The Procurement Manager will administer all procurement activities including solicitations, bid evaluations and contract awards in accordance with Florida law and Children’s Board policies and procedures. Lead informal & formal procurements including Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs), and Requests for Qualifications (RFQs).
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
· Evaluate bids and proposals, conduct vendor negotiations, and draft contract award recommendations.
· Ensure strict adherence to Florida’s procurement and Sunshine Law requirements, maintaining transparency and public accountability throughout all procurement processes.
· Serve as the Children’s Board’s subject matter expert on procurement-related provisions of Florida Statutes, particularly as they pertain to special districts.
· Draft, review, and oversee contracts and amendments to ensure legal compliance, cost-effectiveness, and performance standards.
· Maintain accurate and comprehensive documentation for public records, audits, and internal reporting.
· Collaborate with legal counsel, consultants, and department heads to ensure procurement needs are met in a timely and legally compliant manner.
· Recommend policy and procedural updates to improve procurement effectiveness and legal compliance.
· Provide training and guidance to internal staff on procurement rules, ethics, and best practices.
· Coordinate with departments and vendors to resolve issues and enforce terms.
· Conduct market research to identify cost-effective procurement opportunities and qualified vendors.
· Develop and assemble purchasing documents, coordinating any required reviews to ensure consistency and accountability related to Children’s Board policies and procedures.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, Business Law, Finance, Purchasing or closely related field; minimum five (5) years’ experience in public procurement & contract; previous supervisory experience.
Licenses or Certifications:
· Certified Procurement Professional (CPP) required; Florida Certified Contract Manager (FCCM) or Certified Professional Purchasing Manager (CPPM) strongly preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
· Advanced knowledge of Chapters 189, and 287, Florida Statutes, along with demonstrated experience administering public sector procurement processes in compliance with state and local regulations.
· Familiarity with competitive purchasing pools and the legal requirements for piggybacking off eligible contracts, including verifying contract eligibility and compliance with Florida procurement statutes.
· Strong knowledge of contract law and the ability to analyze legal documents.
· Working knowledge of formats and styles used in legal documents.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
· Ability to work within designated data systems to initiate, maintain, test and process data specific tasks and action steps.
· Ability to balance workload with attention to detail, highly organized and manage changing priorities with a positive attitude.
· Ability to work effectively with others.
· Ability to handle restricted, sensitive, and confidential information.
· Ability to serve the public and represent the Children’s Board with courtesy and professionalism.