Title: Director of Procurement & Contracts (Henrico)
State Role Title: Procurement Manager III
Hiring Range: $135,000 - $155,000
Pay Band: 6
Agency: Virginia Employment Commission
Location: VEC CENTRAL OFFICE
Agency Website: https://www.vec.virginia.gov/
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
Job Duties
The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) is seeking an experienced and innovative Director of Procurement & Contracts to lead the agency’s enterprise procurement and contracting portfolio. This role serves as VEC’s senior authority for high‑dollar, high‑risk, and highly technical procurements, driving strategic sourcing efforts that support major statewide initiatives—including Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) and Unemployment Insurance (UI) modernization—and mission‑critical enterprise IT systems. The Director oversees procurement policy, compliance, leasing, supplier development, and SWaM strategy while supervising a high‑performing team of procurement professionals. This leadership role operates with broad independence, advising executive leadership, shaping agency procurement practices, and ensuring every contract, solicitation, and negotiation advances VEC’s operational excellence and service mission to Virginians.
Join the VEC and be part of a mission-driven agency dedicated to supporting workers, strengthening communities, and promoting economic stability across the Commonwealth. We administer Virginia’s UI benefits program with a commitment to providing customer-centered, accessible, inclusive, and impactful services to support our shared mission: lifting up Virginia, one unemployed worker at a time. The VEC is also an integral part of a historic milestone as Virginia becomes the first state in the South to offer PFML. Our agency will be responsible for standing up and administering this new program, which will expand the vital support we provide for employees when they need it most.
We offer paid leave; a minimum of 13 paid state holidays per year; medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options; retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan for classified positions); and are a federally recognized Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer.
If you’re motivated by public service, continuous improvement, and meaningful work that supports opportunity for all, the VEC is a place where your contributions matter!
Minimum Qualifications
• Experience with advanced public procurement principles, complex solicitation development, contract administration, supplier diversity integration, and strategic sourcing.
• Experience interpreting and applying VPPA, APSPM, VITA, or similar state or locality procurement standards, federal grant requirements, and public-sector procurement policies.
• Experience developing, negotiating, and managing high‑dollar, high‑risk, and highly technical contracts, including enterprise IT systems and Programmatic systems contracting.
• Experience conducting high‑stakes negotiations, preparing RFPs, analyzing pricing and risk, and drafting complex contractual instruments.
• Experience resolving vendor performance issues, managing escalations, and coordinating contract actions with legal counsel or senior leadership.
• Experience supervising procurement staff, assigning workload, evaluating performance, coaching, and developing procurement competencies.
• Experience conducting procurement audits, updating policy, and analyzing procurement data for reporting and compliance.
• Strong communication, analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem‑solving skills necessary to support complex procurement and program‑level decision‑making.
• Extensive experience in state or federal procurement and contract management.
NOTE: Current Virginia Contracting Officer (VCO) certification is required. Comparable public-sector procurement certifications from other states or local governments may be accepted at the time of hire; however, successful candidates must obtain VCO certification within six (6) months of employment. The incumbent must also complete mandatory Statement of Economic Interests forms and Conflict of Interest training. A valid driver’s license is also required, as the job duties may occasionally involve statewide overnight travel.
Additional Considerations
• Advanced procurement certification (e.g., VCM, CPPB, CPPO, CPM) and considerable experience in procurement of goods and services in the public sector.
• Use of eVA and Enterprise Resource Planning system, and the use of a state issued Small Purchase Charge Card (SPCC).
• Extensive experience in state or federal procurement and contract management.
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
This position is located within the Central Office in Henrico, VA. This is not a remote-work position.
Submission of an online application is required for this position. The VEC does not accept applications, résumés, cover letters, etc., in any other format. When applying for jobs, please ensure your online application and/or résumé are complete with duties and skills associated with your work experience.
The Virginia Employment Commission is committed to upholding our values in our employment opportunities across the Commonwealth to people from all backgrounds, including all races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program, and a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified employer. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.
The selected candidate must successfully pass a comprehensive background check including an FBI fingerprint background investigation and an Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud background check.
Please carefully review the details of this recruitment including the location of the position and the posted salary before applying. The VEC does not provide relocation assistance, and no salary will be offered outside of the posted salary range / flat rate.
The VEC does not provide sponsorship; therefore, applicants must be a citizen or national of the U.S., a Lawful Permanent Resident, or an alien authorized to work in the US.
Auxiliary Aids and Services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Applicants needing accommodations should contact the Human Resource office for additional information.
A valid Virginia Driver's License is required to operate a state vehicle or if operating a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the agency.
For the status of your application and this position, please refer to your PageUp / Jobs.Virginia.Gov account. We do not provide application status updates via email or telephone.
NOTICE: VEC will record information from each new employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) into the Federal E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.
Contact Information
Name: VEC Human Resources / Recruitment
Phone: For the most up-to-date status of your application, please refer to your Jobs.Virginia.Gov account. We do not provide application status updates via phone.
Email: Careers@vec.virginia.gov for recruitment related questions. Emailed applications, résumés, or cover letters will not be accepted. For the most up-to-date status of your application, please refer to your Jobs.Virginia.Gov account.
In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.
Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.