Contracting Specialist

at  The City of Vancouver

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

• Completion of Grade 12 supplemented by the SCMP Designation from the Supply Chain Management Association or a CPPB designation as awarded by the NIGP; seminars in the laws of competitive bidding, contract law and contract administration; or a suitable combination of training and experience
• Considerable experience sourcing and purchasing a variety of goods and services of the type typically used in a municipal setting preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of purchasing principles, practices and methods and municipal policies and procedures governing purchasing operations
• Considerable knowledge of the sources, quantities, types and prices of goods, commodities and services required
• Considerable knowledge of market conditions, price trends, business conditions and governmental regulations affecting the work
• Considerable knowledge of contract law, risk management and negotiation techniques
• Ability to develop, issue, evaluate and award tender and proposal documentation
• Ability to develop purchase documentation, i.e. purchase orders and contracts
• Ability to manage risk inherent in the goods and service acquisitions, ensuring insurance and bonding requirements are addressed
• Ability to manage and ‘troubleshoot’ contracts
• Sound negotiation skills
• Working knowledge of the functions and requirements of the departments served
• Ability to evaluate quality, vendor capability, life time cost and service factors to determine quality and suitability of all supplies, services and commodities
• Ability to interpret and apply the laws of contract and competitive bidding to a variety of situations
• Ability to facilitate interdepartmental evaluation teams through complex bid evaluations and to use a variety of evaluation methodologies
• Ability to make recommendations for solutions to complex and/or specialized purchasing issues
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external contacts and to negotiate with vendors
• Ability to prepare specifications, contracts, tender and request for proposal documents for a variety of products and services and to monitor and administer contracts
• Ability to study and review market conditions and prepare reports and recommendations on purchasing matters
• Ability to review and supervise the work of subordinate buyers and provide training as required
• Ability to use a computerized materials management system and various software applications

License

• Current and valid BC driver’s license
• Candidates must attach the following records and satisfy the City’s driving requirements to be considered for this role:
• Copy of your three-year ICBC Commercial Driver’s Abstract (N Print) directly from ICBC dated within 14 days of this posting.
• Copy of your three-year ICBC Driver’s Claims History directly from ICBC within 14 days of this posting.
• **Drivers who have moved to B.C. during the past three years will be required to provide their Driver’s Abstract and Driver’s Claims History from their previous place(s) of residence for a consecutive 3-year history.

Where operationally appropriate and subject to change, the City of Vancouver has a Flexible Work Program. This program allows staff to work remotely 1 – 4 days a week from locations that are a daily commutable distance from their work at a City worksite. At this time this position is eligible to be part of the Flexible Work Program.
Business Unit/Department: Finance & Supply Chain Mgmt (1150)
Affiliation: CUPE 15 Non Pks
Employment Type: Temporary Full Time
Position Start Date: October 2024
Position End Date: August 2025
Number of Positions Available: 3
Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-026: $45.62 to $53.91 per hour

MAIN PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

The Contracting Specialist purchases high value, highly complex and non-standard goods and services for various City departments and Boards usually utilizing the public procurement process and/or negotiations.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reviews bid documentation of Buyer I and IIs, identifying bid amendments required before and during the bid issuance
• Advises and assists departments and suppliers regarding purchasing requirements, specifications, contracts and details of goods and services to be purchased
• In conjunction with client departments, prepares detailed specifications and effective request for proposal documentation; identifies appropriate evaluation criteria; recommends the appropriate form of contract and levels of indemnification
• Drafts proposal language according to precedent and obtains information and material required to inform procurements from a variety of sources
• Administrates the proposal calls to source qualified vendors and ensures all information is uniformly distributed and the proposal is issued in accordance with City policy and government guidelines
• Independently or in conjunction with client departments, evaluates proposals on a wide variety of criteria including, but not limited to, ability to meet specifications, price, pricing terms, price change mechanisms, escalation options, future availability, suppliers business and technical reputation, and vendor references
• In conjunction with the Category Manager and/or client departments, conducts complex negotiations to finalize contracts
• Negotiates contract renewals or major contract changes
• Ensures that the required insurance, licenses bonding and WCB requirement are in place where required
• Prepares award recommendations to the Category Manager
• Performs research and analysis of products and services and prepares reports and recommendations on purchasing of same
• May oversee the work of Buyer I & IIs
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned