Procurement Specialist

This recruitment will be used to fill two vacancies; one in the Procurement Card Assignment and one in the Solicitation/Requisition Assignment. This recruitment will also be used to establish an eligible list to fill possible future vacancies in all assignment areas.

The first review of applications will be Monday, February 6, 2023.

A Procurement Specialist performs a variety of responsible paraprofessional assignments associated with formal and informal purchasing, including entry-level buying, insurance monitoring, and purchasing; drafts, reviews, and compares vendor documents; evaluates and ensures that City, state, and federal laws are being followed; vendor outreach, contract maintenance and monitoring duties; and difficult and specialized assignments in support of a purchasing supervisors, and/or the Procurement Administrator. This class develops and maintains department internet site and electronic document management system. This class has several assignments within Purchasing. This class may also (by assignment): supervise clerical and/or administrative support staff, in order to efficiently complete work projects by instructing staff regarding work procedures, assignments, and standards; monitor work in progress; evaluate performance; and conduct pertinent training sessions. This class is responsible for performing related duties as required.

Procurement Card Assignment: Communicates with employees, vendors, contractors, and others responding to questions regarding the Procurement Card (PCard) program including appropriate use; spending limits; card status; Merchant Category Codes; fraud attempts; and Works entry, completion, and navigation. Explains and interprets Management Policy and Program Guidelines. Troubleshoots and resolves system-related issues requiring advanced technical knowledge. Maintains secured and confidential information and identifies controls to prevent misuse. Uploads and manages secured data in associated agencies’ websites in order to benefit from contract spend. Receives rebate funds and gift cards and monitors and tracks eligibility requirements and ensures appropriate handling of funds and reporting practices are followed. Receives and reviews PCard applications and change forms and approves/rejects according to policy. Monitors and tracks monthly end-of-billing cycle allocation/signoff and flagged transactions. Documents exceptions and maintains active/inactive cardholder accounts. Updates program training manuals and conducts training sessions with cardholders requiring extensive knowledge of program policy and system functionality. Reviews monthly statement cycle, PCard and database reports, and invoices; and performs random audits on transactions. Identifies instances of program misuse and issues reprimand notifications. Deactivates and removes users when appropriate and around cycle timing. Completes monthly and annual statistics of program, requiring accurate record-keeping and utilizing several databases. Monitors associated contracts and analyzes contract spend and suggests ways to enhance program in order to benefit the City.

Solicitation/Requisition Assignment: Assists Procurement Officers in preparing written documents such as Request for Bids (RFB’s), Request for Proposals (RFP’s), Request for Information (RFI’s), Request for Qualifications (RFQ’s), etc., as well as obtaining informal quotes ensuring that City, state, and federal laws are being followed. Reviews department requisitions and documentation to ensure compliance to policies and procedures. Creates award documents electronically in the City’s financial system. Ensures all work is completed in alignment with Purchasing and City long-term strategies. Presents ideas clearly, both verbally and in writing, to share acquired information; addresses problem/conflict situations as necessary; and translating information and technical evaluation results into business language. Works courteously with customers in order to identify and resolve problems. Attends meetings and/or seminars, training, etc., and schedules meetings as required. Handles a variety of telephone inquiries. Communicates purchasing-related policies and procedures to City employees, vendors, and personnel from other government agencies and the general public. Monitors associated contracts and analyzes contract and non-contract spend.

Vendor Management Assignment: Utilizes and works with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, including purchasing-related documents (vendor creation and modification documents specifically) and advanced technical knowledge of vendor/customer table and Vendor Self Service (VSS) web portal. Researches, analyzes, and evaluates data from multiple sources to identify best method of account setup and functionality of financial system and interactions with multiple independent interfaces. Requires independent IRS tax professional registration in order to verify and confirm Federal eligibility and reporting status and account authentication; ensuring that the City, state, and federal laws are being followed. Maintains secured and confidential information. Communicates with team members in order to maintain continuity of customer service. Prepares written documents confirming account status and system functionality with clearly organized thoughts, translating thoughts and system evaluation results into business language. Presents ideas clearly, both verbally and in writing, to share acquired information or knowledge; discusses alternatives; and addresses problem/conflict situations. Communicates and assists ERP users with vendor document creations and modifications. Troubleshoots, interprets, and resolves error messages, and explains business practices and guidelines of vendor management, while working independently and without specific instruction. Performs as a subject matter expert (SME) and assists ERP Trainer with educating Citywide staff and providing updated/current training materials. Troubleshoots system-related issues and web portal issues. Assists Citywide users in vendor lookup and activation process, communicating best practices for procurement activity and document processing. Processes all vendor creation and maintenance documents that workflow into purchasing, either approving or rejecting documents based on business practices, and informing end-users of required data and specifications. Assists vendors with VSS application, system questions, and registration process. Responds to inquiries and phone calls from vendors, providing one-on-one communications with vendors, and assistance in web portal and navigation. Verifies and monitors batch job processing within job manager for synchronization.

Procurement Specialists are expected to exercise independent judgment in the disposition of their daily activities. This class receives general supervision from a purchasing supervisor, and/or the Procurement Administrator who reviews completed work for accuracy, adherence to department policies and procedures, and overall results achieved. This class is FLSA nonexempt.

Please refer to the link below for the full job description and additional information regarding assignments, preferred qualifications, and essential functions.

Employee Values: All employees of the City of Mesa are expected to uphold and exhibit the City's shared employee values of Knowledge, Respect, and Integrity.

Minimum Qualifications Required. Any combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with an Associate’s Degree in Purchasing, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field. Considerable (3 - 5 years) experience in private or public sector contract administration, purchasing, vendor management, procurement card, accounting, finance, or a closely related field. Good (1-3 years) experience operating personal computer (PC) and using Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access).

Preferred/Desirable Qualifications. Fundamental knowledge of the City’s bidding and purchasing process and procedures or formal governmental purchasing experience. Procurement Card (PCard) program or vendor management experience (based on assignment). A minimum typing speed of 45 net words per minute (wpm).