Procurement Specialist II – Solicitations & Contract Specialist - R16772

Start Here. Grow Here. Stay Here.

Join the Procurement Profession! Do you have experience with writing and reviewing documents? Have you worked in education, law, procurement, contracts, or other related roles? We are looking for creative and professional people with strong writing and analytical skills to join our Procurement team! If you have a winning combination of related skills and experience, we will train you in the field of public procurement!

If you’re already a procurement professional, join our award-winning team and obtain or maintain your professional certifications. Imagine being a key player on county purchases such as the design and construction of new buildings and procurement of major new software products! From new road construction to design of new parks and playgrounds and the renourishment of world-famous beaches, the Solicitations team works with a wide variety of departments to keep Sarasota County moving forward.

As a Procurement and Contracts Specialist on the Solicitations team you’ll -

• Work with department staff and project managers to draft, review, advertise and award a variety of solicitations (Invitations for Bids, Request for Proposals, Request for Quotes, and others).
• Follow an established and adopted set of standard operating procedures to accomplish assigned work, and ensure processes are transparent, consistent, and compliant.
• Facilitate public meetings for County staff, vendors, and others, including pre-bid conferences and evaluation meetings.
• Use a variety of adopted templates to prepare and draft contracts for goods, services, and projects.
• Work collaboratively with your team to research peer agencies and determine the best approach to complex or unusual procurements.
• Participate in periodic Partnership meetings with client departments; provide training and guidance to help customers navigate procurement processes.

Professional Development: YOUR continuing education and professional development are keenly important to us! As a member of our team you will receive paid continuing education in the field of public procurement and obtain (or maintain) your Procurement professional certifications. Visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). and  for more information on the Procurement profession and associated certifications.

E-Work/Remote Work: Currently our Procurement team is eligible to e-work up to 2 days per week! After you complete your first six months and contingent on work requirements and other factors, you’ll be eligible for this fantastic benefit.

Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts, English, fields related to law, education or writing, or related field AND two (2) years of experience in public and/or private sector procurement or a related field
• - OR - Associate's degree in related field AND four (4) years of experience in public or private sector procurement or a related field.
• - OR - Progressively responsible professional experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities for this job may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required degree.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Three (3) years related experience with procurement, contracts, education, law, writing, project management or a related field.
• CPPB or NIGP-CPP or the ability to obtain CPPB or NIGP-CPP within three (3) years.

Starting Pay Range: $58,000.00 - $62,000.00/year, based on your experience.

We believe in continuing education and will pay for both training and testing for professional certifications:

• Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB)
• Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO)
• NIGP-CPP (Certified Procurement Professional)

Testing for professional certifications:

• Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB)
• Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO)
• NIGP-CPP (Certified Procurement Professional)