Director of Purchasing and Contracts

The next Director of Purchasing and Contracts will join EMWD at a time of significant opportunity to build upon an established operation while continuing to modernize systems, strengthen staff capabilities, and deepening engagement with the vendor community.

ERP and Procurement Technology

-A major priority will be advancing the implementation and optimization of Workday Strategic Sourcing and Contract Lifecycle Management. The Director will have the opportunity to strengthen procurement and contracting workflows, improve reporting and visibility, and make greater use of technology, analytics, and performance measures to support consistency, efficiency, and informed decision-making.

Contract Life-Cycle Management and Complex Agreements

-The Department is continuing to strengthen how contracts are developed, administered, monitored, and renewed. The incoming Director will provide leadership in advancing contract life-cycle management and overseeing complex, interagency, professional services, and non-standard agreements while balancing legal compliance, operational needs, risk, and value.

Warehouse and Materials Management Modernization

-The Warehouse is an important operational support function serving District-wide needs. The next Director can build upon ongoing efforts to improve inventory visibility, reporting, storage practices, and asset tracking, including the current pipe yard optimization study and evaluation of enhanced tool-management technology.

Vendor Engagement and Education

-EMWD is committed to maintaining constructive, transparent relationships with vendors and contractors. The next Director will have an opportunity to strengthen how procurement requirements are communicated by helping staff explain not only what District policies require, but the reasoning behind those requirements. Clearer, more educational communication can help vendors better understand EMWD’s processes and support stronger long‑term engagement with the vendor community. The Director will also be expected to build upon existing outreach efforts and broaden awareness of how to do business with EMWD. Recent initiatives have included participation in regional supplier outreach events and Small Business Development Center workshops, providing a foundation for reaching a broader vendor base and encouraging greater competition.

Policy and Process Modernization

-EMWD has been updating its procurement framework, including Administrative Code provisions affecting quotation thresholds, approval authority, and professional services. The next Director will help implement these changes thoughtfully while ensuring that staff, vendors, and contractors understand how updated requirements should be applied in practice.

Team Development and Succession Planning

-The Department includes experienced employees with considerable institutional knowledge. The next Director will have an important opportunity to strengthen bench depth through mentoring, cross‑training, professional development, and succession planning while preserving practices that are working well and continuing to raise performance expectations.

Performance and Continuous Improvement

-The Department already uses meaningful operational and service measures, providing a strong foundation for the next Director to further refine performance reporting, identify trends, improve service levels, and demonstrate the value of procurement, contracting, and warehouse operations across EMWD.

About Eastern Municipal Water District

Recognized as a leader in the water industry throughout California and nationally, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) provides water, wastewater, and recycled water services to nearly one million customers living and working within a 682-square-mile service area covering Western Riverside and Northern San Diego Counties. EMWD is governed by a five-member Board of Directors. Following EMWD’s September 2026 Mid-Cycle Budget Update, EMWD’s FY 2026–27 operating budget is $306.1 million, with $194.2 million budgeted for capital improvement program expenditures.

The District benefits from a strong governance model with alignment between the Board and staff on vision, mission and values, and strategic objectives. This collaboration has had a significant influence on EMWD’s continued success.

More information regarding EMWD can be found on the District’s website:

The Department

The Purchasing and Contracts Department provides procurement, contracting, warehousing, and materials management support across Eastern Municipal Water District. With the exception of public works construction procurements administered by Engineering, the Department manages the acquisition of goods and services, develops and issues competitive solicitations, evaluates bids and proposals, negotiates terms and pricing, and prepares and administers professional services, interagency, and other agreements. Its work is central to helping EMWD obtain the goods, services, materials, and equipment needed to support District operations while maintaining compliance, competition, transparency, and value.

The Department has approximately 20 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions and is organized across Purchasing and Contracts and Warehouse/Materials Management, with management, professional, technical, and operational staff supporting each function. Purchasing and Contracts oversees solicitations, purchase orders, contract administration, supplier negotiations, market research, price benchmarking, and related procurement activities.

Warehouse/Materials Management supports District operations through the acquisition, storage, and distribution of approximately 3,800 inventory line-items, including pipe, valves, meters, hydrants, safety equipment, industrial supplies, and other critical materials.

The scale of the Department’s work is significant. In 2025, staff processed 105 competitive solicitations, more than 4,300 purchase orders, approximately 450 professional services contracts, and more than 4,500 purchasing‑card transactions. During FY 2024–25, the Department executed 447 agreements with a combined value of approximately $88.4 million.

The Department maintains a strong emphasis on performance measurement and continuous improvement. Current measures include contract renewal timeliness, requisition processing time, supplier delivery performance, cost avoidance, and non‑standard agreement milestones. In 2025, the Department achieved a 96 percent contract renewal rate, processed approved requisitions in an average of 3.72 days, and documented approximately $3.3 million in cost avoidance and savings.

Several modernization initiatives are underway. The Department is advancing Workday Strategic Sourcing and Contract Lifecycle Management as part of EMWD’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) efforts, recently implemented significant updates to the Administrative Code, and continuing vendor outreach through regional procurement events and business‑development workshops. In Warehouse/Materials Management, current efforts include a pipe yard optimization study, deploying emergency supplies storage containers at strategic locations across the service area and exploration of cloud‑based software to enhance tool management and tracking.

The Position

Reporting to the Senior Director of Administrative Services, the Director of Purchasing and Contracts provides executive leadership for EMWD’s purchasing, contracting, warehousing, and materials management functions. The Department is organized across Purchasing and Contracts and Warehouse/Materials Management, with management, professional, technical, and operational staff supporting these areas. The Director is responsible for the Department’s strategic direction, operational performance, policies, systems, and service delivery, while ensuring that procurement and contracting activities are carried out efficiently and in accordance with applicable administrative and legal requirements.

The Director oversees the programs and processes that support the acquisition of goods, materials, services, and equipment across the District and provides leadership in the development and administration of purchasing, contracting, and inventory management practices. Responsibilities also include guiding the preparation and review of complex, interagency, and non‑standard agreements; evaluating departmental performance; advancing appropriate technology and system improvements; and developing performance measures that support effective, responsive operations. The position works closely with executive management, the Board of Directors, outside agencies, vendors, and contractors on complex procurement and contracting matters.

The Director represents EMWD in negotiations, interprets and applies governing requirements, and provides clear, practical guidance regarding District policies and procedures. Strong judgment, communication skills, and the ability to explain complex requirements in a thoughtful and understandable manner are essential.

The Department includes experienced professionals supporting purchasing, contracts, and warehouse operations. The next Director will be expected to provide clear direction, develop staff, encourage collaboration, and maintain high standards of accountability and service while building upon the considerable institutional knowledge already present within the organization.

The current Director is retiring on December 30, 2026, allowing for a thoughtful transition of leadership. EMWD is seeking an experienced executive who can provide continuity while also bringing the strategic perspective, organizational awareness, and leadership presence needed to guide the Department’s continued evolution.

EMWD is seeking an accomplished, forward‑looking procurement executive who can elevate an already established function through strategic leadership, sound judgment, and a strong service orientation. The ideal candidate will bring depth in public procurement, strategic sourcing, complex contracting, negotiations, and materials management, along with the ability to see beyond individual transactions and understand how procurement decisions affect risk, operations, financial stewardship, and organizational performance.

The successful candidate will be an exceptional communicator with the credibility and executive presence to advise senior leaders, present effectively to the Board, and build trust across departments. This individual will be able to make complex requirements understandable, balance compliance with practical business needs, and ensure that staff are equipped to clearly explain procurement policies and the reasoning behind them to vendors and contractors. Strong negotiation skills, political and organizational awareness, and the ability to build constructive relationships with the vendor community and external partners will be essential.

Leadership style will be particularly important. The Department has experienced staff and significant institutional knowledge, and the next Director should be a visible, approachable leader who develops people, builds bench strength, and creates accountability while recognizing and preserving practices that work well. The ideal candidate will be comfortable leading modernization efforts involving ERP systems, contract life‑cycle management, inventory and warehouse operations, analytics, and performance measurement. A collaborative leader who can set high standards, explain the rationale behind change, and bring people with them will be well positioned for success.

Education, Experience, and Certifications

Any combination of experience and education that provides the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying, along with the specific licenses/certifications as outlined below:

Experience:

Minimum qualifications include ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in government procurement, at least five (5) of which should be in a management capacity.

Education:

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public or business administration, finance, or a related field. A master’s degree or other relevant advanced education is desirable.

Licenses/Certifications:

A valid California driver’s license and the ability to maintain insurability under the District’s vehicle insurance policy are required. Professional procurement credentials, including CPPO, NIGP-CPP, and CPSM are desirable.

Salary & Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $192,296.00 to $239,470.40 . In recognition of the value its employees deliver to the organization, EMWD offers a generous compensation and benefits package which includes:

• CalPERS Retirement - Classic Members: 2% at 55 benefit formula, employee pays the 7% contribution. New Members: 2% at 62 benefit formula, employee current contribution is 7.0%. EMWD does not participate in Social Security. Retiree Medical Coverage provided through CalPERS with EMWD providing the PEMHCA minimum
• Deferred Compensation - Two programs are offered to employees: 401(a) - EMWD provides annual contributions of $1,180 and a 457 voluntary plan where EMWD provides a match to the 401(a) equal to 4.0% of employee’s annual salary or 5.0% for new hires who do not qualify under the PERS Classic tier
• Medical Plans - Several health plans are offered, with EMWD currently contributing up to $3,155/month towards the premiums for employee and family; medical in‑lieu program is available with required proof of coverage
• Dental Plan - Full coverage for employee and family in the base plan at no cost with EMWD contributing up to $1,560 annually. Employees have the option to elect an enhanced plan with the employee paying the difference through voluntary payroll deductions
• Vision Plan - Full coverage for employee and family at no cost
• Voluntary Plans - Health Care and Child/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, supplemental accident, cancer, and short-term disability insurance available through payroll deductions
• Life Insurance - Equal to annual salary up to a maximum of $250,000 at no cost. Employees may purchase up to an additional $500,000 in life insurance with EMWD paying 50% of the premium
• Paid Time Off (PTO) - 176 hours per year, increasing after year 5 completed
• Holidays - 10 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays per year
• Bereavement Leave - up to 5 days
• Tuition Reimbursement - up to $6,198 annually
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Available to employees and their families
• Telecommute Opportunities - Available to qualifying employees on a case-case basis when operationally feasible and accordance with District’s Telecommute Policy
• Alternative Work Schedule - Employees are provided opportunity to work a 4/10 or 9/80 work schedule dependent on position and operational needs.