Procurement Manager (AA-133-26E) Whittier

Procurement Manager

The Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County invites applications for the position of Procurement Manager. Open to both internal and external applicants. Location: Financial Management Department, Purchasing Section, Joint Administration Office, Whittier.

At the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, procurement isn't just about buying goods and servicesit's about keeping critical infrastructure running, compliant, and built for the future. As Procurement Manager, you will play a central role in the operational backbone of one of the largest public wastewater and solid waste agencies in the nation, overseeing the acquisition of equipment, materials, and services that keep large-scale environmental facilities functioning every day. This highly visible leadership position manages complex procurement workflows, competitive bidding and contract administration, vendor relationships, and compliance with public purchasing law across a broad portfolio of capital and operational needs. Working closely with engineering, operations, legal, and executive management, you'll align procurement strategy with project timelines and organizational priorities, advise on sourcing decisions, and help ensure the efficient, transparent, and accountable use of public funds. For procurement leaders who want more than a transactional purchasing rolewho want to engage with infrastructure, drive process improvements, and lead at both a strategic and operational levelthis position offers a rare and rewarding career opportunity.

Essential Functions: To plan, organize and direct the work of procurement and accounts payable.

Job Summary: The major job responsibilities are listed below. For more detailed information, please review the official job description. Under the general supervision of the Assistant Departmental Engineer or higher-level class, the incumbent will:

• Manage procurement processes for materials, services, and public works contracts agency-wide to ensure the Districts obtains best value at lowest cost in compliance with applicable law, using ERP and EAM systems (e.g., Oracle EBS, IBM Maximo).
• Review and approve final drafts of Request-for-Bids (RFBs), Request-for-Proposals (RFPs), and bid specifications to ensure compliance with public purchasing law and Districts policy, using document management systems and legal reference materials (e.g., Public Contract Code, Districts procurement policy).
• Receive, evaluate, and award bids and price quotations for large-quantity purchases to ensure lawful, competitive, and cost-effective procurement outcomes, using bid management platforms (e.g., online bidding portals) and procurement records maintained in ERP and EAM systems (e.g., Oracle EBS, IBM Maximo).
• Negotiate terms and sign purchase orders and contracts to secure favorable pricing and contractual protections for the Districts, using ERP systems (e.g., Oracle EBS) for purchase order processing and contract documentation.
• Implement alternative procurement methods (e.g., CUPCCAA bidding, job order contracting, Energy Service Company contracting) to increase procurement efficiency and expand Districts' contracting options, using applicable legal frameworks (e.g., Public Contract Code) and procurement systems (e.g., Oracle EBS, IBM Maximo).
• Arrange and authorize the sale of surplus property and commodities to recover asset value for the Districts in accordance with applicable regulations, using asset tracking and disposal documentation tools (e.g., IBM Maximo).

Compliance & Policy:

• Oversee procurement compliance and policy by ensuring adherence to public purchasing and contracting laws (e.g., prevailing wage, public works distinctions, Public Contract Code), developing and implementing procedures that standardize operations, and coordinating with legal counsel and cross-departmental stakeholders to minimize legal and financial risk.

Accounts Payable & Budget Oversight:

• Oversee accounts payable functions to ensure accurate, timely processing of vendor payments in alignment with contract terms and Districts financial controls, using financial systems and payment processing platforms.
• Approve expenditures and maintain budgetary controls for the Purchasing Section to ensure spending aligns with approved budgets and Districts financial policies, using budget management and financial reporting systems.

Stakeholder & Vendor Relations:

• Confer with Districts leadership on procurement needs, specifications, and issues to ensure procurements progress on schedule and departments receive dependable service using meetings, written correspondence and collaboration platforms (e.g., email, Microsoft Teams).
• Build and sustain productive working relationships with high-volume departments to position the Purchasing Section as a strategic partner, using regular touchpoints, proactive communication, and direct issue resolution.
• Confer with vendor and commercial firm representatives to evaluate market options, resolve contract issues, and maintain productive supplier relationships, using direct negotiation and vendor management tools (e.g., Oracle EBS, IBM Maximo).

Leadership & Development:

• Supervise, evaluate, and develop staff to build team capability and ensure operational decisions are handled independently at the supervisory level, using performance evaluations and effective delegation and coaching practices.
• Review and recommend personnel actions (e.g., staffing levels, selections, disciplinary matters) to maintain a high-performing and appropriately structured team, using HR systems and established personnel procedures.
• Assign and manage team workload and priorities to ensure operational work is delegated appropriately and capacity is preserved for strategic priorities, using workload tracking and task management tools.

Process Improvement & Reporting:

• Identify procurement process inefficiencies and implement improvements to reduce cycle time and increase operational effectiveness, using process mapping, performance metrics, and project management tools (e.g., flowcharts, dashboards).
• Prepare periodic and special reports on procurement activity, accounts payable, and related matters to inform leadership decision-making and support accountability, using reporting and data tools (e.g., Oracle EBS, Microsoft Excel).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Valid California Class C driver license; AND
• Bachelor's degree or higher in business or a related field from an accredited and recognized college or university: AND
• One of the following options:
• • Two (2) years of experience performing the duties of a Buyer; OR
  • Four (4) years of progressively responsible purchasing, business administration or other applicable experience, including two years at a supervisory level.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Eight (8) or more years of public sector purchasing experience, preferably with a wastewater, water, or public utility agency
• Experience applying public works contracting requirements, including prevailing wage compliance and alternative procurement methods (e.g., CUPCCAA, job order contracting)
• Experience with enterprise procurement and asset management systems (e.g., Oracle E-Business Suite, IBM Maximo or comparable)
• Experience with accounts payable operations and budget oversight in a public agency
• Experience supervising a purchasing or procurement team
• Track record of leading process improvements in a procurement or accounts payable environment with measurable outcomes
• Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO), Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), or Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) certification, or equivalent

Examples of Assessment Criteria:

The competitive selection process may include:

• Knowledge of public purchasing and contracting laws, including the Public Contract Code, prevailing wage requirements, and public works contracting distinctions
• Alternative procurement methods used in public agency contracting (e.g., CUPCCAA informal bidding, job order contracting, Energy Service Company contracting)
• Accounts payable principles, budgetary controls, and financial oversight practices in a public agency environment
• Principles and practices of public sector procurement, including competitive bidding, contract administration, and surplus property disposal
• Personnel management principles, including performance evaluation, coaching, and disciplinary procedures

• Ability to negotiate purchase orders and contracts to secure favorable pricing and contractual protections
• Ability to review and evaluate bids, proposals, and specifications for compliance with applicable law and agency policy
• Ability to plan, organize, and oversee the work of a procurement team while preserving capacity for strategic priorities
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with internal departments, vendors, legal counsel, and executive leadership
• Ability to interpret and apply complex legal and regulatory requirements to procurement operations and policy development
• Ability to use enterprise resource planning and asset management systems for procurement and financial processing (e.g., Oracle EBS, IBM Maximo)
• Ability to prepare clear and accurate reports on procurement activity and accounts payable for leadership and accountability purposes
• Ability to identify process inefficiencies and implement improvements with measurable outcomes
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in awarding