The Utility Procurement & Contract Specialist is responsible for creating, posting, evaluating, and awarding bids for materials, services, and capital construction projects for the Utilities and Utilities Warehouse. Manage contracts, evaluate vendor performance, inventory procurement to ensure availability when needed, researching and recommending materials and competitive procurement processes for general city department use. The salary range for this position is $32.68 - $44.12 per hour with a hiring range of $32.68 - $38.40, depending on qualifications and experience. This opportunity will be available to applicants until Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 12:00 P. M. M. S. T. A current resume is required, and a cover letter is preferred. Apply today to join more than 800 employees who work to meet the core values of: Accountability & Integrity Transparency & Honoring the Public Trust Collaboration, Innovation Safety Excellent Service with Courtesy and Kindness. Please view our video Working at Loveland to learn more about our exceptional Loveland community and the benefits of working for the City. Essential Functions: Maintain awareness of market trends affecting pricing, availability and quality. Execute and administer the procurement process for a variety of services, materials, and capital project work in accordance with City Code, Purchasing Policies and Procedures, and Federal procurement requirements. Identify potential vendors, market stability, and product availability for specific goods and services and conducts meetings with vendors. Coordinate competitive bidding processes; develop invitations to bid; provide public notifications by posting bid documents on a web-based solicitation system, participate in bid openings; monitors evaluations of bids; coordinate acceptance and award of bids. Implement techniques for identifying best value procurements using best practices, analytical tools and market trends that impacts pricing, availability and quality for the materials and needs of water, electric and fiber broadband utilities. Complete contract lifecycle management including preparation, negotiations, execution, change order management, renewal and amendment processing, and contract closeout. Coordinate and oversee vendor interactions with the City and staff; create and nurture business partnerships/relationships; actively investigate new opportunities for connecting and engaging in business with new vendors; mediate and resolve agency and/or vendor disputes. Collaborate with the Purchasing Manager and Legal Team in developing recommendations for standard contractual provisions, clauses, and templates. Provide customer support to all City departments and employees requesting assistance. Assist others with ordering, creating PO's, entering and approval of invoices. As well as providing oversight on orders and ongoing instruction and guidance to staff. Follow City and industry standard ethical procurement practices. Processes invoices for payment. Review/ Audit invoices for contract compliance before payment. Promote and participate in cooperative procurement projects with other agencies. Assist Purchasing Administrator with approval and routing of contracts for all City departments. Other Job Functions: May attend NIGP, RMGPA and MAPO training seminars and conferences. May participate in meetings off site. Performs other duties as assigned. Job Level and Management Expectations: There are no supervisor/manager expectations for this role. Qualifications: Education: Required: 4 Year/ Bachelors Degree in Business, finance, construction management or related field. An equivalent combination of education and or experience may substitute for education requirements on a year for year basis. Experience: Required: 5 years recent purchasing experience in commodity buying. Preferred: 2 years materials management or purchasing for a utility experience. Certifications: Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) is preferred. If not certified at the time of hire, must actively pursue certification and should be attained within six (6) years. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Clear understanding of purchasing guidelines such as Governmental Purchasing Policies and Procedures, i.e. NIGP, FEMA, State of Colorado. Demonstrated negotiation experience and strong knowledge of contract principles and practices. Advanced experience using procurement, financial, database, spreadsheet, word processing and presentation software. Analyze financials and report findings to stakeholders. Prepare bid documents and Request for Proposals. Working knowledge of electric utility materials; transformers, cable, poles, meters and ancillary equipment. Working knowledge of construction project management. Demonstrated professional oral and written communication skills. Physical Demands and Working Conditions: Frequent: Minimal physical effort typically found in clerical work. Primarily sedentary, may occasionally lift and carry light objects. Walking and/or standing as needed and minimal. Working Environment: Frequent: Exposure to routine office noise and equipment. Occasional: Exposure to hazards typically found in general office environments where there is rarely to no exposure to injury or accident.