Buyer II

County Of Albemarle•Charlottesville, VA

13d•$63,664 - $70,366•Hybrid

About The Position

As a contributor in the Office of Procurement, the Buyer II supports the County, Schools, and partner agencies to acquire best value goods, services, and construction, through maximizing competition, in compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act and local laws. The Buyer II is responsible for managing and administering the procurement needs of internal customers as assigned. This position maintains contract files and assists with contract admin, assisting in evaluation of supplier performance and determining the appropriate procurement requirements to be followed in the selection of successful vendor, and conducts procurement research and recommends solutions for customer needs.

Requirements

Considerable knowledge of the laws, practices and applicable procedures used in public sector purchasing; considerable knowledge of sources of supplies and of services required by a public sector jurisdiction(Local Government and Schools).
Skilled with leveraging technology and systems.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with general public and staff.
Ability to work under pressure.
Ability to maintain procurement records and prepare reports from such records; ability to make decisions in accordance with regulations and established policies.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Working skill with software systems (e.g. workflows, office tools, spreadsheets, productivity).
Ability to effectively negotiate price of goods or services with potential vendors.
Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university and two years of experience in customer service.

Nice To Haves

Coursework in Business Management, Marketing, Purchasing, or related areas preferred.
Certification as Virginia Contracting Associate (VCA) preferred, must complete within 1 year in position.
Certification as Virginia Contracting Officer (VCO) preferred, must complete within 2 years in position.

Responsibilities

Oversees the purchasing of goods, services and supplies and equipment, ensuring the policies and procedures comply with Virginia Procurement Act including authorizing the issuance of purchase orders for County, School district & partner entities.
Provides customer service to decentralized buyers within departments, vendors, and co-workers.
Assists vendors and various departments researching and providing information on the status of purchase orders, bids/proposals, and contract renewals.
Maintains contract files and assists with contract administration.
Assists the Program administrator in a variety of activities such as providing training, maintaining databases and master data, and supports the administration of procurement programming.
Assists in development of office procedures.
Handle security issues, such as fraud, compromised accounts and lost/stolen accounts, by working with the cardholder and the P-Card provider; Reconcile P-Card activity for ghost card activity; Develop communications and maintain vendor system (currently Works) information to help cardholders manage their accounts effectively.
Partner with Accounting, Budget, and other internal departments to identify top Vendors/Suppliers to maximize service while minimizing risk and administrative overhead.