Salary: $72,160.00 - $95,855.00 Annually
Location : 110 SE Watula Ave, 3rd Floor, Ocala, FL 34471, FL
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 84262
Department: Procurement and Contracting
Opening Date: 08/04/2026

Description

Under general direction of the Director of Procurement and Contracting, the Vendor Relations Manager is responsible for managing and continuously building, evaluating and nurturing the City's strategic vendor relationships, to include those involved in the City's Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE) Program, and for supervising staff engaged in vendor relations and surplus functions.

This position regularly involves community outreach, reporting, and procurement support with routine contact with vendors, the public, and City staff.

Examples of Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Supervise the department's vendor relations team, ensuring that the team adheres to all established processes and regularly meets all goals, expectations, and metrics.
2. Manages and oversees the Local Small Business Enterprise (LSBE) Program, including but not limited to ensuring policies, procedures and documents are current; applications are reviewed and processed; email boxes are monitored and worked daily; invoices are reviewed and entered for payment; trainings/meetings are scheduled and performed; and program activities are tracked.
3. Continuously assess and make (as needed) recommendations for improvement of all operational workflows related to vendor management to ensure that the City's vendor needs are properly supported.
4. Collaborate with City departments and other cross-functional teams to develop and successfully implement vendor relationship strategies, including the recruitment and onboarding of new vendors and the management of vendor information in the City's procurement and other databases.
5. Understand supply chain best practices, the City's Procurement Policy, and regulations pertaining to LSBE in federally funded projects.
6. Review all new vendor requests and approve or deny same in accordance with the City's established policies and procedures and best practices.
7. Maintain accurate vendor information. Performs research to assist Buyers and other City departmental staff in identifying alternate sources of supply to affect major cost savings, improve efficiencies, and meet the requirements of the City's Procurement Policy.
8. Conducts vendor audits and monitors vendor performance against contractual stipulations and pricing.
9. Monitor and ensure that City departments are in compliance with sections of the City's Procurement Policy which relate to vendor relationships and that they are utilizing established and authorized vendor relationships whenever feasible.
10. Develop and maintain strong relationships with the City's established vendors and those vendors enrolled in the City's LSBE Program.
11. Evaluate vendor contract performance, ensuring that vendor assessments are regularly conducted by project managers and/or other departmental staff.
12. Serve as a vendor relations liaison between the Procurement and Contracting Department and other City departments and the community. Foster collaboration between the team and all other City departments.
13. Develops, organizes, manages and/or attends City-sponsored and non-City-sponsored vendor events, vendor trainings, expos, and community meetings designed to expand the City's vendor base and promote the City.
14. Monitors contract delivery delinquencies and performance discrepancies and recommend actions to implement resolution. Documents all findings or factors causing delivery, delay, or unsatisfactory performance; prepare responses to all contractor inquiries. Tracks vendors deficiencies, suspensions and debarments.
15. Work with department staff to resolve vendor disputes and/or other vendor related issues in a timely manner.
16. Monitor and report on vendor related metrics; elevating risks or concerns to the Procurement and Contracting Officer/Director.
17. Manage assigned personnel and ensures workload balance within the vendor relations and surplus areas to ensure service levels and quality remain consistent.
18. Guide staff to achieve optimum performance levels. Complete performance evaluations, orientation, and training. Provide input on employee hires, transfers, promotions, discipline, terminations and similar actions. Maintain results through coaching, counseling staff, and setting meaningful and measurable goals.
19. Resolve employee problems within position responsibilities, escalating issues to the Procurement and Contracting Officer/Director as necessary.
20. Reviews solicitations to identify opportunities to connect underrepresented vendor categories with said opportunities.
21. Assist project managers with acquisition and pre-construction planning, scope formation, negotiations, vendor interaction, project kick-offs, monitoring project milestones, and contract performance measures.
22. Provides marketing support and campaign ideas for vendors, the LSBE program and city business initiatives.
23. Attends small business and procurement or business-related seminars, expos and training courses.
24. Plans, organizes, and leads LSBE meetings and functions to support and promote the program for the City. Plans, organizes, and leads promotional activities for the program both locally, and statewide. Plans, organizes, and attends LSBE training classes and programs on a variety of topics including business management, marketing, invoicing, and other critical tasks required to own/operate a small business.
25. Analyzes City utilization of goods and services in an effort to identify potential opportunities for LSBE vendors. Markets LSBE vendors to City departments for any needed goods and services required on a continual basis.
26. Ensures that all LSBE metrics are timely compiled and appropriately maintained, including the number of certifications, program expenditures, and other statistics as required by the Procurement and Contracting Officer, Executive Team, or the public.
27. Assists in the preparation of various manuals, policies, procedures, budget documents, vendor guide and vendor communications. Coordinates design of print and digital marketing (such as brochures and fliers) and promotional items for events. Research and order materials for disbursement during the year and at events.
28. Supports City efforts to increase community connections and public outreach and serve as City representative to community diversity organizations.
29. Analyzes LSBE data and trends and make recommendations for growth and development of the program to the Procurement and Contracting Officer.
30. Maintains knowledge of diversity-related issues, legislation, and best practices.
31. Fosters partnerships with external organizations enabling the City to better collaborate or expand the LSBE program to other governmental agencies.
32. Mentors and monitors the general activities for business development program and make sure that all parties involved adhere to the LSBE program's policies and mission.
33. Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in marketing, business, supply chain management, economics, project management, or other comparable discipline.
• Must have a minimum of five (5) years' experience in procurement, vendor management, supply chain management, or in a government or other regulatory agency.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Must possess a valid Florida Driver's License with an acceptable driving record.

Supplemental Information

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIESResponsibilities include interviewing, hiring and training employees; planning, assigning and directing work; appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

This position will directly supervise 2 employees.
This position may indirectly supervise 2 employees.

ANALYTICAL ABILITY/PROBLEM SOLVINGDIRECTED. Supervisory and/or professional skills using structured practices or policies and directed as to execution and review.

PLANNING
With regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner and/or sequence of performance of own work.
CONSIDERABLE RESPONSIBILITY; in addition, the work operations of a group of employees, all performing Basically the same type of work.

DECISION MAKINGPerforms work operations which permit opportunity for decision making of minor importance. FREQUENTLY.
Performs work operations which permit opportunity for decision-making of major importance. FREQUENTLY.

COMMUNICATION SKILLSAbility to read, analyze, and understand the most complex documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints. Ability to write speeches and articles using original or innovative techniques or style. Ability to make effective and persuasive speeches and presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLSAbility to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to prepare and interpret bar graphs.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLSAbility to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems. Ability to deal with nonverbal, logical or scientific symbolism such as formulas, scientific equations, and graphs. Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.

SUPERVISION RECEIVEDUnder GENERAL SUPERVISION where standard practice enables the employee to PROCEED ALONE on routine work, referring all questionable cases to supervisor.

MENTAL DEMANDINTENSE. Operations requiring sustained directed thinking to analyze, solve, or plan highly variable, administrative, professional, or technical tasks involving complex problems or mechanisms.

USE OF MACHINES, EQUIPMENT AND/OR COMPUTERSRegular use of highly complex machines and equipment, specialized or advanced software programs.

ACCURACY
Probable errors would normally not be detected in succeeding operations and may have serious effects in relationships with patrons and/or with the operations of other segments of the organization. Frequent possibilities of error would exist at all times.

PUBLIC CONTACTExtensive contacts with various diversified sectors of the public environment; wherein, the contacts are of major importance and failure to exercise proper judgment can lead to substantial losses to the organization.

EMPLOYEE CONTACTContacts with other departments or offices and also frequently with individuals in middle level positions; consulting on problems which necessitate judgment and tact, plus frequent contact with senior level internal officials.

SOFTWARE SKILLS REQUIREDAccounting Intermediate
Alphanumeric Data Entry Intermediate
Contact Management Advanced
Database Intermediate
Enterprise Resource Planning Basic
Human Resources Systems None
Payroll Systems Basic
Presentation/Power Point Advanced
Programming Languages None
Spreadsheet Advanced
Word Processing/Typing Advanced

OTHER SKILLSDemonstrated knowledge of procurement practices and terminology.
Demonstrated knowledge of contract management practices, methods, and procedures.
Demonstrated knowledge of DBE, small business development, and associated reporting procedures.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and build positive relationships within a Local organization and community.
Demonstrated ability to apply strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
Demonstrated ability to independently lead vendor relations and surplus activities staff.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIESWhile performing the functions of this job, the employee may be required to:
Stand Frequently
Walk Frequently
Sit Regularly
Use hands to finger, handle or feel Regularly
Reach with hands and arms Occasionally
Climb or balance Never
Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl Occasionally
Talk or hear Continuously
Tate or smell Occasionally

WEIGHT LIFT REQUIREMENTSThe employee must occasionally lift and/or move:
Up to 10 pounds

VISION REQUIREMENTSpecific vision abilities required by this job may include:
Color vision (interpreting color software screens or reports; work duties that require the ability to identify and distinguish colors).

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONSThe following work environment characteristics described here are representative of those in employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable the individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work near moving mechanical parts. (spinning shafts, engines, lifts, etc.) Never
Work in high, precarious places. (tall structures, bucket lifts, extension, ladders, etc.) Never
Fumes are airborne particles (painting, sanding, solvents, flying lint or dust particles, etc.) Never
Toxic or caustic chemicals (including potential for chemical spills, etc.) Never
Outdoor weather conditions (exposure to outdoor heat, cold, or inclement weather) Occasionally
Wet or humid conditions (not weather related suc