Entry Level Procurement Analyst Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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JOB DESCRIPTION:

The State of Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) seeks an energetic procurement professional for the Office of State Procurement Services. The Procurement Analyst I supports the state procurement process by performing entry level procurement tasks including the acquisition of low dollar value goods and services to meet the needs of State departments and agencies in a timely manner and at competitive prices. This position serves as an entry level procurement position for the State of Maine in procuring goods and services for state government with an emphasis on the RFP process. The Procurement Analyst I reports directly to the Procurement Planning Manager.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Research, compile, and disseminate data regarding market sources and vendors
• Review specifications and requirements for accuracy and integrity
• Prepare competitive bidding documents in accordance with established standards
• Publish competitive bids and proposals according to specifications and requirements
• Evaluate bids and proposals according to solicitation document specifications and requirements
• Award purchase orders and master agreements through the State's e-procurement system and maintain files
• Administer master agreements including supplier management and compliance standards
• Review state agency service contracts for administrative accuracy and clarity of content
• Maintain effective customer relations with state agency procurement staff and vendors in order to provide support and technical assistance to project a positive image of the Office
• Maintain and update the Office website and internal databases
• Review RFP and RFP related documents for accuracy, formatting integrity, content and adherence to rules and standards.

This position will interact with our procurement team, client agency staff and external vendors on a regular basis. The successful candidate must have strong written and verbal communication skills and sound mathematical abilities; additionally, they must be detail-oriented, possess strong organizational skills and demonstrate critical thinking skills. The Office of State Procurement Services is a state agency support unit with a team atmosphere that experiences peak, high-paced periods throughout the year. You may also be responsible for assisting the team with other procurement-related tasks as needed within the Office of State Procurement Services.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Experience with the procurement solicitation process (RFQ/RFP), contracts, and related procurement documents.
• Prior experience and/or education which demonstrates knowledge of data analysis.
• A thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, specifically SharePoint, Excel, and Word, in addition to Adobe PDF editor.
• Experience providing high quality customer service effectively to both internal and
• external customers, and vendors.
• Experience coordinating/scheduling and facilitating team meetings.

This position is assigned to the Competitive Bidding Team. Special consideration will be given to those with proven skills in any of the following areas:

• Request for Proposal/Request for Information (RFP/RFI) document review, editing, and approval processes
• Drafting scope of service documents and an understanding of their characteristics
• Strong written and editorial skills
• Ability to follow, understand, and convey solicitation processes (drafting, release, evaluation, and appeal process of RFPs)
• Website development/management skills
• Commitment to innovation and process improvement.
• Problem solving, identification of risk, and use of proper escalation methods to address the issues identified.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

An Associate's Degree in Business Administration or related field of study, and experience involving moderately complex procurement or related business processes demonstrating knowledge of large-scale procurement of business goods and services, category management, and market research. Directly-related additional experience may be substituted for educational requirement on a year-for-year basis.

Preference will be given to applicants who have strong written and verbal communication skills; additionally, they must be detail-oriented and possess strong organizational skills.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please submit a cover letter along with a current resume and three (3) professional references.

In order for us to properly determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for any posting, you must be sure your resume includes the month and year for any relevant experience listed. Your resume should include the duties and responsibilities associated with each position. Any experience that was not full-time employment should be identified as such.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For more information or questions specific to the position, please contact recruiting.ggsc@maine.gov

The selected candidate will be required to pass the required background checks (fingerprinting may be required) as a condition of employment.

BENEFITS OF WORKING FOR THE STATE OF MAINE:

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto-"Dirigo" or "I lead"-as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Balance - Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage - The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($11,857.68-$13,950.24 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Health Insurance Premium Credit - Participation decreases employee-only premiums by 5%. Visit the Office of Employee Health and Wellness for more information about program requirements.
• Dental Insurance - The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value).
• Retirement Plan - The State of Maine contributes 14.11% of pay to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), on behalf of the employee.
• Gym Membership Reimbursement - Improve overall health with regular exercise and receive up to $40 per month to offset this expense.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts - Set aside money pre-tax to help pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and/or daycare expenses.
• Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness - The State of Maine is a qualified employer for this federal program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid office.
• Living Resources Program - Navigate challenging work and life situations with our employee assistance program.
• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child-including fathers and adoptive parents-receive forty-two (42) consecutive calendar days of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
• Voluntary Deferred Compensation - Save additional pre-tax funds for retirement in a MaineSaves 457(b) account through payroll deductions.

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you're looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we'd love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Thinking about applying?

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you're currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your experience and passion set you apart.

If you require a paper application, please download and print oneHERE

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If you are unable to complete the online application, please contact the Human Resources representative listed on the job opening you are interested in applying for. They will work with you for an alternative method of submitting.