Lead Procurement Specialist

JobID:

31977

Position Type:

Administration-Nonlicensed Date Posted:

4/2/2026

Location:

Educational Service Center Closing Date:

04/08/2026 The Lead Procurement Specialist supports the district's mission by overseeing the daily operations of the purchasing team and driving departmental initiatives such as process improvements, automated procurement, and training. This position provides work direction and technical guidance to purchasing staff to ensure compliance with federal/state guidelines and Board policy while managing complex, specialized purchasing functions.

Team Leadership & Workflow Facilitation :

Leads and completes daily operations of the purchasing team to ensure departmental efficiency. Provides day-to-day support and work direction to staff when needed; acts as a backup for specialized purchasing functions. Provide daily direction and technical guidance to district staff to ensure adherence to district procedures. Serve as a subject matter expert for internal stakeholders regarding requisition workflows and approval chains. Monitor team workloads and redistribute tasks during peak procurement seasons to meet district deadlines. Act as the primary for specialized purchasing orders and service contracts and as the backup to ensure continuity of operations during staff absences. Delegated authority to sign procurement agreements, as specified in writing by the Executive Director of Finance & Operations. Partner with the Purchasing & Warehouse Coordinator to evaluate team performance metrics and recommend workflow and procedure adjustments. Review and approve complex purchasing and contract actions to ensure accuracy and policy alignment. Coordinate daily processing of purchase orders and service contracts to ensure timely vendor contracting and payments. Coordination of interschool delivery schedules and logistics with the warehouse team to ensure the efficient movement of district-wide supplies and mail.

Project Management & System Implementation :

Leads the development and delivery of procurement programs, custom software applications, and system interfaces. Establishes project timelines and holds team members accountable for deadlines. Establish project timelines and hold internal and external team members accountable for key milestones. Verify and validate new releases for eFinancePlus. Design and develop custom procurement tools to meet unique district needs (Jotforms, Google Applications, etc.). Apply best practice tools and techniques (e.g. online purchasing such as B2B) to ensure resource optimization. Facilitate inventory management for the district warehouse to track stock levels and automate reorder points

Compliance & Policy Oversight :

Serves as the subject matter expert on procurement laws, UFARS, Board policies, and administrative procedures. Develops, maintains, and revises internal system workflows and documentation of practices. Stay current on state and federal procurement laws and make recommendations for internal process updates. Lead in developing and revising departmental documentation (i.e., internal and external operating procedures). Conduct internal audits of procurement data to verify compliance with state requirements and to ensure data integrity. Coordinate the surplus asset disposal process, ensuring all district property is retired or sold via Public Surplus in compliance with state statutes. Serve as the lead liaison with external cooperative programs and joint powers agreements to maximize district-wide purchasing power and efficiency.

Training & Stakeholder Engagement:

Determines training needs and delivers sessions for district staff on procurement software (eFP). Serves as a primary liaison between Business Services and external vendors or cooperative programs. Lead in designing and delivering training sessions for new district hires. Develop and maintain the Purchasing and Warehouse Staff Portal, providing up-to-date FAQs, video tutorials, and linkable online forms for all district staff. Act as the primary technical consultant for district staff regarding complex purchasing transactions and contract reviews. Develop specialized training for warehouse staff for inventory tracking, receiving procedures, and safety compliance standards.

Data Integrity & Complex Administration:

Conducts internal audits to verify accuracy and validity of procurement data. Processes high-level specialized transactions such as leases and contract reviews. Perform internal audits of warehouse inventory data to ensure physical stock matches digital records and to identify discrepancies in high-value assets. Monitor and optimize data flows between the Finance System and external vendor Punchout systems to ensure consistency and reporting accuracy. Validate and verify all new vendor data and system interfaces to prevent fraudulent activity and maintain the integrity of the vendor database. Produce customized data analytics reports for the Purchasing & Warehouse Coordinator and others as requested.

Other Duties :

Performs other comparable duties of a like or similar nature as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Required Education:

An Associate's Degree (2-year degree) in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, or a related field. In lieu of a degree, a minimum of 8 years of direct experience in procurement, purchasing, or strategic sourcing is required.

Required Experience :

Minimum of five (5) years of increasingly responsible professional procurement experience, preferably in a school district or public entity, including experience providing work direction or leadership to others.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

Public purchasing and contracting regulations, UFARS, automated finance systems (e.g., eFinancePLUS), and warehouse logistics.

Skill in:

Interpreting complex laws, coaching and training staff, and performing financial analysis with high precision.

Ability to:

Exercise independent judgment, maintain confidentiality, lead process changes in a high-volume environment, and effectively communicate with empathy.

Osseo Area Schools offers:

Meaningful and impactful work Opportunities to grow professionally A variety of benefits Summer opportunities and more

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Osseo Area School District ISD 279 is an Equal Opportunity, and veteran-friendly employer. Osseo Area School District ISD 279 ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability. Osseo Area School District is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the district and strongly encourages persons to apply who can strengthen our diversity. For more information, view the District's Equal Opportunity and Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Violence Policy.

Veteran's Preference:

If you are an eligible veteran, please submit a legible copy of your DD214 with your application.

Accommodation :

If you have a disability that requires an accommodation during the selection process, please email Human Resources at HR@district279.org or call 763-391-7007.

Background Check Upon Conditional Offer:

Background checks are conducted upon receiving a conditional offer. Employees must complete a background check and are responsible for the background fee. A passing background is required. Criminal convictions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.