Procurement Officer

Montana State University Procurement & Contract Services provides professional procurement services for instructional, research, and administrative components of the University. The person in this position is responsible for processing purchases for MSU departments across the four campuses, including purchase requisitions, formal and informal solicitations, administration, and payment review, seeking best value, while ensuring compliance with State, Federal and MSU laws, rules, policies and procedures.

In addition, this person will assist in the training of procurement staff, provide procurement training to departments, researching competitive prices, assisting with requirements, and attending vendor meetings. This person is also responsible for preparing purchase orders, contracts, procurement instruments; developing solicitations for products and services; evaluating and implementing procurement policy and procedures; performing administrative tasks and related duties as required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead complex university procurement processes for a wide range of high-cost items and services for departments/units on all four MSU campuses in accordance with state statutes, rules and regulations, and policies and procedures.
Work closely with the Contract Specialist to negotiate terms and conditions with vendors to ensure state requirements are met. Manage vendor communications, posting and sending out solicitations and responding to questions.
Develop complex Invitation for Bid (IFB) and Request for Proposal (RFP) documents, purchase orders and contracts that comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies. Guide departments to the best result to enhance the competitive process of bidding to arrive at the best value for the organization.
Review accounting transactions to ensure compliance with procurement policies and work with departments to make corrections as needed. Manage encumbrances for issued purchase orders/contracts in the accounting system (Banner) and in the soon-to-be-implemented Jaggaer system, SmartBuyMSU.
Develop and deliver both informal and formal training across all four campuses on procurement services.
Provide four-campus departmental guidance on procurement processes and policies via phone and email.
Collaborate to maintain and keep current department's procurement instruction website and department forms and reference materials.

Required Qualifications

• Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Bachelor's degree plus one year of full time (or part-time equivalent) work experience in a customer service setting with technical document and presentation writing, research and project management skills or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated experience in processing business transactions and preparing the associated documents with a very high level of attention to detail.
Experience providing complex instructions and guidance, demonstrating strong communication skills both verbally and in writing.
Experience using personal computers and extensive knowledge of and ability to use Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel).
Demonstrated experience providing exceptional customer service.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Knowledge of the State of Montana's procurement processes, including Montana Code Annotated (MCA) and Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM).
Experience interpreting and applying state or other government laws, and administrative rules, division, or department policies.
Working knowledge of Banner Finance system.
Demonstrated experience delivering effective training both one-on-one and in large group settings.
Experience with an e-procurement software such as Jaggaer.

The Successful Candidate Will

Maintain professional communication and actions that are most likely to have the desired effect on individuals or a group of individuals.
Be a critical thinker and be able to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to a problem and apply the most appropriate course of action.
Be an active listener and provide full attention to individuals inside and outside the organization, understanding various points of views, and asking appropriate questions to gather pertinent facts to arrive at a course of action.
Provide leadership and be able to influence others to provide guidance to committee/team players (inside and outside the organization) for the best result.
Be ethical, understand differing points of view and being fair to the customers as well as the vendors in bidding and contracting.
Communicate clearly, giving precise information to people inside and outside the organization to convey the correct agency rules/laws for the best results.
Be responsive, coordinating many tasks at various stages of completion and acting in a timely manner on the tasks when others provide pertinent information to move forward.
Develop complete documentation, gathering information from relevant sources, recording information, maintaining written and electronic files and data and sharing the information appropriately.
Establish and maintain interpersonal relationships that are constructive and cooperative inside and outside the organization.
Be able to write effective contracts in English with knowledge of procurement/ contracting terms and clauses and when to use them appropriately.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University's rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.This role has the ability for a fully remote work arrangement within the state of Montana.

This position has supervisory duties?
No