Procurement Analyst

Senior Procurement AnalystThe Senior Procurement Analyst ensures that products and services are procured in the best interest of the state. This position is responsible for obtaining information technology (IT) Software - SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, related goods and services required by the agency. This position is responsible for the evaluation of IT vendors and contracts including the Requests for Quotes (RFQ), Request for Proposals (RFP) and Requests for Information (RFI). This role is project based and is required to work on projects requiring; research, negotiation skills, and evaluation of services and be able to make a recommendation based on their research. They would provide recommendation of supplier selections based on research. They support the business areas in evaluations of goods or services and are able to provide support in negotiations. Under general supervision, this position is responsible at an agency-wide level for the financial and procurement functions related to IT products and services. This includes Software, Software as a Service (SaaS), Hardware (Desktop, Data Center), Cloud Infrastructure, Telecommunications, IT implementation, Advisory and Managed Services, and new and emerging technologies. We are seeking a senior IT Procurement Analyst specializing in Software & SaaS Management to oversee our growing software portfolio. In this role, you will lead end-to-end software acquisitions, contract renewals, license optimization, and software vendor negotiations. You will collaborate closely with IT, Legal, Finance, and InfoSec to ensure cost-efficiency, compliance, and seamless SaaS operations. This position applies broad theoretical job knowledge obtained through advanced education, knowledge of IT products and services, statewide procurement rules and regulation, and financial principals to procure new and existing IT products and services. Works independently with general supervision. The position will be assigned procurements that are difficult but not typically complex in nature. May influence others within the job area through explanation of facts, policies and practices.Preferred Skills- IT Asset Lifecycle & Licensing Expertise: Deep functional knowledge of SaaS, PaaS, RaaS, and IaaS licensing models. You must understand the difference between per-user, per-core, and consumption-based entitlements to prevent overspending and audit risks. Proficiency in the ISO-9902 Cloud Procurement Framework - Strategic Negotiation: Proven ability to negotiate high-value contracts. This isn't just about price; it's about negotiating Service Level Agreements (SLAs), data sovereignty clauses, and renewal caps. - Technical Project Management: Ability to manage a procurement pipeline as a project. This includes setting milestones, managing stakeholders across departments, and ensuring the procurement timeline aligns with the technical rollout. - Complex RFP/RFQ Development: Experience drafting and scoring complex solicitations for enterprise-level IT services, ensuring that the "Statement of Work " (SOW) is technically sound and legally enforceable. - Financial & Data Literacy: Ability to conduct Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Return on Investment (ROI) analyses to justify multi-year technology investments to executive leadership.Core ResponsibilitiesSoftware Licensing & Renewals: Proactively manage the software renewal pipeline (30/60/90-day lookahead); analyze usage metrics to right-size seats, modules, or tiers prior to renewal. SaaS & Enterprise Contracts: Lead commercial negotiations for SaaS agreements, Enterprise License Agreements (ELAs), and software maintenance contracts to secure competitive pricing, flexible terms, and clear SLA benchmarks. Vendor & Compliance Risk: Partner with Security, Legal, and Privacy teams to clear software vetting workflows (e.g., SOC 2 compliance, data protection agreements, vendor risk assessments) prior to signature. Optimization & Waste Reduction: Identify overlapping software capabilities across business units, drive software rationalization, and reclaim unused or underutilized user licenses. Audit & Asset Tracking: Maintain the Software Asset Management (SAM) repository and internal records to defend against vendor compliance audits and ensure licensing compliance.