PURCHASING DIVISION CHIEF

The Department of Management and Finance seeks an experienced Purchasing Division Chief to direct and manage the full scope of purchasing functions for Arlington County departments. Reporting to the Purchasing Division's Deputy Director, the Division Chief supervises 8-10 professional staff and exercises a high level of independence and discretionary authority.  This leader develops strategic goals, oversees Arlington's purchasing practices, ensures the integrity and consistency of purchasing processes, maximizes competition and best value procurements, and makes contract award recommendations in accordance with applicable policies and procedures, rules and regulations, laws and ordinances. 

The Purchasing Division maintains a visible role among surrounding local governments in the Washington, DC metropolitan region and collaborates with County agencies, the County Attorney, bidders, and contractors to support Arlington's high procurement standards. Procurement in Arlington includes over 120 solicitations per year, with over 280 contracts signed each year and 900 contracts in place overall, and an annual purchasing spend of approximately $300 million.

For details about Arlington County Government and the Department of Management and Finance, please click here.

Specific duties include:

• Providing professional guidance, support and sound procurement advice to stakeholders for solicitations and issues related to consultants, equipment, goods, construction, capital improvements and/or other procurement-related services and activities;
• Reviewing and executing solicitations, contracts, purchase orders, change orders and other documents within delegated authority;
• Developing County-wide policies in all realms of purchasing;
• Interacting and presenting information to executive and senior management to include the County Manager, County Attorney and the County Board;
• Selecting, hiring, developing, supervising, and evaluating professional staff; monitoring workload, developing and monitoring performance measurements;
• Establishing and conducting continuous process reviews and improvements to include operations and contract administration; and
• Developing and delivering training programs to County staff on procurement related topics.

Minimum: A Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field, and progressively responsible public purchasing experience to include supervision and management of professional staff.  The successful candidate must be knowledgeable of legal requirements governing procurement policies, purchasing principles, methods and procedures, including alternative project delivery methods such as Design-Build (D-B) and Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) with demonstrated experience in the following:

• Collaborating with all levels of an organization to include executive and senior management;
• Developing procurement and procurement-related process improvements to include analysis of data and systems; and
• Working with an automated procurement processing system and with Microsoft applications to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Certification is required in one or more of the following: Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO), Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Purchasing Manager (CPM)

Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the selection (or application) process and are required for this position.  Please do not give "see resume" as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Please provide a cover letter addressing how your education, experience and training meets the requirements under selection criteria highlighting your accomplishments in these areas. Please use the space provided in the Supplemental Questions section of the online application for your cover letter or attach the cover letter to your online application.

Completion of the Commonwealth of Virginia Statement of Economic Interest form will be required of the successful candidate upon hire and annually thereafter.

A background check will be made on all candidates who are finalists for the position. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure/certifications, and credit check and may require signing a release authorizing the County to obtain this information. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record and criminal history.

Starting salary will depend upon the qualifications and experience of the candidate selected and is negotiable. This position is in the Arlington County Government's Senior Management Accountability Program (SMAP), in which Senior Program Managers are evaluated and compensated based on a performance agreement linked to the County's Management plan, and results achieved, among other criteria. Arlington County offers a competitive salary and a great benefits package including a Defined Benefit (pension) plan. For more information on Arlington's family friendly benefits, click here.

Note: This recruitment is open until the position is filled with a preferred filing date of May 17, 2018.  Applications submitted by this date will receive first consideration.  Interested applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. Qualified applicants in this first group will be referred to the hiring manager and interviews will be conducted on a regular basis throughout the recruitment with candidates whose qualifications best fit our needs.  Applications received after May 17, 2018 may be considered if a hire is not made from applicants received by the preferred filing date.  The application process will close when the position has been filled or when enough qualified applications have been received.