Director, Purchasing Services

Posting number: 17179

Department: Purchasing Department

Job classification: Director

Posting type: Open

Categories: Administration, Accounting and Finance, Planning and Development, Management, Purchasing, Project Management, Organizational Development, Business, Communications, Program Management

Summary

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Under the guidance and supervision of the Assistant Purchasing Agent, the Director of Purchasing Services provides strategic leadership and enterprise oversight for the Purchasing Services Division, including the Buyer team and associated operational support functions. This position supports county-wide operations serving approximately 5 million residents, 20,000 employees in 80 departments, and manages roughly $5.5B in annual expenditures, 18,500 purchase orders, and 4,000 contracts and agreements. The Director directs division-wide procurement operations, sets performance expectations and standards aligned with departmental vision and leading practices, and ensures consistent, compliant, and timely service delivery across departments. The role leads performance management, continuous improvement, and executive coordination to strengthen operational readiness, contract utilization, and county-wide procurement outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide division leadership, management, and oversight for Purchasing Services functions, establishing expectations and guidelines for requisitioning, catalogs, PO processing, and vendor setup/onboarding aligned with leading practices.
• Lead Sr. Buyers and Buyers in managing and processing requisitions, change orders, and vendor setup and master maintenance, driving value generation through consistent execution, stakeholder engagement, and continuous process improvement.
• Drive operational performance by assessing, developing, coaching, and motivating staff; set standards, training expectations, and accountability measures to maintain a high-performing team and consistent service delivery.
• Identify and implement initiatives to decrease cycle time and increase productivity across purchasing workflows, including intake, processing, approvals, PO issuance, and customer support touch points.
• Develop, manage, and maintain key business relationships with departments using County purchasing services, external stakeholders, and vendors to support alignment, issue resolution, and customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with the Auditor’s Office to support AP resolutions; monitor purchasing services assigned contracts to ensure proper contract utilization and leakage monitoring; ensure adherence to compliance standards, policies, and procedures; support vendor negotiations and compliance activities; and provide analysis and reporting to measure buying effectiveness.
• Ensure full compliance with: Texas Local Government Code Chapter 262, Texas Government Code Chapter 2269 (Construction), 2 C.F.R. 200 (federal awards), as amended, GLO CDBG-DR/CDBG-MIT requirements.
• Foster a positive, productive work culture that encourages employee engagement and professional growth.
• Implement structured onboarding and ongoing training for all new hires and current staff; support career development, certification, and advancement opportunities for team members.
• Monitor and address turnover rates, actively developing strategies to retain high-performing employees.
• Maintain a pipeline of qualified candidates to respond quickly to attrition while also developing hiring practices that reflect current departmental needs and retention goals.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide targeted coaching and feedback.

Purchasing F.I.R.S.T. Standards

The Director must embody and enforce the Purchasing F.I.R.S.T. values:

• Fairness: Apply procurement and training requirements consistently across divisions.
• Integrity: Ensure all actions and communications reflect accurate laws, policies, procedures, and approved business practices.
• Responsiveness: Complete reviews and approvals within established timeframes to avoid unnecessary delays.
• Stewardship: Protect County resources by reducing errors, inconsistent practices, compliance risk, and rework.
• Teamwork: Collaborate with subject-matter experts, Training, Process Improvement, Business Analysis, and operational leadership to develop effective employee training and operational solutions.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx
If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.
This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Examples of duties

Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in a directly related field and six (6) years of relevant work experience required, including five (5) years of supervisory or managerial experience;

OR

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a major in business management or administration, public administration, economics, supply chain management, engineering or a closely related field and eight (8) years of relevant work experience required, including five (5) years of supervisory or managerial experience.

Certifications:

• Must possess one or more of the following professional certifications: Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO), Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM), Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Certified Texas Contract Manager (CTCM) and/or Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD) or equivalent purchasing/procurement certification.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge of public procurement and delegated purchasing operations, including requisition-to-PO workflows, informal and formal purchasing methods, and best-value execution in a high-volume government environment.
• Advanced knowledge of procurement laws and governance, including Texas Local Government Code Chapter 262 and County purchasing policies, with ability to apply requirements to day-to-day Buyer decisions and approvals.
• Skill in directing Buyer operations at scale, including setting performance standards, managing workload distribution, monitoring PO cycle time and quality, and ensuring timely, compliant PO issuance.
• Skill in reviewing and validating procurement documentation for audit readiness and defensible decision-making, including file standards, approvals, exception handling, and corrective action follow-through.
• Proficiency in purchasing and financial systems and reporting tools used to manage requisitions, purchase orders, and operational metrics; ability to translate data into actionable performance management.
• Strong leadership and change-management skills to develop staff, enforce standards, resolve escalations, coordinate with departments and oversight partners, and drive continuous improvement across purchasing service lines.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented in your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation butONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume"will not be accepted for qualifications.

Supplemental information

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work This is a full-time position with typical work hours of Monday - Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. Occasional weekends, holidays, and overtime may be required based on the specific needs and demands of the department.

This position is classified as an essential employee. The Director is required to work before, during, or after emergency situations, inclement weather, or declaring disaster events at the department’s discretion.

Essential employees must:

• Maintain up-to-date contact information and be available for rapid deployment during emergencies.
• Participate in mandatory emergency preparedness training and exercises.
• Demonstrate flexibility in work hours and assignments during crisis periods.
• Comply with all County protocols for essential personnel, including reporting requirements and operational continuity procedures.

Work Environment and Physical Demands:

• This position is based in an office environment, where the use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, scanners, and filing cabinets is routine.
• The physical demands associated with this job are minimal, with occasional lifting and moving objects weighing up to 10 pounds.
• The role is predominantly sedentary, involving mainly sitting with occasional standing and walking.

Reporting Relationships:

• Reports to: Assistant Purchasing Agent
• Supervises positions: Senior Buyer, Buyers and other operational support staff

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.