Procurement Counselor

Established in 1999, the LaGuardia Community College (LaGCC) APEX Accelerator (APEX) program is funded by cooperative agreement with U.S. Department of Defense. The program is dedicated to aiding businesses in Queens market their products and services to governmental entities at the Federal, State, and local levels. APEX is committed to streamlining the process of selling to the government, offering one on one procurement technical assistance and training workshops tailored to businesses of all sizes. This support extends to all Businesses. We also provide certification assistance with NYC, NYS, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses/Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB/VOSB), and other federal disadvantaged Business certifications.

The position of Procurement Counselor at LaGuardia Community College APEX Accelerator is a full-time role that directly reports to the Director of APEX. The Counselor's duties involve personalized counseling sessions, facilitating support with Prime contractors, and assisting with City, State, and Federal contracting, along with handling day-to-day operational tasks related to government procurement services. These tasks encompass activities such as downloading solicitations, maintaining logs of correspondence and documentation, providing necessary statistics to the Director, and conducting research and correspondence as directed. Candidates will interact with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the local business community across various industries and designations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, monitor, and maintain a marketing/outreach program to attain specific economic development and client-based goals, and actively recruit new clients within the APEX service area
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with prime contractors, government agencies, resource organizations and associations, other APEXs, Chambers of Commerce, economic development entities, stakeholders, and other small business support organizations to garner support for sustaining and expanding initiatives linked to the APEX mission
• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on various government contracting topics
• Maintenance of electronic client databases related to services rendered
• Develop and deliver government sector training seminars onsite and/or via webinar
• Perform web-based research and analysis for clients, Primes, and Government agencies
• Assist clients in locating bid opportunities
• Assist clients with bid, proposal preparation, contract interpretation, and certifications
• Assist clients in the interpretation of procurement regulations
• Represent the program at networking and other business events on-site and off-site
• Position may require out-of-state Travel less than 10%

• Other duties assigned by the Director

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning (Required)
• Experience: Minimum of three (3) years of business–related work experience in finance, procurement, or counseling/ one-on one assistance.
• Technical Skills: Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, and CRM systems
• Communication: Excellent written and oral communication skills

This is a grant-funded, in-person, position with the option of some remote work. Appointments are subject to the availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

About LaGuardia Community College

Founded in 1971 in Long Island City, Queens, LaGuardia Community College is one of seven community colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY). LaGuardia offers more than sixty associate degree programs and more than fifty workforce training, ESOL, GED, and pre-college programs. In 2023, LaGuardia served approximately 24,000 students. More than one-third of LaGuardia’s degree-seeking students are born outside the United States; they come from 136 countries and speak 43 heritage languages. Sixty percent are first-generation college students.

Virtually all LaGuardia students are ethnic minorities (89 percent), 58 percent are women, 27 percent are over the age of 25. Forty-six percent of associate degree students are Hispanic. Upon graduation most students transfer to four-year colleges, typically in CUNY, to complete their baccalaureate degrees. Graduates of career programs such as Nursing, Computer Technology, and Veterinary Technology enter the workforce. LaGuardia ranked fifth among U.S. community colleges in economic mobility – moving low-income students into the middle class and beyond – in studies by Stanford University (2017) and the Brookings Institution (2020). Please visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.

RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.