Procurement Specialist

The Procurement Specialist plays a key role in helping City departments obtain the goods and services they need through cost-effective, transparent, and competitive purchasing processes. This position involves specialized work of considerable difficulty, requiring strong independent judgment, attention to detail, and expertise in public procurement.

The Procurement Specialist partners closely with departments across the City, ensuring each purchasing action meets legal requirements, aligns with policy, and delivers the best value to our community.

Essential Job Duties

• Provide respectful, professional, and positive service in all interactions with co-workers, internal and external customers, community members, and the general public.
• Maintain a positive and productive work environment while ensuring compliance with City, Department, and Division policies, procedures, goals, and objectives.
• Collaborate with departments to develop proper specifications, scope of work, and descriptions for needed commodities or services; determine appropriate solicitation methods and timelines to maximize value.
• Prepare solicitation documents, including Invitations for Bid, Requests for Quotation, Requests for Proposal, Requests for Qualifications, and contracts with standard and specialized terms and conditions.
• Manage procurement processes from project initiation through bidding, contract award, performance monitoring, and close-out; renew or rebid contracts approaching expiration.
• Conduct solicitations, including hosting pre-bid meetings, serving as the point of contact for vendor inquiries, performing bid openings, and analyzing bid/proposal responses for compliance and accuracy.
• Review departmental evaluations and recommendations to ensure alignment with Procurement policies.
• Research legal requirements, regulatory guidelines, and procurement best practices; develop compliant plans and recommendations with guidance from the Procurement Manager.
• Review vendor contracts and/or develop City contracts, ensuring inclusion of performance requirements, termination clauses, payment terms, insurance, bonding, prevailing wage provisions, and all necessary attachments.
• Review and approve designated requisitions for policy compliance; process all Purchase Orders. Serve as backup to convert requisitions into purchase orders and distribute them accordingly.
• Administer the Procurement Credit Card (ProCard) Program, including employee assistance and training.
• Provide guidance and training to staff regarding Procurement Policy, procedures, ProCard use, and electronic requisition/purchase order processes.
• Serve as backup for surplus property activities, including asset verification, approvals routing, online auctions, communication with end users, coordinating item pickup, and processing documentation.
• Maintain City vehicle title records; obtain titles for newly purchased vehicles and renew all confidential license plates.
• Assist with file management by scanning, routing, and filing documents; administering contracts post-award; tracking renewals; and seeking guidance on contractual issues.
• Prepare recommendations on bids and contracts for the Procurement Manager.
• Update report data and generate various reports as needed.
• Recommend and implement process improvements to enhance departmental performance.
• Perform all job duties safely and in compliance with City safety policies and procedures.

Why Join the City of Wentzville?

The City of Wentzville is committed to being an employer of choice, offering prosperous and meaningful career opportunities and flexibility. The City offers excellent benefits, including health, vision, dental, employer-paid life insurance, long-term disability, a retirement pension, 13 paid holidays, five personal days, vacation time, sick time, tuition reimbursement, an employee assistance program, a discounted recreation center membership and much more.

To see the full Job Description, Click Here

This job posting will remain open until a sufficient number of qualified applicants are received.

Job Qualifications – Education, experience, and training that are required or desirable in order to effectively perform the job at the time of hire. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered. Additional requirements and/or substitutions may be requested and require the approval of HR.

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Management, or related field required.
  • Additional job experience in the field may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of two years of related experience required. Experience in a public sector purchasing and contract environment preferred.
  • Additional job-related advanced degrees or certifications may be considered in lieu of experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities – May be representative, but not all-inclusive, of those knowledge, skills, and abilities commonly associated with this position.

• Knowledge of state and federal laws as applicable to local government bids and contracts. Ability to develop goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish work, as well as concentrate on multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Advanced problem-solving skills and the ability to resolve challenging issues by interpreting policy and intent.
• Ability to oversee defined projects, programs, and processes.
• Ability to apply advanced thinking to complete work, and to work independently with little supervision.
• Ability to use good judgment, make responsible decisions, and think quickly and rationally in difficult or stressful situations.
• Ability to provide exceptional service to internal and external customers.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with supervisors, co-workers, and customers by telephone, in writing, and in person.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Regular attendance is a necessary and essential job duty. Job requires being reliable, responsible and dependable.