Procurement Analyst, Principal

About the Role

This is an exciting time to join the City of Richmond. We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. The Department of Procurement Services is growing, and we are searching for highly qualified candidates for the position of Procurement Analyst, Principal.

Position Overview

The Procurement Analyst, Principal, plays a vital leadership role in managing strategic procurement and contracting activities for a designated City of Richmond agency. This position ensures compliance with City Code, state laws, and local regulations while facilitating the timely and efficient acquisition of goods, services, materials, and equipment.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage procurement staff, ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards.
• Foster a high-performance, customer-centric environment promoting professional growth and team engagement.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide coaching or corrective action as needed.
• Oversee solicitation processes (RFQs, IFBs, RFPs) for complex purchases.
• Collaborate with agency leadership to develop clear, precise specifications and scopes of work.
• Manage contract lifecycle from planning through execution, aligning procurement with agency goals.
• Lead contract negotiations on terms, pricing, and delivery to protect and maximize agency interests.
• Identify and mitigate risks in high-value or sensitive procurements, coordinating with senior management.
• Approve and issue purchase orders and contracts ensuring compliance and cost-efficiency.
• Develop and maintain strong vendor relationships, ensuring quality and value.
• Monitor vendor performance and resolve compliance or performance issues proactively.
• Provide expert advice to procurement staff to ensure full compliance with laws and policies.
• Review contracts and purchase orders for completeness and legal soundness.
• Stay current on procurement best practices, legal trends, and industry developments.
• Lead initiatives to enhance procurement efficiency, transparency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Contribute to procurement policy development, ensuring alignment with organizational and legal requirements.
• Implement internal controls to safeguard procurement integrity.
• Maintain organized procurement records and documentation.
• Prepare comprehensive reports on procurement activities, budget forecasts, and contract performance for senior leadership.
• Ensure all contract documents comply with organizational and legal standards.
• Represent the Procurement team in high-level meetings and negotiations as needed.
• Act as Procurement Administrator in leadership’s absence.
• Lead special projects supporting strategic objectives.
• Serve as Essential Employee and Procurement lead in Emergency Operations Center as assigned.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Public or Business Administration, Finance, Operations Management, or a related field, and five years of relevant procurement and contracting experience in a government or legal environment.

Skills

• Knowledge of public procurement principles, including competitive bidding and negotiation.
• Government procurement laws and City Code requirements.
• Risk management, cost control, and contract administration.
• Vendor management and fostering collaborative partnerships.
• Agency-specific policies and procedures.
• Professional business communication and etiquette.
• Ability to lead and develop a team, delegating and providing feedback effectively.
• Ability to analyze procurement needs, identify risks, and craft sound strategies.
• Ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively in writing and verbally.
• Ability to negotiate favorable terms while ensuring legal compliance.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
• Ability to build and maintain positive internal and external stakeholder relationships.

Benefits

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program