Contracting Specialist

**Requisition ID**:37364

**Company**

Located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, Vancouver has a commitment to becoming a City of Reconciliation. Vancouver consistently ranks as one of the world’s most liveable cities and is working towards being the greenest city in the world. Named among Canada's Top 100 Employers, BC's Top Employers, and Canada's Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver seeks colleagues who can help shape and embody our core commitments to sustainability, decolonization, equity and outstanding quality of life for all residents.

Consider joining our committed team of staff and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

**Main Purpose & Function**
The Contracting Specialist purchases high-value, highly complex, and non-standard goods and services for various City departments and Boards usually utilizing the RFP bid process and/or negotiations.

**Specific Duties & Responsibilities**
- Reviews bid documentation of Buyer I and IIs, identifying bid amendments required before the bid can be issued
- Advises and assists departments and suppliers regarding purchasing problems and requirements, specifications, contracts, and details of goods and services to be purchased
- In conjunction with client departments, prepares detailed specifications and effective proposal documentation; identifies appropriate evaluation criteria; recommends the appropriate form of contract and levels of indemnification
- Drafts proposal language according to precedent researches and obtains information and material required from a variety of sources
- Ensures the proposal calls, sources qualified vendors, all information is uniformly distributed and the proposal is issued in accordance with City policy and government guidelines
- Independently or in conjunction with client departments, evaluates proposals responses on a wide variety of criteria including but not limited to ability to meet specifications, price, pricing terms, price change mechanisms, escalation options, future availability, suppliers business and technical reputation, and vendor references
- In conjunction with the Category Manager and/or client departments, conducts complex negotiations to finalize contracts, negotiates contract renewals or major contract changes
- Negotiates contract renewals or major contract changes
- Ensures that the required insurance, licenses bonding, and WCB are in place where required
- Prepares award recommendations to the Category Manager
- Performs research and analysis of products and services and prepares reports and recommendations on purchasing of same
- May oversee the work of Buyer I & IIs
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

**Qualifications**

Education and Experience:

- Completion of Grade 12 supplemented by the SCMP Designation from the Supply Chain Management Association or a CPPB designation as awarded by the NIGP; seminars in the laws of competitive bidding, contract law, and contract administration; or a suitable combination of training and experience
- Certified Professional Purchaser (C.P.P.), Purchasing Management Association of Canada (PMAC) or equivalent certification is a requirement of the position
- Considerable experience sourcing and purchasing a variety of goods and services of the type typically used in a municipal setting preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

- Thorough knowledge of purchasing principles, practices and methods and municipal policies and procedures governing purchasing operations
- Considerable knowledge of the sources, quantities, types and prices of goods, commodities and services required
- Considerable knowledge of market conditions, price trends, business conditions and governmental regulations affecting the work
- Considerable knowledge of contract law, risk management and negotiation techniques
- Ability to develop, issue, evaluate and award tender and proposal documentation
- Ability to develop purchase documentation, i.e. purchase orders and contracts
- Ability to manage risk inherent in the goods and service acquisitions, ensuring insurance and bonding requirements are addressed
- Ability to manage and ‘troubleshoot’ contracts
- Sound negotiation skills
- Working knowledge of the functions and requirements of the departments served
- Ability to evaluate quality, vendor capability, life time cost and service factors to determine quality and suitability of all supplies, services and commodities
- Ability to facilitate interdepartmental evaluation teams through complex bid evaluations and to use a variety of evaluation methodologies
- Ability to make recommendations for solutions to complex and/or specialized purchasing issues
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of internal and external contacts and to negotiate with vendors
- Ability to prepare specifica