Procurement Specialist | Mass Transit

Position Summary

The Procurement Specialist will be responsible for carrying out the procurement process for supplies, equipment, professional services, capital acquisitions, and construction projects for Jaunt in compliance with federal and state procurement laws, regulations, and procedures. She/he will perform contract administration and project management. The Procurement Specialist must engage in all phases and levels of duties required for each procurement from initial planning through project completion. 

Working at JAUNT

JAUNT, Inc. is a regional public transportation system providing service to the citizens of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Nelson, Buckingham, and Amherst Counties, as well as the city of Charlottesville. Organized in 1975, JAUNT is recognized statewide and nationally for its award-winning service and highly trained and professional staff. JAUNT is a building block of the community, providing over 300,000 trips each year throughout a 2,600-square-mile service area carrying riders to work, medical appointments, stores, leisure activities, and other destinations. Coming to work at JAUNT means becoming part of a family. We place a high emphasis on team building, professional development, and innovation. Employees are encouraged to think creatively and find new ways to solve problems and better serve our community.

Procurement Specialist Specific Duties/Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local procurement laws, regulations, and standards for all procurements
• Maintain complete, up-to-date electronic and hardcopy procurement and project records
• Maintain and update the company’s procurement policy with all applicable federal, state, procurement laws, regulations, and standards
• Lead proposal evaluation teams including vendor interviews and proposal negotiations
• Obtain & evaluate references concerning bidder technical and financial capacities for project
• Write contract award recommendations
• Carry out contract administration and project management during project implementation
• Determine estimated contract/project costs and carry out price or cost analyses of proposals
• Interact with local jurisdictions regarding planning, public works, and permitting requirements
• Work with architects, engineers, and technical or project management consultants
• Review Jaunt’s purchasing procedures and processes seeking improvements and streamlining
• Manage all aspects of Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Qualifying Information (RFQI), Information for Bid (IFB) and Request for Quote (RFQ) processes
• Manage every aspect of complex acquisitions requiring long-term contracts/agreements, ranging from vehicle Maintenance, Repairs, Operations (MRO) to technology systems buys
• Purchase a broad range of buys, such as software systems, construction services, bus parts and vehicles
• Conduct and manage negotiations; conduct procurement and administer contracts
• Conduct effective evaluations/analysis and determines best purchasing strategy for an upcoming buy, including; a) price analysis, b) lease vs. buy analysis, c) operating capital vs. lease analysis; d) sole/single source justifications; e) market surveys; and f) technical evaluations
• Partner across departments to plan and determine future purchasing needs by creating a purchasing plan, and providing full and open competition to the maximum extent possible
• In partnership with the Executive Team, contributes to a more consistent, cost-effective and standardized centralized purchasing process across the full procure to pay cycle
• Participate in agency-wide decision making through collaboration with the Executive Leadership Team •Practice excellent negotiating strategies to procure the highest quality and timely acquisitions at the best possible price and in the correct amounts
• Ensures statements of work are closely aligned with performance outcomes and cost estimates
• Responsible for determination of the most appropriate method of procurement to be utilized for the source selection of high profile and complex construction projects, goods, and services
• Challenge current work processes for improvement
• Perform other duties as assigned

Required KSAOs:

• Operates with integrity and ethics in all business practices
• Communicates effectively, precisely and persuasively both written and orally
• Applies the highest ethical standards to all supplier interactions and negotiations
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with all stakeholders, including the Executive Leadership Team, staff, suppliers, internal auditors, project managers and the community at large
• Knowledge of public contracting principles and procedures preferred
• Knowledge of applicable local, federal and state contracting laws, rules and regulations governing policies related to procurement
• Knowledge of full cycle procure to pay practices preferred
• Expert-level financial, quantitative, and analytical skills
• Strong negotiation skills
• Savvy in computer skills strongly preferred
• MS Office Proficient (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Valid Driver’s License

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, supply management or related field required
• A minimum of two (2) years in public transportation procurement is required.
• Experience with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and public-funded procurements is required
• Applicants with private sector purchasing experience with similar knowledge, abilities, and/or education will be considered
• Experience with spend analytics, strategic sourcing, supplier management, negotiation, and category management

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $55,000-$75,000 per year, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

About Charlottesville and Albemarle

JAUNT is headquartered in Charlottesville, just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. The City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County comprise one of the most desirable communities in the nation, with excellent school systems, low taxes, low crime and unemployment rates, a skilled and educated workforce, and a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem. The community is routinely recognized as a premier place to live and play, including among the 15 Best Places to Live in the US, 50 Best College Towns, and the Hippest Mid-Sized Cities in America.

Albemarle and Charlottesville offer stunning beauty, extraordinary culture and an inexhaustible list of things to do. From world-class restaurants to cultural events like the Virginia Film Festival, historic sites like Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, to hiking in Shenandoah National Park, to kayaking along the scenic Rivanna River, to tasting sites on the Brew Ridge Trail and Monticello Wine Trail.

Our public-school systems offer excellent educational opportunities and innovative learning environments, with Albemarle and Charlottesville both ranked in the top 3% of districts across the nation. The University of Virginia, an internationally recognized medical, law and business school, is a major resource for businesses located in the region.