Procurement Manager I

This is a Management Service position which serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority (“at-will”) at Grade 22. Two hybrid-schedule positions are available: one in IT & Professional Services at 45 Calvert Street, Annapolis, MD 21401, and one in Architectural/Engineering at 301 W. Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201.

About the role

This is a professional, supervisory role within the Office of State Procurement. The incumbent oversees and executes procurement sourcing and contract awards while ensuring strict adherence to State laws and regulations. Key responsibilities include providing technical guidance and policy interpretation to agencies, managing a team of Procurement Officers and support staff, and serving as the primary backup to the Program Manager in their absence.

Responsibilities

• Staff Supervision & Project Planning: Direct staff in reviewing and modifying agency specifications. Establish realistic contract timelines, including site visits, pre-bid meetings, board dates, and advertising schedules. Define critical contract terms to ensure fair competition.
• External Liaison & Records Management: Ensure staff collaborate efficiently with agencies and vendors. Act as the primary liaison on BPW and COMAR regulations. Manage manual and automated procurement record-keeping, archiving, and document retrieval.
• Solicitation Development & Posting: Review requisition specifications for clarity. Oversee the creation and posting of IFBs and RFPs on eMMA (eMaryland Marketplace), including terms, conditions, line items, and targeted vendor lists.
• Pre-Bid Activities & MBE Goals: Monitor staff and submit MBE goal recommendation forms to the Procurement Review Group (PRG). Lead or oversee pre-bid/proposal conferences, issue clarifications/amendments via eMM, and maintain solicitation files.
• Bid Evaluation & Award Recommendation: Review staff/committee analyses of bids and proposals for accuracy, responsiveness, and responsibility. Verify vendor references, calculations, insurance, licenses, and MBE compliance. Recommend awards in accordance with COMAR 21 guidelines and assist in resolving protests.
• Stakeholder Communication: Ensure prompt responses to inquiries from contractors, state agencies, and the public. Guide staff in drafting deficiency notices and follow-up correspondence to bidders.
• Board of Public Works (BPW) Prep: Prepare agenda items and comprehensive backup packages for contract awards requiring BPW approval.
• Regulatory Expertise: Maintain an active, up-to-date knowledge of procurement laws, codes, and policies to resolve complex issues within established guidelines.

Qualifications

Preference will be given to applicants who possess the following qualifications. Applicants should clearly describe their relevant education and experience on their application.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Seven years of professional experience in public-sector procurement or private-sector contracting, including experience with soliciting, evaluating, negotiating, and awarding contracts; advertising procurement opportunities; distributing specifications to vendors; coordinating bidder evaluation committees; conducting vendor debriefings; monitoring contract performance; eProcurement management; professional certification; or procurement business operations.
• Experience providing procurement interpretation, instruction, guidance, and assistance in accordance with applicable State laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Experience managing, reviewing, or providing guidance on the work of lower-level procurement professionals.
• IT/Professional Services Position: Five or more years of experience in IT and/or Professional Services procurement, including providing procurement guidance and oversight and reviewing the work of procurement professionals.
• Architectural/Engineering Position: Two or more years of experience with Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) and/or Architectural/Engineering Act procurement, including providing technical interpretation, instruction, guidance, and assistance in accordance with applicable State laws and regulations.
• Intermediate proficiency with FMIS, eMMA, Google Workspace/Google Suite, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience interpreting and applying State procurement laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to complex procurements and contracting activities.

Licenses and Certifications

• Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.
• Employees in this classification who have not done so must obtain and possess certification as a Procurement Professional from the Maryland Department of General Services within one year of appointment.

Benefits

The State of Maryland offers a generous benefits package that includes:

• Tuition reimbursement, if funding is available, for those who qualify
• Flexible work schedules and telework opportunities for many positions
• Free mass transit in Baltimore & Annapolis
• Generous paid leave that increases with years of service
• Paid holidays
• Health coverage with low out-of-pocket costs
• Employee & employer contributory pension plan