Procurement Analyst

Statement of Duties

The Health and Human Service's Procurement Analyst is a dynamic, team-oriented position responsible for key functions of the City of Somerville’s procurement process within the Department of Health and Human Services. The City seeks a hands-on, strategic thinker with excellent interpersonal and data management skills to support the competitive and compliant procurement of supplies, services, materials, and equipment. A demonstrated ability to learn and interpret relevant federal, state, and local laws pertaining to public procurement and contracts is essential.

As an integral member of HHS working in coordination with the Procurement & Contracting Services (PCS) Department, the HHS Procurement Analyst works with the HHS leadership team to ensure that the Department engages in cost effective, value-driven purchasing procedures and follow applicable federal, state, and local laws. This position has broad exposure to all aspects of public procurement for HHS and regularly coordinates with PCS. The employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

Position reports to the Finance Manager. 

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Serves as the “go-to” person within HHS to manage and coordinate with the centralized Procurement and Contracting Services (PCS) Department on all HHS procurement projects.
• Coordinates the planning, forecasting, and assessment of HHS’s needs for goods and services.
• Assists HHS managers in drafting and developing scopes of work, written purchase descriptions, non-proprietary specifications, estimated quantities, price forms, minimum qualifications and quality requirements, and other documentation needed from subject matter experts to include in procurement documents that will be issued by PCS on HHS’s behalf.
• Ensures that HHS purchases under the written contract threshold are properly documented with PCS and in Munis.
• Coordinates and manages procurement timelines and scheduling with PCS and applicable HHS managers.
• Represents HHS at pre-bid conferences and bid openings.
• Tabulates and evaluates bids and quotes, in conjunction with PCS.
• Analyzes and presents HHS’s expenditure data with available market data about relevant goods and services to identify cost-saving opportunities and strategies for attracting competitive bids, proposals, and quotes from a variety of available vendors.
• Works with various HHS leadership members to prepare invitations for bid, requests for proposals, and requests for price quotations. Drafts and/or reviews scopes of work, specifications and written descriptions of what HHS divisions wish to purchase.
• Evaluates bids, quotes, and proposals based on price, quality, availability, reliability, technical support, and other factors.
• Supports HHS project managers to ensure strong and effective contract management of all vendors and contractors, including conducting training for HHS staff on best practices. Interacts with vendors in post-award phase (and pre-award phase with PCS), and to facilitate compliant procurement practices.
• Facilitates “kick-off” meetings with new contractors prior to commencing work; communicates clear instructions with all vendors about expectations, primary points of contact in HHS, and vendor obligations regarding performance standards, invoicing requirements, other key responsibilities in City contracts.
• Coordinates vendor evaluation process and makes recommendations regarding best practices for ensuring the HHS department gets the best value from its vendors.
• Studies price trends and market conditions; keeps abreast of supply sources and new product development.
• Works with the HHS Finance Manager, HHS Divisional Directors, Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and Deputy Chief Procurement Officer, and Information Technology (IT) Department to develop and obtain specialized reports from the MUNIS contract database.
• Coordinates HHS’s interdepartmental procurement efforts where applicable and ensures that any multi-departmental procurement projects (regardless of cost) are clearly defined in writing and communicated with PCS and the participating departments.
• Analyzes recent and long-term trends in HHS procurement within Somerville and the region and Health and Human Services more broadly.
• Analyses the feasibility and pros/cons of cooperative purchasing with other governmental units, associations, or public agencies.
• Responsible for maintaining all the documentation involving said projects and correspondence to the parties involved in said projects in coordination with PCS.
• At the CPO’s direction, receives and investigates complaints and bid protests brought under the terms of M.G.L. c. 30B.
• At the Department Head and CPO’s direction, receives and investigates public records requests.
• Maintains records, prepares reports, and performs related work as required.
• Responsible for training internal HHS staff on the job and ensuring they adhere to PCS procurement policies and procedures.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in business administration, management, public policy (or other related field) and three- five years’ experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Preferred Qualifications:

• MCPPO (Massachusetts Certified Public Procurement Official) certification desirable; MCPPO training will be part of this role to become certified within the first year of employment.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Must have knowledge of public procurement and be familiar with invitation for bid and request for proposal processes. Must have project management knowledge. Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft Office Suite application (spreadsheet, database, report preparation).Broad knowledge of database architecture, data merging techniques, business intelligence, spend and reporting tools and General Ledger Accounting.

Ability: Ability to meet and deal with the public effectively and appropriately; ability to handle problems and emergencies effectively; ability to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing; ability to operate a computer; ability to maintain confidential information; ability to maintain, manage, and organize records; ability to deal appropriately with employees, officials, and members of the general public.

Skill: Excellent organizational skills; excellent data processing skill in the use of personal computers and office software including word and spreadsheet applications.

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an

employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the position’s essential functions.

Physical Skills

Minimal physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. Work requires some agility such as moving in or about construction sites or over rough terrain. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment or photocopy paper (up to 30 lbs.).

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing, and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

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The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact the ADA Coordinator at View phone number on us.fitly.work or View email address on us.fitly.work.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation for non-union positions. Union positions vary by contract. Please note, police officers are members of the SPEA union. Public Health Nurses are part of Union A (SMEA).
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.