Assistant Director of Procurement & Contract

Job Description

Job Description

Position Open: September 10, 2026

Position Close: September 23, 2026

Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA)

Nashville, TN

MDHA serves Nashville and Davidson County. The mission of MDHA is to create quality affordable housing opportunities, support neighborhoods, strengthen communities, and help build a greater Nashville. 

MDHA employs over 300 staff members, has a budget of $215 million, and houses approximately 30,000 people, primarily through nearly 8,000 Section 8 Vouchers and over 6,800 apartments, which are mainly Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) units, at 39 properties. MDHA is a housing authority, a community development agency, and a redevelopment agency.

Position Summary

This role performs complex procurement functions in compliance with federal, state, and local law and the Agency’s procurement policies and procedures. It is responsible for leading, developing, and implementing the procurement process and contract administration and ensuring compliance, including overseeing document management, solicitation processes, contract initiation, and monitoring. Organizes, executes, and monitors bidding procedures for assigned goods and service contracts. Evaluates bids, proposals, and contract documents. Evaluate and identify qualified vendors. Administers assigned purchasing and contract procedures, leads purchasing staff, and delivers technical support on contract matters. Assists administrative staff, project managers, and technical representatives on contract matters. Acts to maintain effective vendor relations. Leads special projects as assigned.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Procurement Management

• In collaboration with the Chief Financial Officer, participate in developing and executing procurement strategies, initiatives, policies, and procedures.
• Manage the procurement process, including identifying needs, conducting market research, and developing specifications.
• Oversee the solicitation process, including issuing Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), and Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Administer review and processing procedures for purchasing and contract activity. Receive, review, edit, and approve RFP/IFB/RFQ packages from purchasing staff.
• In collaboration with the Communications Department, compose RFP/IFB/RFQ advertisements and submit them to the media.
• Establish bid/proposal schedule; conduct pre-bid/proposal conferences with bidders/offerors and departments. Oversee bid opening to ensure compliance with policy and law.
• Establishes and oversees proposal evaluation teams. In conjunction with the evaluation team, determine the successful bids/offers, report results of bid opening/proposal evaluation to appropriate staff, notify bidders/offerors, prepare award contracts, and maintain records on solicitation and awards.
• Review and negotiate purchase orders and contracts.
• Maintain accurate records of procurement activities.
• Prepare reports and presentations on procurement activities.
• Stay abreast of industry trends and procurement and contract management best practices.

Contract Administration

• Manage the lifecycle of contracts, from initiation to closure.
• Ensure compliance with contract terms and conditions.
• Monitor contract performance and identify potential issues
• Manage contract amendments and renewals.
• Maintain contract management systems and databases.

Vendor Relations

• Acts to maintain effective vendor relations and to assure that vendors perform per the provisions of executed contracts and purchase orders; as appropriate, may serve as liaison between contractor and organization.
• Acts to resolve contract disputes, confers with vendor and MDHA staff; identifies the source of dispute; acts to resolve conflicts; and takes corrective action as needed.

Supervisory/Leadership

• Supervise and mentor procurement staff.
• Provide guidance and support to other departments on procurement and contract-related matters.
• Participate in the development of procurement strategies and initiatives.

Education and Experience Required

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, or a related field; Five (5) to seven (7) years of experience in procurement and contract administration.; Strong understanding of procurement principles and practices. Excellent negotiation and communication skills. Proficiency in contract management software and systems. Experience with Yardi is preferred. Ability to work independently as part of a team. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines 

Required certification : The selected candidate will be expected to be within (12) twelve months of hire to obtain a Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) or Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) designation; Experience with procuring residential construction and maintenance services is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

Behavioral   Skills:

Interact professionally while maintaining effective working relationships with superiors, coworkers, company representatives, and government officials; develop and maintain effective working relationships with salespersons, vendors, and members of the public. Knowledge of the principles and practices of project management. Ability to work effectively under stress, close deadlines, and competing demands.

  Technical   Skills:

Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing procurement policies and practices; excellent management, leadership, and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing in both formal and informal settings; must be detail-oriented; ability to analytically solve problems, make sound judgments and exercise good decision making—ability to perform short and long-range planning.

  Physical Skills:

Willingness, mental and physical ability to perform the duties involved in this classification. Ability to perform work with or without an accommodation that requires sitting, standing, and walking; dexterity of hands, clarity of vision, speech, and hearing; and powers of observation; other physical duties as required. 

Financial Skills

Ability to review and negotiate purchase orders and contracts, manage procurement financial activity, and prepare reports on procurement activity. Ability to provide budget and cost analysis, understand contract value thresholds, and manage within department budget.

License(s) Required:

Valid Tennessee driver’s license