Departmental Buyer

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

7d•$48,000 - $54,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Departmental Buyer supports procurement activities and processes purchase requests in an R&D environment at Applied Research Laboratories. The role develops sources of supply, obtains bids, awards orders or recommends awards, locates products and services, provides pricing, maintains order-status information, resolves purchasing difficulties, and advises on appropriate purchasing methods and procedures. It prepares purchase-order documentation in accordance with University of Texas and federal requirements and manages, submits, and reconciles ProCard records and transactions. The buyer assists with sourcing products and services needed to meet contractual requirements, provides pricing for contract estimates and planning, and offers advance guidance about approvals and procedures. The position maintains accurate purchasing information in ARL:UT IRIS and UT DEFINE/POINT PLUS, provides backup to other purchasers, and handles rotating assignments and special projects as directed by the Senior Departmental Buyer or Office Manager. Other related duties may be assigned. This is a regular staff position scheduled for 40 hours per week at the Pickle Research Campus. The work is performed under standard office conditions and may involve some weekend, evening, and holiday work, as well as possible interstate or intrastate travel. The salary range is $48,000–$54,000 or more, negotiable depending on qualifications.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree; relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
One year of demonstrated purchasing ability, including source selection, obtaining bids, and awarding orders or making award recommendations.
One year of customer service experience engaging successfully with a wide range of personalities and adapting communication style in person and by phone.
Ability to work independently with sensitive and confidential information, maintain a professional demeanor, work as a team member, and communicate effectively with diverse client groups.
Ability to work under pressure and accept supervision.
Regular and punctual attendance.
Demonstrated problem-solving skills.
Ability to work efficiently and flexibly in a fast-paced environment.
Strong organizational and time-management skills.
Recent strong computer skills in MS Office, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and internet use for purchasing and related functions.
Must have or be able to obtain a Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD) certificate within 12 months of employment.
Selected applicant must be a U.S. citizen and meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information at the level appropriate to project requirements, subject to a government security investigation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Business.
More than one year of experience as a full-time purchaser.
Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD) and Certified Texas Contract Manager (CTCM) certifications.
More than one year of experience with UT, the State of Texas, DoD, city government, or R&D procurement.
Knowledge of procurement procedures, including competitive procurement, value analysis, source selection, and negotiating techniques.
At least five years of experience with MS Office, Adobe Acrobat, and the Internet.
Experience soliciting and making awards to Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) concerns and maintaining data on small and veteran-owned business concerns.
Working knowledge of Export Control regulations.

Responsibilities

Develop sources of supply, obtain bids, and award orders or make award recommendations.
Locate products and services, provide pricing, maintain an order-status database, resolve purchasing difficulties, and advise on appropriate methods for placing purchase orders.
Obtain bids by telephone and email and make awards or award recommendations.
Prepare documentation needed to issue purchase orders in compliance with UT and federal regulations, including maintaining ProCard files and transaction logs to track charges and assist with voucher preparation.
Prepare, submit, and reconcile ProCard transactions as required by the UT Accounting Office.
Assist in locating products and services needed to meet contractual requirements.
Provide pricing for contract cost estimates and planning.
Provide advance planning and guidance concerning approvals and procedures.
Ensure purchasing databases contain accurate and current order information.
Enter, retrieve, and use information in the ARL:UT IRIS database and UT DEFINE/POINT PLUS system for record keeping, order tracking, and status reporting.
Provide backup support to one or more purchasers through meetings, telephone, the Tickler database, or email.
Perform regular rotating assignments and special projects as directed by the Senior Departmental Buyer or Office Manager.
Perform other related functions as assigned.