Job Description

Job Requisition ID: 52619
Closing Date: 01/21/2026
​Agency: Department of Early Childhood
Class Title: SENIOR PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTR - 40070
Skill Option: General Administration/Business Marketing/Labor/Personnel
Bilingual Option: None
Salary: $10,417 - $11,250 per month ($125,004 - $135,000 per year)
Job Type: Salaried
Category: Full Time
County: Sangamon
Number of Vacancies: 1
Bargaining Unit Code: None
Merit Comp Code: Excluded - Subject to Paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (6) of Section 4d of the Personnel Code

A resume is highly encouraged to evaluate your qualifications and skills as part of your application. Please attach a DETAILED Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV) to the MY DOCUMENTS section of your application if you decide to provide one.

***This position is Exempt from Jurisdiction B of the Illinois Personnel Code under provision of paragraph 4d(3)***

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) is seeking to hire an Agency Procurement Officer (APO). The APO is responsible for acting as the policy-formulating administrator of the Department's Procurement Office. This role involves planning, directing, implementing, and managing the procurement process for supplies, services, and construction. The APO ensures compliance with state and agency procurement policies, prepares solicitations, evaluates bids, and oversees the entire procurement process, including contract management and dispute resolution.

Apply today to join a team committed to making Illinois the best place in the nation to raise a family!

Illinois Department of Early Childhood offers a robust benefit package including:

• Monday-Friday schedule
• Health, life, vision, and dental insurance
• Paid Parental leave
• Pension Plan
• Deferred Compensation, and other pre-tax benefit programs
• Employees earn (12) paid sick days annually
• (10-25) paid vacation days (based on years of service)
• Employees earn (3) paid personal days (pro-rated based on start date)
• (13-14) paid state holidays annually

Work hours and schedule will be mutually agreed upon by supervisor during the onboarding process.

Why Work for Illinois?

Working with the State of Illinois is a testament to the values of compassion, equity, and dedication that define our state. Whether you’re helping to improve schools, protect our natural resources, or support families in need, you’re part of something bigger—something that touches the lives of every person who calls Illinois home.

No matter what state career you’re looking for, we offer jobs that fit your life and your schedule—flexible jobs that provide the gold standard of benefits. Our employees can take advantage of various avenues to advance their careers and realize their dreams. Our top-tier benefits and great retirement packages can help you build a rewarding career and lasting future with the State of Illinois.

Essential Functions

• Serves as the Agency Procurement Officer (APO) for the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC), acting authoritatively as policy formulating administrator of the Department's Procurement Office in planning, directing, implementing, and administering all Department-specific procurement functions which consist of an annual procurable spend portfolio.
• Serves as the official IDEC liaison, on behalf of the CFO, to all internal and external entities including the Chief Procurement Office-General Services (CPO-GS), the Office of Management and Budget (GOMB), Procurement Policy Board (PPB), Commission on the Equity and Inclusion (CEI), Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), Illinois State Board of Elections (BOE), vendors, contractors, public, private, state, and federal officials on IDEC-specific procurement issues, independently possessing authority to negotiate and bind IDEC to contractual agreements and operational agreements for specific contractual procurements deferring to the CFO on issues of potentially substantial impact.
• Independently oversees evaluation of proposals received from vendors, negotiating with vendors, and is ultimately responsible for vendor selection.
• Develops strategic sourcing strategies for IDEC-specific procurements.
• Serves as full line supervisor.
• Drafts and submits annual and semi-annual reports to CPO on IDEC-specific spend status and projections.
• Performs other duties for the Secretary as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college, preferably with coursework in business management or a related field.
• Requires four (4) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or private organization, preferably with experience in government purchasing, business management, and managing cross-functioning organizational entities and a thorough knowledge of procurement supply markets and trends.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prefers four (4) years of experience in government sector procurement and/or purchasing.
• Prefers four (4) years of experience in estimating and budgeting for current and future needs and cost of personnel, space, equipment, supplies, and services.
• Prefers possession of certification from the National Institute of Government Purchasing (NIGP) preferred.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires the ability to pass a background check.
• Requires the ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.
• Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This requires the ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Requires the ability to utilize and maintain state issued equipment such as a cell phone, laptop, etc.

*The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency:

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) was signed into law in June of 2024 with the focus of making early childhood education and care services simpler, better and fairer for families with young children across the state. During fiscal years FY25 and FY26, IDEC will be working through transitioning data, programs and services from three state agencies – the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), – to IDEC in order to be fully operational by July 2026.

Illinois strives to be the best state in the nation to raise a family with young children and IDEC is committed to continue putting children and families center while reducing complexities and finding efficiencies in the system and advancing equity.

Work Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
Headquarter Location: 313 S 6th St. Springfield, IL
Work County: Sangamon
Agency Contact: Melissa Long
Emaildec.jobs@illinois.gov

Posting Group: Leadership & Management; Fiscal, Finance & Procurement; Social Services

The main form of communication will be through email. Please check your “junk mail”, “spam”, or “other” folder for communication(s) regarding any submitted application(s). You may receive emails from the following addresses:

• donotreply@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com
• systems@SIL-P1.ns2cloud.com