JTDC - Administrative Assistant IV - Purchasing

Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (JTDC) provides safe and temporary housing for youth ages 10 – 18 with pending legal action in the Cook County Courts. The JTDC is dedicated to providing its youth with leadership, structured care, and supervision through a balanced approach of creative programming and services that teach responsibility, accountability, and sensitivity. Each member of the JTDC staff is actively encouraged and supported in pursuit of creative participation, personal well-being, and professional development. As the largest juvenile detention center in the nation, the facility contains five major departments and various offices consisting of 600+ employees who serve an average daily population of 280+ residents. The Administrative Assistant IV acts as the senior Business Administrative Assistant who oversees the Business Admin’s pool of work concerning purchasing and assured it was being done correctly and on schedule. The position will serve as the principal liaison between county procurement, and help with interactions with internal customers (dept. heads) when needed and providing the Business Manager with regular updates on the state of purchasing will be required.

Requirements

High school diploma or general education diploma required; Associate degree is preferred.
Minimum of 3 years of experience in purchasing and/or buyer role.
United States citizenship.
21 years of age at the time of application submission.
Ideal candidate is PROACTIVE, SELF-DIRECTED, and MOTIVATED with a STRONG ATTENTION TO DETAIL.
Candidate should have the ability to multi-task, problem solve, and prioritize demands in a fast-paced environment.
Must have excellent organizational and time management skills.
Ability to communicate and work closely with internal team and Cook County Payroll to relate critical/urgent issues.
Must maintain strict professionalism and confidentiality in dealing with sensitive information.
Ability to effectively understand and communicate in English (verbally and in writing) with all levels of staff.
Highly accountable, reliable, and prompt, with a strong work ethic.
Demonstrates proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Demonstrates skills in database creation and maintenance.
Illinois residency obtained within 90 days of date of hire.
Pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check including but not limited to LEADS, CANTS, and professional references.
A result of negative from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Child Abuse Registry.
Must pass Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) screening requirements.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual communication skills preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinates department-wide buying plan for JTDC, maintaining this spreadsheet continuously.
Ensures contracts and large procurements/requisitions are planned and executed (renewed in most cases) on schedule by all members of the Business Administrative assistant groups.
Reports progress of purchasing projects in process to Business Manager regularly.
Acts as procurement liaison with County Procurement office, attend all liaison meetings, keeping up to date on procedures and mandates from the County office and informing/training the rest of the dept. on changes.
Assists and oversees all Business Administrative Assistants in the proper preparation and submission of requisitions that are submitted to County Procurement.
Facilitates and assists all Business Administrative Assistants with the gathering of specifications for all upcoming contracts and amendments.
Coordinates purchasing efforts for the JTDC up to and including: requisition and purchase orders.
Monitors suppliers in meeting cost, quality, and service requirements.
Monitors expenditure and purchasing reports for variances and changes in fiscal levels.
Assists with inventory targets, reorder cycles, and incoming material management procedure.
Ensures a timely flow of JTDC operating materials from external and/or internal suppliers.
Locates and expedites critical supplies and material for resident population.
Maintains updates and inputs material control data system or records and verifies reports for accuracy.
Represents department in purchasing status meetings and follows-up to ensure commitments are met.
Assists in the training of incoming purchasing personnel.
Demonstrates a high level of expertise in problem solving, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
Performs other duties as assigned.