IT Buyer

University of Arkansas•Little Rock, AR

32d•Onsite

About The Position

The IT Buyer is a key member of the University’s IT Services team, providing tactical procurement support to achieve reliable, cost-efficient, and timely acquisition of goods and services. Functioning as an embedded buyer within IT Services, this position caters to campus-wide IT spend while ensuring strict compliance with state and university purchasing laws and institutional policies. This position is governed by state and federal laws, and agency/institution policy.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Information Technology, or a related field or equivalent professional experience.
Three (3) to four (4) years of experience in procurement, contract administration, or a related field applicable to IT acquisition.
Knowledge of state and university purchasing laws and regulations
Knowledge of purchasing principles, procedures, and methods
Knowledge of IT industry trends, software licensing models (SaaS), and hardware lifecycle management
Ability to operate effectively within automated procurement systems (Workday) and service management platforms (ServiceNow)
Strong business acumen and the ability to interpret complex state purchasing laws and university regulations
Ability to research and draft clear, concise, and competitive purchasing specifications and evaluate product acceptability and/or quality
Ability to perform basic mathematical computations
Ability to analyze financial records and prepare reports
Excellent verbal and written communication skills to provide assistance and clarifications to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Process IT-related requisitions into purchase orders and attends technical approval workflows
Prepare specifications for bids as directed; manages bid openings, evaluations, and vendor selection based on best value and delivery requirements
Review and/or manage the lifecycle of IT-related Supplier Contracts (SPCs) and service agreements; monitors contract balances and processes necessary amendments or renewals
Work closely with University staff and faculty to define product requirements and evaluate cost-saving alternatives for software licenses, hardware, and cloud solutions
Maintain relationships with vendors and Value Added Resellers (VARs) to obtain quotes and develop specifications for technical products
Expedite and review purchase order invoices; maintains accurate procurement records and documentation for all related IT purchases
Assist in the deployment of IT-specific procurement directives to ensure consistent application of policies and procedures
Provide a people-first customer service approach that is dedicated to continuous improvement through technology, lean process implementation, data analytics, and other industry best practices
Perform other duties as assigned