Finance Specialist - Procurement & Budget Lacy Road, Fitchburg

Exciting News – The City of Fitchburg is seeking a Finance Specialist focused on procurement and budget responsibilities to provide support for all City departments!

We offer flexibility! This position is anticipated to be 30-40 hours per week. The final FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) will be determined upon hire, based on the selected candidate’s interest and availability.

This is US!

This position is responsible for supporting all City departments in the planning, sourcing, acquisition and contract management of goods, services and equipment and for budget creation and monitoring support. This position ensures procurement activities comply with state statutes, federal procurement requirements, municipal ordinances and internal policies, while promoting fairness, transparency, cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

The City of Fitchburg is a great place to work! We offer an amazing benefits package that includes excellent health insurance, participation in the Wisconsin Retirement System, paid parental leave, bilingual incentive, public student loan forgiveness, and an employee assistance program that offers a variety of programs and tools designed to help promote an employee's health and wellness!

• Procurement
  • Serve as the main procurement contact for the City, coordinating and managing purchasing activities for all City departments, as requested.
  • Advise staff on procurement procedures, rules and best practices.
  • Prepare and issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotations (RFQs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs) and related procurement documents. Ensure compliance with various external and internal requirements and ensure diversity and competition in sourcing. Coordinate solicitation process.
  • Conduct bid openings, evaluate vendor submissions, assist departments with vendor selection recommendations and coordinate approval processes.
  • Draft, review, and monitor contracts and agreements for compliance with applicable regulations.
  • Review and verify vendor invoices against purchase orders, contract documents, and work completed. Coordinate submission of payment requests.
  • Track purchasing activity, prepare procurement reports, and analyze spending patterns to identify cost savings. Track capital expenditures by project, including expenditures paid with debt and grant proceeds. Ensure proper accounting and cost allocation.
  • Coordinate special assessment and special charge processes for project cost recovery from benefiting property owners.
  • Serve as liaison with vendors, contractors, and service providers.
  • Ensure ethical standards, transparency, and accountability in all procurement transactions. Support internal control procedures to safeguard public funds and prevent fraud or misuse.
  • Assist departments with sales of surplus assets.
  • Provide grant support including application, monitoring requirements, and reporting.
• Budget
  • Assist departments with submission of requests for annual capital improvement plan and operating budget processes.
  • Assist with the preparation of the annual city budgets, provide budget projections and analysis, and assist with preparation of budget documents and reports.
  • Monitor budget and actual amounts to identify projected variances and assist departments with submitting budget amendment requests.

• Draft and update policies, procedures and templates.
• Monitor compliance with federal and state purchasing laws, (e.g., prevailing wage, minority business enterprise requirements, Buy America, uniform grant guidance procurement standards, or grant-specific procurement rules).
• Conduct internal audits of procurement activities.
• Track contract life cycles, including renewals, expiration and performance evaluations.
• Negotiate terms and conditions with vendors to ensure favorable outcomes for the City.
• Establish tools or dashboards for departments to monitor contracts and budgets.
• Monitor market trends and pricing to advise departments on budgeting and purchasing strategies.
• Tax collection duties including phone calls from residents with questions about their tax bills and/or payments.
• Other…