State Procurement Office (SPO)

This position may offer the ability to work remotely, within Arizona, based upon the department's business needs and continual meeting of expected performance measures

Main Office Location: 1400 W Washington, Suite 3100, Phoenix AZ 85007

Salary: Up to $95,000.00 

Grade: 24

Open Until Business Needs Are Met (1st Review of Resumes 5/26/2027)  

The Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), State Procurement Office (SPO), is seeking a strategic and analytical leader to serve as the Procurement Manager for Benefits. In this critical role, you will oversee the entire life cycle of high-impact state contracts, focusing specifically on employee benefits programs and pharmacy services. Your primary mission is to lead complex, competitive procurements and develop robust category strategies that secure maximum value for the State of Arizona while ensuring rigorous compliance with state procurement regulations.

As the Benefits Procurement Officer, you will serve as a subject matter expert in the evolving healthcare and pharmacy benefit landscapes. This position demands a sophisticated understanding of market dynamics, including drug pricing structures, rebate models, biosimilars, and Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) transparency. You will be responsible for drafting intricate contracts, leading high-stakes negotiations, and analyzing industry trends to provide actionable insights to executive leadership. Beyond procurement execution, you will play a vital role in advising on market risks and innovation opportunities, supporting critical decisions regarding formulary management, utilization strategies, and overall benefit design to enhance the services provided to state employees.

The State of Arizona strives for a work culture that affords employees flexibility, autonomy, and trust. Across our many agencies, boards, and commissions, many State employees participate in the State’s Remote Work Program and are able to work remotely in their homes, in offices, and in hoteling spaces. All work, including remote work, should be performed within Arizona unless an exception is properly authorized in advance.

• Strategic Sourcing & Solicitation Development: Partner with internal stakeholders to develop comprehensive sourcing strategies, technical data requirements, and detailed statements of work; synthesize delivery schedules, milestone payments, and specialized terms and conditions into cohesive, competitive proposals.
• Contract Negotiation & Award: Oversee the evaluation of bid proposals and lead active negotiations with suppliers to secure favorable contractual agreements; prepare all necessary award documentation for executive signature in alignment with state requirements.
• Compliance & Legal Interpretation: Conduct rigorous research and analysis to draft written determinations and justifications that ensure full compliance with the Arizona Procurement Code, state statutes, and agency policies.
• Lifecycle Contract Administration: Manage post-award activities, including conducting kickoff meetings, processing contract renewals and extensions, reviewing certificates of insurance, and resolving complex contractual disputes or performance issues.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize data analytics and expenditure analyses to conduct market assessments and business case developments; make evidence-based recommendations to leadership that optimize ROI while mitigating financial and business risks.
• Lean Process Leadership: Apply a variety of Lean tools to guide the strategic sourcing process—from initial RFI/RFP stages through supplier selection and final implementation—to drive efficiency and continuous improvement.
• Vendor & Stakeholder Management: Serve as the primary point of contact between the State and vendors for all contractual matters; establish and maintain professional relationships with internal customers to ensure supply contracts directly support agency business strategies.
• Performance Monitoring: Develop and monitor supplier performance measures in collaboration with stakeholders, ensuring vendors are held accountable to performance standards and that formal reviews are conducted according to agreement terms.
• Industry Expertise & Professional Development: Stay at the forefront of the healthcare and pharmacy benefit sectors by studying industry literature, attending professional development events, and presenting best practices at agency and cooperative organizational meetings.

Knowledge of:

• State and federal statutes and rules related to government procurement activities and contract administration.
• Best practices to determine appropriate sourcing strategies/methods.
• Lean tools and methods.
• Effective negotiation techniques.
• Supply chain, logistics, and resource management.
• Methods of conducting research.
• Effective techniques of relationship management.
• General accounting practices as they relate to contracts and vendors.
• Source of supply, local and national markets, and pricing trends.

Skills in:

• Developing and implementing various sourcing strategies based upon business' strategic goals/objectives.
• Interpreting applicable laws, rules, policies, and procedures.
• Conducting data analysis to produce effective and accountable contracts.
• Developing and maintaining customer and supplier relationships.
• Negotiating contractual terms and conditions.
• Developing effective monitoring and reporting tools to ensure terms are adhered to.
• Communicating effectively with a wide range of customers, internal stakeholders at all levels, and suppliers.
• Interpreting business issues and recommending solutions/best practices.

Ability to:

• Develop and implement strategic sourcing strategies.
• Establish and maintain effective customer and supplier relationships.
• Develop and implement various monitoring strategies to ensure accountability.
• Synthesize, summarize, and analyze a variety of data/sources and formulate workable recommendations.
• Work in a dynamic team environment that allows the incumbent to be responsive to changing goals and priorities.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, Pharmacy, or a related field is preferred.
• Core Experience: Ideally possesses 5+ years of experience in procurement, category management, or contract management.
• Public Sector Expertise: Experience with public sector or government procurement processes is a plus.
• Contract Development: Preferred experience in drafting solicitations (RFPs/RFQs) and negotiating complex contracts.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Background in employee benefits, healthcare, or pharmacy contracting (e.g., PBM, health plans) is highly desirable.
• Analytical Skills: Nice-to-have experience analyzing healthcare cost drivers and pharmacy trends.

• Background and reference check, including a criminal records verification

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

The Arizona Department of Administration offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:

• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program)
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance
  

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

• Participation in ASRS Lifetime Benefit Pension Plan after 26 weeks of employment

• If you have any questions please feel free to contact Christopher Langseth at christopher.langseth@azdoa.gov for assistance.
• The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.