Buyer

City of Palo Alto•Palo Alto, CA

19h•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Palo Alto is seeking a Buyer to join our team and support critical procurement needs of various City departments. In this role, you will be a key player in ensuring the effective and efficient use of City funds. You will be responsible for the full procurement lifecycle, from sourcing and selecting vendors to negotiating contracts and purchasing a wide range of materials, equipment, and services. You'll work closely with internal City staff to understand their needs, review requisitions, and ensure all purchases align with City policies.

Requirements

Equivalent to completion of 2 years of college with major in business.
Two years experience as a buyer or equivalent purchasing experience.
Possession of a California Driver's License.
Ability to communicate with others and to assimilate and understand information, in a manner consistent with the essential job functions.
Knowledge of purchasing and contracting methods; modern business practices; and, public purchasing and materials principles.
Ability to analyze purchase requests; evaluate bids; prepare product specifications and contracts; make sound recommendations; establish, maintain, and compile accurate records and reports; operate office equipment; learn record retention procedures.
General knowledge of maintenance, repairs, operating and office supplies, and safety equipment; ability to write and analyze related specifications.
The skills associated with vendor development including negotiating, communicating, and product analysis.
Ability to operate assigned equipment.
Ability to make sound decisions in a manner consistent with the essential job functions.
Detail-oriented professional
Strong communication skills
Experience in public sector procurement
Knowledge of public procurement practices
Familiarity with procurement software

Nice To Haves

SAP experience a plus
Comfortable with e-procurement systems

Responsibilities

Manage the procurement process from requisition to purchase for assigned departments
Purchase goods and services via purchase orders, contracts, and agreements
Work with City departments to identify and plan purchasing needs
Research and evaluate suppliers; negotiate prices and terms
Maintain accurate procurement records and compile reports with statistical data
Evaluate vendor performance and resolve issues
Serve as a resource for City staff, providing guidance on procurement policies and procedures
Assist with inventory control and records management
Reviews and receives purchase requisitions to be processed
Prepares Request For Quotes(RFQ)
Schedules advertising and announcement of solicitations on the City’s eprocurement software
Conducts pre-bid conferences & review Council staff reports
Analyzes bids
Determines successful bidders and issues purchase orders, makes recommendations relative to the awarding of contracts
Prepares contracts and amendments
Reviews and edits Scope of Services and Specifications
Enters contracts, amendments, encumbrances, close out and task orders into SAP
Works with Project Managers to resolve issues in SAP
Maintains contract files and ensures documents and pertinent materials are current
Operates personal computers and learns specialty software programs
May provide training to other procurement staff and partner departments on the procurement process
Serves as a back-up to other Buyers in their absence
Performs related duties as required
P-card Admin and Technical Support