ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PROCUREMENT INITIATIVES

AGENCY DESCRIPTION:
The Department of Small Business Services (SBS), an agency of 250 employees and a $100 million budget, makes it easier for companies in New York City to form, do business and grow by providing direct assistance to business owners, fostering neighborhood development in commercial districts, promoting financial and economic opportunity among minority- and women-owned businesses, and preparing New Yorkers for jobs and linking employers with a skilled and qualified workforce.

SBS?s Division of Economic and Financial Opportunity (DEFO) is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the City?s Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Program, recently established by Local Law 129. For the first time in over a decade, this reinvigorated program seeks to level the playing field by setting citywide M/WBE utilization goals for City contracting. The M/WBE program partners with public and private sector organizations to increase the value of City certification, assists M/WBEs to grow and compete for contracting opportunities, and holds City Agencies accountable for M/WBE utilization.

JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Procurement Unit of DEFO provides the link between certified companies and City agencies through counseling, training, and facilitating networking opportunities. To this end, SBS is seeking an Associate Director to report to the Executive Director of Procurement Initiatives and to work closely with the Deputy Commissioner. The Associate Director will be instrumental in overseeing the day-to-day operations of the unit, including managing the unit?s procurement counselors, providing certified companies with information and training related to the City?s procurement process, and assisting agencies in meeting the mandates of the City?s M/WBE Program.

Responsibilities include:
-Guide M/WBEs on how to navigate the City?s procurement process, including identifying criteria used by City buyers to select vendors when issuing purchase requisitions and solicitations, and selecting appropriate commodity codes to describe the scope of the goods and/or services that the vendor is able to sell
-Make appropriate recommendations to M/WBEs with respect to requirements contracts, prequalification, bidders lists, and backdrop contracts
-Assist City agencies in meeting M/WBE utilization goals and ensure compliance with M/WBE Program initiatives
--Work closely with agencies and prime contractors to identify and to build relationships with M/WBEs that can provide goods and services according to contract specification
-Monitor M/WBE utilization to inform division dashboard metrics, strategic planning, and development of unit?s operations
-Oversee planning and coordination of networking events, including delivering presentations
-Identify staff training needs and make appropriate recommendations and/or provide training to address such needs
-Participate in development of unit?s operations, including soliciting feedback from staff and City agency representatives, evaluating existing processes, and making appropriate recommendations to Executive Director and Deputy Commissioner

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS:
-Experience working in the City?s procurement and contracting processes
-Knowledge of City?s terms and conditions for bid solicitations and contracts
-Ability to review and interpret contract scopes of work and technical requirements of contract specifications
-Ability to identify and to resolve issues between vendors and agencies related to payments, dispute claims, and change orders
-Excellent writing, analytical, and interpersonal skills



QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. A Master?s or baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of satisfactory full-time, paid experience in business administration or business promotion, financial management, public relations, economic development or research; or
2. A bachelor?s degree from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full-time, paid experience in
business administration or business promotion, financial management, public relations, economic development or
research.

TO APPLY FOR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE SUBMIT A RESUME AND COVER LETTER WHICH INCLUDES JOB VACANCY # (JVN) 801-07-011DEFO TO:

Department of Small Business Services
Donald Jackson
Executive Director, Human Resources
110 William Street-8th Floor
New York, New York 10038

e-mail: sbsjobs@sbs.nyc.gov