Buyer (Purchasing Department)

County of Berks•Reading, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Responsible for performing central purchasing functions and related duties in accordance with established department procedures, County code, policies, and state and federal regulations. Responsibilities include specification development, review of requisitions for accuracy, sourcing, soliciting quotations, price analysis, and procurement of goods and services. Work requires frequent contact with vendors and department representatives/end users. Duties are usually performed with considerable independence under the supervision of the Director & Procurement Manager.

Requirements

Associate degree in business administration or related field OR at least two years of equivalent experience.
Minimum of two years’ experience procuring goods and services, processing requisitions, and requesting competitive quotes, with responsibility for at least $2 million of purchases annually.
Working knowledge of public procurement procedures, best practices and regulations.
General knowledge of contract law, and Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.
Ability and willingness to communicate with tact and diplomacy and to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships with internal and external customers, co-workers, supervisors, elected officials, other agencies, and the general public.
Ability and willingness to procure without prejudice, seeking to obtain the maximum, ultimate value for each dollar of expenditure.
Ability and willingness to speak, understand, read, and write English, knowledge and understanding of writing and grammar, and ability to perform basic and analytical arithmetic computations.
Ability and willingness to use good judgment in decision-making and to adhere to the highest ethical standard while performing purchasing functions.
Working knowledge in using PCs as well as Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Access and Outlook), and the Internet.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability and willingness to multi-task in a stressful environment and set priorities and meet deadlines.
Ability and willingness to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
Decision-making, analytical, and problem-solving skills at the level required to effectively perform the position responsibilities.
Organized, self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to work independently.
Ability to handle stress.
Physical presence in the office is required.

Nice To Haves

Certified Public Purchasing Buyer (CPPB) certification by The Institute for Public Procurement (NIGP) or other equivalent professional certification preferred.
Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Responsibilities

Procure required goods and services, in a cost-effective manner and within the parameters of established regulations and procedures, determining whether to seek alternate supplier sources and/or competitive price quotes.
Review requisitions as well as generates and submits purchase orders in the County’s current Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System.
Train, assist and guide end users in the regulations and procedures regarding procurement. This shall include training and support of end user department’s entry and submission of requisitions in the County’s ERP system.
Prepare Requests for Quotation (RFQ) and obtains vendor quotations. Evaluates quotations using price comparison methods; calculates the effects of transportation, minimum orders, discounts and lead times; and identifies the responsive, responsible vendor providing the lowest cost quotation.
Prepare, document, advertise, and administer Invitations to Bid (ITB) and Surplus Sales as assigned. Analyzes vendors’ bids and makes recommendations to the Director and/or Procurement Manager to award contracts as the result of the public bidding process. This shall include but not be limited to all post award process/ procedures and documentation.
Assist the Director and/or Procurement Manager in the preparation, documentation, advertisement, and administration of Invitations to Bid (ITB) and Request for Proposals (RFP).
Standardize specifications among multi-department users of similar items providing the County with the benefits of economies of scale.
Expedite orders as required, troubleshoots and problem solves issues with purchase orders, settles discrepancies between invoices and purchase orders, and assures vendor compliance to specifications, schedules and other terms and conditions.
Maintain professional liaisons with sales agents and vendors to stay up to date on new products and product specifications. Research market to find new suppliers of goods and services used by the County and stay current and well versed on publicly procured contracts available under which to obtain quotes.
Maintain working knowledge and be able to apply and utilize cooperative and piggybackable contracts as needed in the procurement function.
Advise and educate internal customers on current products; features, price, and availability of goods and services; and correct process to complete and submit a requisition.
Arrange for samples and demonstrations of new products to internal customers. Keeps informed of the needs of internal customers.
Special Projects as assigned by the Director and/or Procurement Manager.