Senior Contracts Officer

Senior Contracts Officer

Job Description

Innovation allows an organization to make the most of every dollar spent. At Virginia’s Community Colleges System (VCCS), our compelling mission, our ambitious strategic plan and our fiscal realities challenge us to ensure that community college resources are maximized for the priority of student success and credential completion.

Nestled between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, the VCCS Shared Services Center is centrally located to all 23 colleges in the VCCS, 43 miles from Blacksburg, VA, and a four hour drive from Washington, D.C. A vital part of the ever-growing Roanoke Valley, Daleville is a haven for tourists and residents alike. Within an hour’s drive are the breathtaking Smith Mountain Lake, world-famous Appalachian Trail, and many other outdoor activities, including golfing, biking, and hiking.

The thriving Historic City Market in downtown Roanoke and the Daleville Town Center and Performance Pavilion also host farmers markets, community and cultural events, and festivals throughout the year.

The VCCS Shared Services Center is an innovation strategy to advance the priority of student success, reduce the administrative burden on individual colleges, consolidate transaction-based functions, create economies of scale and improve backroom process efficiency. This work allows the VCCS to better focus resources on the students – helping them start their educational journeys, persist, and succeed.

Under their direct supervisor, the Senior Contract Officer (SPO) procures a wide variety of goods and services for the 23 VCCS colleges, the System Office and the Shared Services Center. The position also:

• Solicits and issues contracts for goods and services as needed by the SSC customers utilizing a variety of complex procurement methods.
• Manages a portfolio of term contracts for use by the SSC customers (potentially including other public bodies).
• Analyze market data to make appropriate sourcing decisions.
• Ensure that all purchases are performed accurately and timely and in accordance with applicable VCCS and state policies and applicable laws.
• Employs best business practices to continuously improve performance, compliance, efficiency and effectiveness.

• Governmental procurement principles and ability to follow procurement policy and standard operating procedures
• Knowledge of eVA (state procurement system)

• Extensive expertise in making sourcing decisions for complex procurement of supplies, equipment, and professional and non-professional services, including the ability to analyze market data, exercise sound judgment, take initiative, handle multiple competing priorities, solve problems, and attend to detail while maintaining a big-picture perspective. Proficient written and oral communication skills.

• Develop and comprehend highly complex solicitation and contract documents, including the ability to interpret procurement-related law and policies, apply that knowledge, and as needed participate in the development of related policies and procedures.
• Build working relationships to solve problems and achieve common goals.
• Provide exceptional and professional customer service to diverse internal and external customers and suppliers.
• Work effectively with a wide range of constituencies collaborate effectively in a team environment with matrix reporting relationships.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Travel within Virginia and within the United States as needed.

• Multiple years of complex procurement experience leading solicitations and negotiating contracts, vendor agreements, orders, statements of work, etc.
• Experience in a customer service environment.
• Experience in interpreting and modifying legal agreements for compliance.
• Current Virginia Contracting Officer (VCO) certification or ability to obtain Virginia Contracting Associate (VCA) certification within one year of hire and VCO within two years; see (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). for more information on VCA & VCO certifications

• Professional procurement certification(s): VCO, CPPO, CPPB, CPM or other nationally recognized…