Strategic Procurement Specialist

Overview

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking a Strategic Procurement Specialist to work within the Department of Public Health’s Bureau of Community Health and Prevention (BCHAP).  You will play an essential role in orchestrating, planning, coaching, and monitoring all procurement activities for the Bureau. This position will support Bureau program staff in understanding the underlying procurement rules, working with staff to translate program requirements into procurement documents, maintaining systems to ensure all procurements are completed in a timely way and ensure Bureau processes are robust and equitable. This role will be supporting Bureau initiatives to increase equity and accountability within the procurement process. Additionally, you will work collaboratively with internal and external staff, exhibit a strong sense of urgency to meet program timelines, exhibit an intense curiosity/learning drive and successfully operate in a fast-paced environment.

As the Strategic Procurement Specialist, you will work with Bureau staff to coordinate all procurements from initial planning, writing, and editing, to evaluating responses and making awards. Additionally, you will oversee the Administration and Finance Contracts Requirements Improvement System Project (CRSIP) to ensure that program design and procurement requirements are integrated into contracting processes and to assess impact of improvements as part of continuous quality improvement while communicating results to internal stakeholders.

Join us in making a difference in the health and well-being of Massachusetts communities through effective procurement strategies.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Provide oversight and leadership for all procurement activities within BCHAP, including guiding program staff on correct procurements, offering technical assistance, and providing training to staff.
• Develop and implement procedures and guidelines to meet BCHAP’s procurement objectives and goals.
• Partner with the Deputy Director to plan timelines for Bureau procurements and ensure organizational capacity.
• Supervise consultants and interns on procurement-related initiatives, participating in regular staff/supervision meetings.
• Lead the Contract Requirements Improvement System Project (CRISP).
• Develop systems, tools, and standards for writing procurements, editing, and offering critical feedback to program staff.
• Create and maintain procurement files following the award of solicitations.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Bureau staff, DPH Purchase of Service Procurement (POS) team, and the statewide procurement process.
• Represent the Bureau at Department meetings related to procurement, collaborating with POS on the development of procurement exceptions and approval process requests.
• Support and facilitate Bureau senior team in second-level reviews, recruit and train reviewers/facilitators and communicate with internal stakeholders on quality improvement efforts.

 Required Qualifications:

• Ability to give written and oral instructions in a precise, understandable manner.
• Ability to present and explain data to a wide audience.
• Capacity to analyze and determine the applicability of data, to draw conclusions and make appropriate recommendations.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of human resource management including behavioral techniques, planning, forecasting, organizational development, etc.
• Power to create comprehensive reports, charts, graphs, etc., and to properly analyze such data.
• Means to establish rapport with others and maintain harmonious working relationships with others.
• Able to adjust to varying or changing situations to meet emergency or changing program requirements.
• Ability to supervise, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available resources, controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Commitment and passion for implementing and fostering racial equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice into work practices while addressing other social determinants of health.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of staff demonstrating personal initiative as well as the ability to work well in a team.
• Knowledge and understanding of all procurement transactions including, but not limited to, creating bids, requisitions, Request for Quotes (RFQ) with scope of works (SOW) and Requests for Response (RFR).
• Proficient usage of Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Ability to work independently, with attention to detail, and the capacity to prioritize multiple tasks appropriately to meet deadlines.
• Skilled to research and resolve or recommend solutions on procurement and fiscal issues for the Bureau.
• Proven ability to work well in a high visibility, public oriented environment, with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience with proofreading and reviewing work for accuracy and completeness.
• Ability to present complex and/or technical concepts in a clear and understandable format.

First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.
MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative or managerial experience in business administration, business management or public administration the major duties of which involved program management, program administration, program coordination, program planning and/or program analysis, and (B) of which at least one year must have been in a supervisory capacity, or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A Bachelor’s degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required (A) experience.*

II. A Graduate degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of three years of the required (A) experience.*

III A Bachelor’s or higher degree with a major other than in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required (A) experience.*

*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

NOTE: No substitutions will be permitted for the required (B) experience.