Procurement Counselor

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY).

The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location:

LAGUARDIA C. C.

Bargaining Unit:

Yes

Program Overview

Established in 1999, the LaGuardia Community College (LaGCC) APEX Accelerator is funded in part by the U.S. Department of War (DoW) through a cost-share cooperative agreement. The program is dedicated to helping businesses in Queens market their products and services to government entities at the federal, state, and local levels. APEX is committed to streamlining the process of selling to the government, offering one-on-one procurement technical assistance and training workshops tailored to businesses of all sizes. This support extends to all businesses. The Accelerator also provides certification assistance with NYC, NYS, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses/Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB/VOSB), and other federal disadvantaged business certifications.

Position Summary

The Procurement Counselor at the LaGuardia Community College, APEX Accelerator, is a full-time role that reports directly to the Director, APEX Accelerator. The Counselor's duties involve personalized counseling sessions, facilitating support with prime contractors, and assisting with city, state, and federal contracting, along with handling day-to-day operational tasks related to government procurement services. These tasks encompass activities such as downloading solicitations, maintaining logs of correspondence and documentation, providing necessary statistics to the Director, and conducting research and correspondence as directed. Candidates will interact with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the local business community across various industries and designations.

This is a grant-funded, in-person position with the option of some remote work. Appointments are subject to availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop, monitor, and maintain a marketing/outreach program to attain specific economic development and client-based goals, and actively recruit new clients within the APEX service area.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with prime contractors, government agencies, resource organizations and associations, other APEX Accelerators, Chambers of Commerce, economic development entities, stakeholders, and other small business support organizations to garner support for sustaining and expanding initiatives linked to the APEX mission.

• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on various government contracting topics.

• Maintain electronic client databases related to services rendered.

• Develop and deliver government sector training seminars onsite and/or via webinar.

• Perform web-based research and analysis for clients, primes, and government agencies.

• Assist clients in locating bid opportunities.

• Assist clients with bid and proposal preparation, contract interpretation, and certifications.

• Assist clients in the interpretation of procurement regulations.

• Represent the program at networking and other business events, onsite and offsite.

• Position may require out-of-state travel, less than 10%.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director.

Core Competencies / Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher learning preferred.

• Minimum of three (3) years of business-related work experience in finance, procurement, or counseling/one-on-one assistance.

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and CRM systems (e.g., Monday.com).

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

About LaGuardia Community College

Founded in 1971 in Long Island City, Queens, LaGuardia Community College is one of seven community colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY). LaGuardia offers more than sixty associate degree programs and more than fifty workforce training, ESOL, GED, and pre-college programs. In 2023, LaGuardia served approximately 24,000 students. More than one-third of LaGuardia’s degree-seeking students are born outside the United States; they come from 136 countries and speak 43 heritage languages. Sixty percent are first-generation college students.

Virtually all LaGuardia students are ethnic minorities (89 percent), 58 percent are women, 27 percent are over the age of 25. Forty-six percent of associate degree students are Hispanic. Upon graduation most students transfer to four-year colleges, typically in CUNY, to complete their baccalaureate degrees. Graduates of career programs such as Nursing, Computer Technology, and Veterinary Technology enter the workforce. LaGuardia ranked fifth among U.S. community colleges in economic mobility – moving low-income students into the middle class and beyond – in studies by Stanford University (2017) and the Brookings Institution (2020). Please visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

Pay Range:

Minimum - Maximum: $55,000 - $63,000

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals (link to https://www.rfcuny.org/RFWebsite)

About the Research Foundation
The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.
RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.