Procurement Specialist II

Under the general supervision of the Procurement Manager, the Procurement Specialist II performs a variety of technical, budgetary, and procurement functions in support of utility operations – including electric, water, sewer and infrastructure systems. This includes procurement of specialized equipment, materials and services and coordination of purchasing required to maintain reliable public utility operations. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Performs some or all of the following, and additional duties as assigned. Coordinates and conducts meetings with utility contractors, engineering consultants, equipment manufacturers, field operations, and supervisors and project managers to develop procurement strategies for utility projects. Analyzes requisitions to determine the best procurement method for technical equipment (transformers, pumps, meters, switchgear, piping, SCADA-related components), construction services and maintenance contracts. Develops and reviews utility-specific technical specifications in partnership with engineering staff to ensure accuracy and compliance. Prepares and writes competitive solicitations in partnership with engineering and field operations staff to ensure accuracy and compliance. Prepares and writes competitive solicitations for utility capital improvements, system upgrades, and regulatory compliance services, ensuring alignment with industry standards and safety requirements. Determines the necessity of a pre-solicitation conference; coordinates and conducts pre-solicitation conference; arranges and conducts formal public bid openings. Determines when utility price agreements or long-term contracts are advantageous to support inventory stability, specialized vendor access, and emergency response readiness. Assists in issuance of purchase orders and contracts for materials and services used in daily utility operations, outage response, and capital infrastructure projects. Compiles information and creates tabulation reports on all bids and proposals received; applies evaluation criteria and cost/price analysis methods to determine the lowest responsive bidder; oversees issuing of purchase orders or price agreements to successful vendors. Prepares written documentation, justification, and recommendation for the procurement of services/commodities from selected vendors for presentation to City Council. Serves as liaison with governmental agencies, suppliers, and all departments; schedules and conducts meetings with contractors and department personnel; administers and assures compliance of all requirements as stated on purchase orders/price agreements including terms and conditions, performance, and delivery schedules. Composes correspondence, letters, and legal documents. Build relationships with vendors; negotiates and resolves claims, disputes, conflicts and protests from vendors and department users involving utility construction projects, technical failures, delivery delays, or performance issues; research and compiles documentation for legal suits or petitions filed against the City regarding procurement. Assists with researching and responding to Freedom of Information (aka Sunshine) Requests from the public for information related to prior bids and communications within the city and with suppliers and contractors with the city. Detects and reports evidence of improper or unethical bidding practices by vendors; identifies potential breach of contract by vendors. Assists in establishing purchasing goals; makes recommendations to improve purchasing operation and implement changes. Interprets purchasing policies and relays policy and procedure revision to City department personnel. Organizes and administers disposal or salvage of utility-related equipment, including transformers, meters, cabling, or other operational assets. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education and Experience: Graduation from college with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Public Administration, Business Administration, or related field; Ex…

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