Director of Purchasing and Contracts

Director of Purchasing and Contracts Perris, CA Eastern Municipal Water District Career Opportunity The next Director of Purchasing and Contracts will join EMWD at a time of significant opportunity to build upon an established operation while continuing to modernize systems, strengthen staff capabilities, and deepen engagement with the vendor community. ERP and Procurement Technology – A major priority will be advancing the implementation and optimization of Workday Strategic Sourcing and Contract Lifecycle Management. The Director will have the opportunity to strengthen procurement and contracting workflows, improve reporting and visibility, and make greater use of technology, analytics, and performance measures to support consistency, efficiency, and informed decision-making. Contract Life-Cycle Management and Complex Agreements – The Department is continuing to strengthen how contracts are developed, administered, monitored, and renewed. The incoming Director will provide leadership in advancing contract life-cycle management and overseeing complex, interagency, professional services, and non-standard agreements while balancing legal compliance, operational needs, risk, and value. Warehouse and Materials Management Modernization – The Warehouse is an important operational support function serving District-wide needs. The next Director can build upon ongoing efforts to improve inventory visibility, reporting, storage practices, and asset tracking, including the current pipe yard optimization study and evaluation of enhanced tool-management technology. Vendor Engagement and Education – EMWD is committed to maintaining constructive, transparent relationships with vendors and contractors. The next Director will have an opportunity to strengthen how procurement requirements are communicated by helping staff explain not only what District policies require, but the reasoning behind those requirements. Clearer, more educational communication can help vendors better understand EMWD’s processes and support stronger long-term engagement with the vendor community. The Director will also be expected to build upon existing outreach efforts and broaden awareness of how to do business with EMWD. Recent initiatives have included participation in regional supplier outreach events and Small Business Development Center workshops, providing a foundation for reaching a broader vendor base and encouraging greater competition. Policy and Process Modernization – EMWD has been updating its procurement framework, including Administrative Code provisions affecting quotation thresholds, approval authority, and professional services. The next Director will help implement these changes thoughtfully while ensuring that staff, vendors, and contractors understand how updated requirements should be applied in practice. Team Development and Succession Planning – The Department includes experienced employees with considerable institutional knowledge. The next Director will have an important opportunity to strengthen bench depth through mentoring, cross-training, professional development, and succession planning while preserving practices that are working well and continuing to raise performance expectations. Performance and Continuous Improvement – The Department already uses meaningful operational and service measures, providing a strong foundation for the next Director to further refine performance reporting, identify trends, improve service levels, and demonstrate the value of procurement, contracting, and warehouse operations across EMWD. About Eastern Municipal Water District Recognized as a leader in the water industry throughout California and nationally, Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) provides water, wastewater, and recycled water services to nearly one million customers living and working within a 682-square-mile service area covering Western Riverside and Northern San Diego Counties. EMWD is governed by a five-member Board of Directors. Following EMWD’s September 2026 Mid-Cycle Budget Update, EMWD’s FY 2026–27 operating budget is $306.1 million, with $194.2 million budgeted for capital improvement program expenditures. The District benefits from a strong governance model with alignment between the Board and staff on vision, mission and values, and strategic objectives. This collaboration has had a significant influence on EMWD’s continued success. More information regarding EMWD can be found on the District’s website: www.emwd.org. The Department The Purchasing and Contracts Department provides procurement, contracting, warehousing, and materials management support across Eastern Municipal Water District. With the exception of public works construction procurements administered by Engineering, the Department manages the acquisition of goods and services, develops and issues competitive solicitations, evaluates bids and proposals, negotiates terms and pricing, and prepares and administers professional services, interagency, and other agreements. Its work is central to helping EMWD obtain the goods, services, materials, and equipment needed to support District operations while maintaining compliance, competition, transparency, and value. The Department has approximately 20 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions and is organized across Purchasing and Contracts and Warehouse/Materials Management, with management, professional, technical, and operational staff supporting each function. Purchasing and Contracts oversees solicitations, purchase orders, contract administration, supplier negotiations, market research, price benchmarking, and related procurement activities. Warehouse/Materials Management supports District operations through the acquisition, storage, and distribution of approximately 3,800 inventory line-items, including pipe, valves, meters, hydrants, safety equipment, industrial supplies, and other critical materials. The scale of the Department’s work is significant. In 2025, staff processed 105