About this role
Join the City of Chattanooga Team
Chattanooga , a vibrant and growing community of over 190,000 residents within a metropolitan area of nearly 600,000 is known as the "Scenic City" for a reason. Nestled along the Tennessee River and surrounded by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, we are a hub of outdoor adventure and innovation. Home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College , our city blends a rich industrial history with a tech-forward future—famously powered by the nation’s first community-wide "Gig" fiber-optic network. The City of Chattanooga was also recently designated as a "National Park City,” the first of its kind in the United States.
Our Organization
As a City, we are powered by a dedicated workforce of approximately 2,600 employees committed to excellence in public service and making Chattanooga the best community in the country. Our team ensures our city thrives through a wide range of municipal services, including:
- Public Safety: Chattanooga Police and Fire Departments.
- Infrastructure & Utilities: Public Works, Waste Resources, and specialized Stormwater management.
- Quality of Life: Award-winning Parks and Outdoors and Community Development systems and the Chattanooga Public Library.
- Transportation: The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) and citywide transit and pedestrian friendly initiatives.
- Innovation: Leading-edge smart-city programs with a commitment to cutting edge workforce development policies to ensure all our residents can get ahead.
Why Choose Chattanooga?
The City of Chattanooga’s workforce is the heartbeat of our community. We don't just offer jobs; we offer careers with purpose: making Chattanooga the best city in America. We are committed to being the premier employer of choice in Southeast Tennessee by providing:
- Competitive Compensation: Robust pay scales that reflect our commitment to our staff.
- Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling where possible.
- Exceptional Wellness: Comprehensive health benefits and wellness programs designed for you and your family that deliver savings to you beyond your paycheck, featuring a centralized health clinic and pharmacy for all City employees. .
- Growth: A focus on professional development and upward mobility within the organization.
- The Great Outdoors: Your Backyard Playground: Chattanooga isn't just near nature, it's immersed in it. As one of the most biodiverse cities in North America, the "Scenic City" offers an ecological richness that few places on earth can claim. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or a weekend wanderer, world-class adventure is always less than an hour away.
- Vertical Adventures: Scale legendary sandstone cliffs in what is widely considered the premier rock climbing hub of the Southeast.
- Water & Rapids: From the high-octane whitewater kayaking of the Ocoee River to world-class bass fishing and peaceful paddling on the Tennessee River.
- Trails for Miles: Explore a massive network of mountain biking and hiking trails that wind through lush ridges, hidden waterfalls, and deep river gorges.
In Chattanooga, "work-life balance" means you can finish your shift and be at a trailhead or on the water before the sun sets.
Our mission is to work together to build a safe, vibrant, and sustainable city for all Chattanoogans. To do that, it takes a team of skilled and passionate individuals. So, if you’d like to call Chattanooga home – or maybe you already do! – and want to further your career through meaningful work that makes a true impact where you live, we’d love to talk to you.
Salary: $83,118- $100,416 annually (GS.15)
Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments and projects.*
Work Locations: 101 East 11th Street, Chattanooga, TN
FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.
Department: Finance
CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:
The City of Chattanooga seeks a knowledgeable and experienced leader for the Division of Purchasing. This position is a Division Head and is responsible for the strategic vision and management of all City purchasing operations, to include managing and developing the staff that perform these functions. The Procurement Officer is a senior level position within the City, with significant responsibilities that require a high-level understanding of procurement processes, who values collaborative partnerships with other City departments, and who fully embraces their role in carrying out the Mayor’s vision for the City. The Procurement Officer serves as the official purchasing agent for the City of Chattanooga.
The ideal candidate will be prepared to lead an agile, strategic, and efficient procurement team that will ensure City departments have the resources and services they need while promoting and encouraging the growth of local small businesses and entrepreneurs from every walk of life. They will balance compliance with responsive customer service and be a champion for innovative approaches that improve efficiency and promote equity in City purchasing.
The Division is responsible for managing and executing the City's procurement activities, to include the competitive bidding process; drafting and negotiating contracts; developing procurement strategies, policies and regulations for the City; ensuring compliance with all Federal, State and local procurement regulations; and managing the City's purchasing software.
SERIES LEVEL:
This is a stand-alone position.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
( The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)
Acts as a Division Head. Leads and manages the purchasing division staff.
Leads and manages the implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive procurement program. Ensures compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, codes, and/or standards.
Manages, directs, and approves procurement and surplus property sales activities and operations.
Manages the efficient and timely acquisition of quality equipment, goods, and services.
Maintains ethical procurement standards in compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
Procures personal and professional services, construction and labor services, equipment, software, technical equipment, and/or other related items. Ensures collection of money received from the efficient, profitable, and timely sale of surplus property.
Manages and directs the bidding process, to include ensuring that pre-bid meetings and bid openings are properly conducted; examining bid files for compliance with guidelines, regulations, and appropriate selection of vendor awards; conferring and counseling purchasing staff and client requisitioning department regarding procurements; and leading negotiation efforts on selective, highly visible and/or sensitive procurements.
Prepares bidding and request for proposal (RFP) and request for qualifications (RFQ) documents. Writes contracts and purchase orders for services and supplies.
Provides technical direction, information and assistance to City personnel regarding the full scope of procurement activities, as well as problem resolution.
Interviews and negotiates with vendors for construction, purchases, contracts and agreements.
Recommend awarding of contracts ensuring consistency with State and City policies and requirements. Provides written recommendations for the City Council.
Manages, coordinates, and facilitates an area-wide government and private agency procurement collaboration, consisting of procurement officials and agency officers from around the region.
Manages, coordinates, and maintains special partnership collaboration between the City, applicable agencies, and the State to ensure and support fair contracting opportunities for small business contracting opportunities.
Manages the automated purchasing software system, approving system updates and modifications as required; confers with Information Technology to address problems and specific needs.
Monitors the work of external contractors, ensuring compliance with contract terms and conditions and authorizing contractor payments.
Collects, interprets, analyzes, and evaluates purchasing data; prepares related reports summarizing results and makes recommendations based on findings.
Develops and oversees the organizational structure, the budget, and staffing of the Division of Purchasing, in coordination with the Office of the Chief of Staff.
Advise the Chief Financial Officer, Chief of Staff, Mayor, and City Council on key matters related to procurement.
Must meet regular attendance requirements.
Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers and citizens.
Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.
Performs other duties as assigned.
DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any):
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree and 6 years of experience in roles of growing scope, responsibility, and demonstrable results in the procurement sector or related field; or any combination of equivalent experience and education;
Advanced degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field may be substituted on a year-for-year basis up to two years of the required 6 years of experience as described above;
Extensive knowledge of procurement principles and practices; negotiation techniques; specification preparation methods; supply sources; contract drafting, negotiating and interpretation; bidding procedures; customer service principles; ethical purchasing practices; economic principles; statistical principles; and of applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures;
LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Skill in conducting research and benchmarking; analyzing and interpreting applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures; reading, interpreting, and analyzing bids and purchasing documents; managing contracts; managing bidding procedures; reading a variety of technical plans specifications; contract negotiations; solving problems; and expediting purchases;
Demonstrated ability to execute projects while balancing multiple and competing priorities on tight deadlines, all while providing continual attention to detail and quality;
Politically astute with a proven track record of working effectively in partnership with City departments, elected officials, local, regional, and state governments, outside agencies, residents, small businesses, and other key stakeholders to achieve goals and objectives;
Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and manage organizational cultural change and development, comprehensively leading and energizing a diverse team;
Highly effective communicator who demonstrates cultural competence, active listening, and responsiveness to the community and City staff; and
Visionary and strategic thinker who can lead and provide guidance on public sector procurement trends and requirements.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Positions in this class typically require fingering, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Sedentary Work: Exerting up-to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check
The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
JES 3.26.25
KJF