The current vacancies are in the Finance Department.
Manage one of three county purchasing and contracting functions listed below. 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.
Purchasing and Contracting Manager – Coordinator and Support Team
This manager will lead the staff who are the main contact and conduit of information between business owners/representatives and the Purchasing and Contracting team. The manager, along with the team, will work year round with business areas to define their contracting needs, conduct intakes, actively coordinate process steps to ensure timely completion, and manage the relationship including working on a roadmap for future contracting needs. They will also oversee the support team for the division and ensure administrative needs are met and collaboratively work with other P&C Managers to continually improve the end-to-end process and procedures based on quantitative and qualitative feedback.
Purchasing and Contracting Manager – Management Team
This manager will lead the team that does the majority of the work to collaboratively determine the best path for a contract, develop needed solicitations, work with evaluation teams to review submissions and finalize contracts for execution. This area works closely with the business experts, vendors, county attorneys, and information services personnel. This area is the technical expertise for the purchasing and contracting process. In addition, they collaboratively work with other P&C Managers to continually improve the end-to-end process and procedures based on quantitative and qualitative feedback.
Purchasing and Contracting Manager – Contract Administration Team
This manager will lead the team that collaboratively takes contracts from execution through closure including vendor orientation, tracking contract requirements (e.g., status reports, time tracking/invoicing, certificate of insurance renewals, etc.), addressing contract fulfillment issues with the business and other relevant Ramsey County personnel, and determining end-of-contract actions including amendments, closure, and reviews. In addition, they collaboratively work with other P&C Managers to continually improve the end-to-end process and procedures based on quantitative and qualitative feedback.
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 (Download PDF reader).
If an internal candidate is selected, salary will be set in accordance with the personnel rules (i.e., promotion, transfer, or voluntary reduction).
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.
Responsibilities
Examples of Work Performed
- Promote a diverse, culturally competent, and respectful workplace.
- Collaboratively develop and continually improve and adapts the standards of purchasing policies and procedures adapted for the county.
- 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.
- Collaboratively design, implement, and monitor a comprehensive internal training program for all participants in the purchasing process.
- Develop long and short range plans; provide advice on cost- effective approaches for procurement of materials, supplies, equipment, space and services.
- Forecast all staffing needs for their team(s) based on workload and anticipated purchasing and contracting volumes.
Purchasing and Contracting Coordinators and Support Services
- Act as main point-of-contact for (MPOC) for business owners and representatives and establish a strategic and operational relationship with assigned service team.
- Partners with business owners to develop the solicitation and perform the purchasing and contracting process components.
- Develops and maintains purchasing and contracting portfolios reflecting planned, in process and completed initiatives while maintaining a 3-year roadmap.
- Engages with community as needed throughout the Purchasing and Contracting process.
- Supports all purchasing and contracting teams throughout the entire contracting life cycle.
- Collaborates with the Contract Administration Team (CAT) to track contract and vendor information and collect, develop and distribute defined reports.
- Supports communication including website management and external postings and manages internal and external feedback loops.
- Facilitates collaboration across all purchasing and contracting functions to develop and deliver purchasing and contract training content.
- Performs internal audits to ensure official purchasing and contracting records will meet audit requirements.
Purchasing and Contracting Management Team
- 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.
- Creates draft and final solicitations for approval.
- Act as main point-of-contact for contractors during the solicitation and contracting process.
- Reviews, advises, utilizes, approves for use cooperative and/or state contracts.
- Creates draft and final contracts and amendments for approval.
- Collaborates with communications and business personnel to develop and manage solicitation social media campaigns and community advertisements.
- Facilitates pre-proposal conferences.
- Collaborates across all purchasing and contracting functions to develop and deliver training content.
Contract Administration Team (CAT)
- Main point-of-contact (MPOC) for contractors subsequent to contract execution.
- Provides orientation for contractors with business personnel.
- Tracks contracts: ensures contracts are renewed, amended or closed.
- Collaboratively administers contracts with business representatives and/or purchasing and contracting personnel.
- Performs quality assurance activities through contractor service reviews and status reports; facilitates contractor evaluation with relevant stakeholders.
- Addresses breaches and performance issues.
- Monitors contractor invoices, payments, and overall spend against the contract.
- Develops and delivers training content.
- Tracks contract and vendor (contractor) information in the system of record.
- 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 above as well as the assigned area.
Qualifications
Minimum 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 level experience preferred
Substitution: An additional five years’ of professional level purchasing, contracting or management experience may substitute for Bachelors Degree requirement.
Exam/Screening Process Information
The examination process will consist of the following section with each section weighted as indicated:
Training and Experience Rating = 100%
The examination for Purchasing and Contracting Manager will consist of a training and experience rating, comprised of the questions in the attached supplemental questionnaire. Not all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will pass the training and experience rating. The rating on this supplemental questionnaire will depend on your answers to the questions – do not mark “see resume” or “see work history” as a response. Please answer all your questions clearly and completely. Failure to respond could affect your score and final rank on this examination.
Eligible List: The names of all applicants who filed a properly completed application and passed the examination/screening process shall be placed on the eligible list for an employment opportunity as a Purchasing and Contracting Manager. This list will be certified to the appointing authority which may use this list to conduct interviews to fill a vacancy. Candidates will remain on the list for 30 days or until hired, whichever occurs first. A notice will be sent to applicants at the time the eligible list is posted, informing them that the list has been posted and their rank on the list.
Veteran's Preference: This is a classified position requiring an open, competitive selection process. Veteran's Preference points will be applied after a candidate passes the examination process. Applicants who are eligible for veteran's preference should update their veteran's DD214, and other supporting documents, and submit them as an attachment at the time of application.
Criminal Background Checks: All employment offers are conditioned upon the applicant passing a criminal background check. Convictions are not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered on its individual merits and the type of work sought. However, making false statements or withholding information will cause you to be barred from employment, or removed from employment.
E-Verify Participation: Ramsey County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Ramsey County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Ramsey County is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact DHS and/or the SSA before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Ramsey County provides equal access to employment, programs, and services without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex (except when sex is a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification), disability, familial or marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, public assistance status, place of residence, political affiliation, or national origin. Ramsey County is deeply committed to advancing racial equity and promoting diversity and inclusion within all areas of our workforce.
To print a paper application for this posting click Paper Application (Download PDF reader). You will need to print this posting and answer the supplemental questions associated with this exam and submit them with your completed paper application.
For further information regarding this posting, please contact Megan Simmons and Megan.Simmons@co.ramsey.mn.us
Ramsey County
Saint Paul, MN 55101
US
