Senior Procurement Specialist

Salary : $101,742.16 - $119,681.95 Annually

Location : Kirkland, WA

Job Type : Full-Time

Job Number : 202100634

Location : Finance & Admin. - Purchasing

Opening Date : 09 / 24 / 2025

Closing Date : Continuous

FLSA : Non-Exempt

Bargaining Unit : AFSCME

Job Summary

The City of Kirkland is seeking to hire a Senior Procurement Specialist in our Finance and Administration Department!

Why Work for Kirkland?

Ranked as one of the most livable cities in America, Kirkland is an attractive and inviting place to live, work, and visit. We have big city vision while maintaining a small-town, community feel. If you are a candidate with the desire to join an organization looking to innovate into the future, the City of Kirkland is the place for you!

If you ask our employees why they love where they work, they'll tell you about the great people, work environment, supportive management and City Council, and fearless innovation.

We also invest in you!

Competitive Wages : We strive to maintain competitive compensation packages and work to provide wages that meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities of our employees.

Awesome Benefits : The City offers benefits that are unmatched by most other employers. Please click on the benefits tab above to view more details.

Childcare Programs : To help address the challenge of finding reliable childcare, the City of Kirkland has reserved spots for City employees at local and regional service providers, available at a discount. New employees gain access to Kirkland's reserved spots as soon as they start employment. !

Training and Career Development : The City of Kirkland believes in developing its employees. You will have access to training opportunities designed for career development and advancement based on your position, skills, and interests.

Job Summary

The role of the Senior Procurement Specialist is to coordinate the City's purchasing activities to ensure compliance with state and local regulations. Provides for the timely and cost-effective acquisition of required goods and services. Serves as liaison between the City and its vendors.

Distinguishing Characteristics : The Senior Procurement Specialist is the City's subject matter expert for purchasing, and is responsible for performing complex technical central procurement functions in accordance with legal requirements and city policies. The Senior Procurement Specialist oversees the bid and purchasing processes, the city-wide purchasing card program, and the automated purchasing system files. This position is responsible for training others in responsible purchasing practices to remain complaint with regulations for purchasing goods and services.

Essential Functions : Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class; employees may be assigned duties which are not listed below; reasonable accommodations will be made as required. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change at any time by the employer. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following :

• Ensures compliance with state and local regulations for purchasing goods and services.
• Oversees the bid and purchasing processes. Coordinates formal bids and requests for proposals by placing ads in legal publications, reviewing bid specifications, establishing escrow accounts, securing appropriate signatures on purchasing documents and distributing final contract documents. Schedules bid openings and assists in bid announcements and disposition of bid bonds and security deposits. Provides technical assistance to departments with bid and request for proposal processes.
• Coordinates the activities of the purchasing section, including development of annual goals and objectives, development and monitoring of purchasing budget, and maintenance of purchasing records. Maintains and reports statistics for purchasing activities. Develops and maintains purchasing desk procedures.
• Develops and maintains purchasing guidelines and provides training to department staff on City purchasing practices. Recommends and drafts modifications of purchasing policy and the purchasing ordinance for review by the Director of Finance & Administration.
• Researches product requirements and conducts vendor interviews to ensure quality control and cost effective purchases. Communicates and corresponds with vendors and participates in vendor negotiations to settle disputes or make corrections.
• Procures capital equipment, architectural and engineering services, and public works projects.
• Coordinates with requestors to define scope of project and develops evaluation criteria.
• Develops procurement and negotiation strategies, targets and objectives with management to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the procurement process; negotiates terms, pricing, price re-determinations and performance of suppliers' contracts
• Negotiates and manages various city-wide contracts as requested.
• Oversees the maintenance and security of the automated purchasing system files. Ensures modules are operating properly with effective controls. Coordinates purchasing systems to Accounts Payable, Fixed Assets, and other related modules. Monitors purchases made through the automated purchasing system and purchasing card system to ensure compliance with the requirements set forth in KMC 3.85. Develops and delivers training to users on purchasing modules
• Administers city-wide purchasing card program.
• Identifies potential risk areas and develops solutions for risk mitigation. Facilitates collaborative relationships to mitigate negative legal and business exposure. Implements negotiated contractual terms and conditions for contracts that clearly define technical specifications and requirements.
• Participates in intergovernmental procurement projects and may serve as a team lead on selected projects.
• Manages special projects as assigned, which may require development of cost estimates, development of criteria for selection of outside consultants, processing and expediting materials orders and coordination of project implementation.
• Fosters a positive and supportive work environment; promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace, contributing to an environment of respectful living and working in a multicultural society.

Peripheral Duties :

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications :

Licenses and Other Requirements :

Other

Physical Demands and Working Environment :

Work is predominately performed indoors in an office environment but will include outdoor field visits with suppliers. Work requires movement to other locations for meetings. The work requires sitting, talking and hearing; frequently requires the use of hands-and-fingers, handling writing instruments, computers and office supplies which require repetitive arm wrist and hand movement. Occasionally, requires standing and reaching with arms and hands, climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, bending or crawling. May require occasional lifting not exceeding 30 pounds.

Selection Process

Position requires a resume and cover letter for consideration of application. Please note how you meet minimum qualifications within the cover letter. Applicants who are selected for next steps in the hiring process will be invited by phone or e-mail. Candidates are encouraged to apply at the earliest possible date as screening, interviewing, and hiring decisions will be made through the recruitment period, until such time as the vacancy is filled.

The City of Kirkland is a welcoming community where every person can thrive and grow. We value diversity, inclusion, belonging, and work together to support our community. We do this by solving problems, focusing on the customer, and respecting all people who come into the City whether to visit, live, or work. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to creating a workforce that does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. We encourage qualified applicants of all backgrounds and identities to apply to our job postings. Persons with a disability who need reasonable accommodations in the application or testing process, or those needing this announcement in an alternative format, may call 425-587-3210 or Telecommunications Device for the Deaf 711.

This position includes a health insurance benefit package with 100% City-paid premiums for 1.0 FTE (medical / dental / vision for employee and dependents). Premium is prorated for less than 1.0 FTE positions with cost shared between City and the employee.

Participation in the Public Employees Retirement System is mandatory for all eligible positions.

Other employment benefits include :

Perks include :

For further review of City Benefits and Perks please visit