing solicitations for County operating agencies
Thorough understanding of contract administration techniques and theory
A strong grasp of e-procurement technology tools and analytical reporting software
Effective negotiation skills
Ability to understand and apply new techniques and solutions to problems in the public procurement field while balancing the interests, requirements and demands of multiple stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Experience in one or more of the following: Municipal or local government procurement; Application of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA); Contributing to and working on information technology and/or construction related projects; Using established automated solutions to procurement processes; Completed courses in public procurement, negotiation techniques, business, or contract law
Obtained certification as a: Virginia Contract Administrator (VCA), and/or Virginia Contracting Officer (VCO). Virginia Construction Contracting Officer (VCCO)

Responsibilities

Ensuring all procurement transactions, under their review, comply with applicable laws and regulations specific to the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA) and the County Purchasing Resolution
Ensuring that all purchases meet ethical standards
Preparing and issuing a variety of solicitations
Leveraging analytical and reporting tools to efficiently monitor the compliance, performance and outcomes of the procurement process
Maintaining the County's credibility, not only in the marketplace in terms of potential bidders and contractors, but also in terms of public perception by citizens of the County
Serving as an internal liaison to County departments by advising them in the planning and organizing of their procurement activities, specific procurement processes, and contract language in order to most effectively achieve the desired results
Participating in vendor outreach sessions such as pre-proposal conferences
Overseeing committees during evaluation, negotiation and award processes as a non-voting member
Assisting in negotiating contract terms; and working closely with the County Attorney's Office to ensure that contracts appropriately protect the County's interests
Assisting with change orders and contract amendments