Manager, Non-Standards Unit (Procurement)

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More

information about us on our website.

We are committed to supporting a

diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Finance and Operations provide agency-wide financial, administrative, and operational services supporting the Metropolitan Council as a whole and its individual divisions. These services include accounting, financial reporting, and payroll; the Council's operating and capital budgets; contracts and procurement; computerized systems for financial and personnel information; risk management; treasury functions; and services supporting the Council's headquarters facilities.

This position is eligible for a

hybrid (both remote and onsite) telework arrangement. The candidate's permanent

residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin. This position will create a

six-month eligibility list for current and future openings.

• Manage team of Contract Negotiators and Principal Contract Administrators. Develop goals and benchmarks to evaluate individual performance and customer satisfaction.
• Review and negotiate contracts within the Non-Standards Unit. Review existing contracts and identify noncompliance with council standards terms and conditions, and negotiate contracts for terms, clauses, risks, insurance and indemnification.
• Streamline and organize tasks and project handoff and interface between the Purchasing, Standard and Non-Standard contract teams. Develop and deliver ongoing training for the Procurement team on the process and flow from the Non-Standards team to the purchasing team and standard contract team projects.
• Develop specific training for business units that frequently interact with and have ongoing projects with the Non-Standards team in order to create efficiencies, best practices and improved processes.
• Lead and oversee customer-oriented efficiencies and process improvements for the Non-Standard Unit, such as technology template developments, creation of addendums and guidelines for business units.
• Recommend, draft and implement new policies and procedures, guidelines, and process templates for the Non-Standards Unit.
• Assist Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) and Deputy CPO in setting the Council's overall contracts strategy, policies and procedure. Participate in Procurement management team to ensure solid communication and team-oriented problem solving within the division. Participate in Council-wide resource allocation decisions and implementation to ensure resources are used wisely and the appropriate tools are available to implement resources.
• Other duties as assigned.

Any of the following combinations of education (in Law or a related field) and experience (in reviewing, drafting, and negotiating contracts, and evaluating for compliance):

• Juris Doctor degree and 4 years of experience, including 3 years of experience supervising employees and teams.
• Master's degree and 5 years of experience, including 3 years of experience supervising employees and teams.
• Bachelor's degree and 7 years of experience, including 3 years of experience supervising employees and teams.
• Associate's degree and 9 years of experience, including 3 years of experience supervising employees and teams.
• High school diploma/GED and 11 years of experience, including 3 years of experience supervising employees and teams.

What

additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired

qualifications):

• Licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota and in good standing.
• Experience in a fast-paced, diverse, and high-volume environment.
• Experience with MN State statutes pertaining to contracting with the Council.
• Strong experience in reading and interpreting government contracts.
• Experience with Federal Transit Administration procurement regulations and best practices.
• Strong negotiation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Proven ability to identify risks and offer options that minimize risk.
• Ability to make formal presentations to internal and external stakeholders.

What knowledge, skills and abilities you should have

within the first six months on the job:

• Knowledge of Minnesota Statutes and governmental procurement best practices.
• Knowledge of Federal Transit Administration procurement best practices.
• Knowledge of MN Data Practices Act requirements.
• Knowledge of governmental procurement processes such as competition, solicitations, requisitions, terms and conditions.
• Knowledge of procurement systems and processes, interfaces with inventory, asset management and financial systems.
• Knowledge of management and supervisory best practices.
• Knowledge of internal controls.
• Knowledge of legal drafting.
• Skilled in contract negotiations.
• Skilled in legal writing.
• Skilled in negotiation with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong verbal communication skills sufficient to communicate with those internal and external to the organization.
• Skilled in critical thinking sufficient to understand legal and business risks.
• Skilled in written communication skills sufficient to write and edit reports.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office sufficient to develop presentations, correspondence, and reports.
• Skilled in collaboration and relationship building.
• Ability to lead, manage, and motivate staff.
• Ability to effectively plan and distribute workload.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to think strategically, analyze issues, and make sound recommendations and decisions.

What you can expect from us:

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance.

More about

why you should join us!

What your work environment would

be:

You would perform your work in a standard

office setting. Work may sometimes require travel between your primary work

site and other sites.

What steps the

recruitment process involves:

1. We review your minimum qualifications.
2. We rate your education and experience.
3. We conduct a structured panel interview.
4. We conduct a selection interview.

Once you have successfully completed the steps

above, then:

If you are new to

the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety-sensitive

positions only), and a background check which verifies education, employment,

and criminal history. A driving record

check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not

automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross

misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on

whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated

adequate rehabilitation.

If you are already

an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (if moving from a non-safety sensitive position to a safety-sensitive position) and criminal background checks if the job you're applying for is safety-sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers or transit fare cards. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position.

IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or

withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.

The Metropolitan

Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly

employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity

of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ

community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.

If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us.