Buyer I

Yavapai College•Prescott, AZ

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Buyer I supports responsible, transparent, and service-oriented procurement and contracting practices for Yavapai College. The position reviews and processes requisitions and purchase orders, assists with informal sourcing and competitive procurement activities, maintains supplier and contract records, supports contract administration, and provides guidance to college departments and suppliers. The Buyer I applies established College policies, procedures, approval requirements, and ethical standards while developing the knowledge and judgment needed for progressively more complex procurement assignments. The position is required to work onsite Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. After satisfactory performance and completion of training, approximately 6–12 months, there may be an opportunity to work remotely one day per week. The role also involves maintaining accurate procurement and contract records, supporting the College purchase card program, responding to procurement inquiries and public records requests, and participating in training, cross-training, process improvement, and professional development.

Requirements

Associate degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
At least two years of related experience in procurement, purchasing, contracting, finance, business administration, or a closely related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams, and experience with Zoom audio and video conferencing.
Ability to learn and use enterprise resource planning, e-procurement, contract repository, electronic signature, and supplier-management systems.
Ability to review detailed documents, organize a high volume of work, meet deadlines, maintain accurate records, and exercise sound judgment within established procedures.
Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with internal and external customers and establish effective working relationships with College employees and suppliers.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, avoid conflicts of interest, and apply ethical standards appropriate to public procurement.
Ability to obtain Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) certification within a timeframe established by the College.
Regular attendance and reliable performance of assigned duties.
Ability to perform the essential duties satisfactorily; reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.
Physical ability to sit and talk or hear regularly; use hands to finger, handle, or feel frequently; stand, walk, and reach occasionally; frequently lift or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds; and meet close-vision and focus-adjustment requirements.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, public administration, finance, or a related field.
Experience in public procurement, government, community college, or higher education.
Experience with ESM Purchase, Banner ERP, M-Files, or comparable procurement and contract management systems.
Experience reviewing contracts, purchase terms, scopes of work, and supplier documentation.
Experience negotiating pricing and business terms and identifying measurable cost savings or cost avoidance.
Knowledge of competitive quotations, solicitations, cooperative purchasing, sole-source documentation, supplier due diligence, insurance requirements, and contract administration.
Strong customer service, administrative, analytical, writing, research, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Ability to interpret and explain procurement procedures, thresholds, approval requirements, and documentation standards.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently and collaboratively in a deadline-driven environment.
Public service and customer focus; procurement ethics and accountability; accuracy and attention to detail; written and verbal communication; business judgment and problem solving; collaboration and relationship management; organization, prioritization, and follow-through; continuous learning and process improvement.

Responsibilities

Review purchase requisitions, specifications, quotes, scopes of work, funding information, approvals, and supporting documents for completeness, accuracy, policy compliance, and appropriate procurement methods.
Communicate with requestors, Purchasing Liaisons, Budget Managers, suppliers, and other stakeholders to clarify requirements, resolve discrepancies, obtain missing documentation, and maintain timely workflow.
Create, issue, revise, and expedite purchase orders in ESM Purchase; monitor delivery and performance issues and assist with order, invoice, receiving, and change-order resolution.
Research suppliers and sourcing options, including College, State of Arizona, cooperative, and other competitively awarded contracts that may provide best value.
Obtain and document competitive quotations and support formal solicitations, including supplier outreach, solicitation documents, bid or proposal receipt, evaluation support, award documentation, and procurement-file maintenance.
Train department liaisons on the procurement system, requisition preparation, approvals, documentation, procurement thresholds, and procedures.
Review routine contracts, order forms, statements of work, quotes, and supplier terms for completeness and route documents for required review by relevant College departments.
Work with originating departments, suppliers, the Senior Procurement Specialist, and the Director to revise and finalize assigned contracts and purchasing documents consistent with College requirements and applicable law.
Support negotiations on pricing, discounts, delivery, payment terms, renewals, warranties, service levels, and other business terms; document negotiated savings or cost avoidance when applicable.
Maintain assigned records in the College contract repository, including executed contracts, amendments, insurance certificates, W-9 forms, renewal and termination dates, correspondence, approvals, and related procurement documentation.
Monitor contract milestones and notify contract owners and procurement staff about renewals, expirations, insurance requirements, deliverables, and other required actions.
Create and update supplier records, process credit applications, validate supplier documentation, and maintain accurate information in ESM, Banner ERP, M-Files, and related systems.
Monitor and respond to the general Procurement & Contract Services email inbox; organize, route, track, and follow up on requests.
Assist with purchase card program administration and database maintenance, including user listings, limits, card issuance, changes, and cancellations, as assigned.
Maintain procurement records according to retention requirements and assist with public records requests involving procurement and contract files.
Maintain department schedules, agendas, logs, templates, standard forms, and other administrative records as assigned.
Participate in training, cross-training, process improvement, system implementation, procedure updates, and professional development activities.
Perform other duties of a similar nature and level as assigned.