Lead Purchaser - Procurement Division

Texas Department of Transportation•Austin, TX

14h

About The Position

Oversees and performs advanced technical and complex purchasing functions for the Department. Work involves research, study, and evaluation of assigned goods and/or services. Serves as lead worker for a staff of professional, technical, and/or clerical employees. Reports to the Purchasing Branch Manager. Work requires contact with other governmental agencies and private entities. Employees at this level are virtually self-supervising and assume direct accountability for the work product. Essential Duties: Serves as a lead worker by advising, training, and coaching employees to increase job efficiency; acting as a resource for complex questions; presenting workflow and operational updates to the supervisor/manager; providing input on team members’ career conversations. Assists in establishing, maintaining, and disseminating purchasing and administrative procedures. Coordinates and compiles basic and/or complex reports. Corresponds with departmental staff and vendors regarding updates on products/services literature, clarifications, solicitation response reviews, expediting deliveries and coordinating testing/evaluation of products/services. Develops technical equipment, material, or service specifications/statements of work (SOWs); reviews specifications/ SOWs prepared by others. Keeps abreast of technological and price changes in goods and/or services; determines impact of changes and recommends necessary actions. Oversees the development of some specifications and SOWs and reviews all new specifications and SOWs before approval. Monitors the achievement of individually established Historically Underutilized Business participation goals. Plans forums to address the availability or establishment of statewide/regional contracts and/or blanket purchases and update of standard specifications. Prepares and oversees the preparation of evaluation criteria; evaluates vendor pricing and responsive information using the statutory best value criteria; assists management in negotiations. Prepares requisitions for open market purchases and makes delegated purchases; makes recommendations on the standardization of equipment, materials, suppliers and/or services. Provides guidance and technical expertise to personnel in the districts and the divisions on quality of goods and services; acts as liaison between districts, divisions and vendors. Represents the Department at various meetings; may serve as a member on a solicitation review team. Reviews and analyzes solicitation responses; awards purchase orders and makes award recommendations to management or the Comptroller of Public Accounts. Visits districts, divisions, and offices to discuss requirements for materials, supplies, and/or services; arranges for tests/demonstrations and evaluations of new equipment and/or supplies. Performs other job responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in any discipline. Related work experience may be substituted for a degree on a year per year basis.
5 years of experience in purchasing, which includes 3 year of public purchasing. (Experience can be satisfied by full time or prorated part time equivalent). Related graduate level education may be substituted for experience on a year per year basis.
Valid driver’s license. This position requires driving a state vehicle.
Must be Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD), Certified Texas Procurement Manager (CTPM), OR obtain specified Texas certification within eighteen (18) months of the date of hire
Will be delegated signature authority under existing department policy
Extensive knowledge of: Technical specification writing
Extensive knowledge of: State rules and procedures associated with expediting, ordering, purchasing and warehousing laws, policies and procedures
Expert skill in: Researching, analyzing, and interpreting policies and state and federal laws and regulations specific to functional area
Expert skill in: Using basic mathematical fundamentals
Expert skill in: Following verbal and written instructions
Proficient skill in: Scheduling work assignments
Proficient skill in: Public relations for maintaining effective working relationships with individuals and groups, both internal and external
Proficient skill in: Leading, assigning, reviewing, and monitoring work and the work of others
Proficient skill in: Coordinating labor, materials, and equipment
Proficient skill in: Evaluating products, equipment and material
Proficient skill in: Persuasion and negotiation of critical issues
Proficient skill in: Analyzing and organizing business and technical data
Proficient skill in: Preparing technical/statistical reports
Proficient skill in: Training in a classroom, office, or field environment
Proficient skill in: Developing and giving presentations
Proficient skill in: Using computers and applicable programs, applications, and systems
Proficient skill in: Evaluating new equipment performance
Proficient skill in: Maintaining a safe working environment
Proficient skill in: Evaluating solicitation responses and making awards
Ability to: Communicate effectively
Ability to: Follow verbal and written instructions
Ability to: Protect sensitive and confidential information

Responsibilities

Serves as a lead worker by advising, training, and coaching employees to increase job efficiency; acting as a resource for complex questions; presenting workflow and operational updates to the supervisor/manager; providing input on team members’ career conversations.
Assists in establishing, maintaining, and disseminating purchasing and administrative procedures.
Coordinates and compiles basic and/or complex reports.
Corresponds with departmental staff and vendors regarding updates on products/services literature, clarifications, solicitation response reviews, expediting deliveries and coordinating testing/evaluation of products/services.
Develops technical equipment, material, or service specifications/statements of work (SOWs); reviews specifications/ SOWs prepared by others.
Keeps abreast of technological and price changes in goods and/or services; determines impact of changes and recommends necessary actions.
Oversees the development of some specifications and SOWs and reviews all new specifications and SOWs before approval.
Monitors the achievement of individually established Historically Underutilized Business participation goals.
Plans forums to address the availability or establishment of statewide/regional contracts and/or blanket purchases and update of standard specifications.
Prepares and oversees the preparation of evaluation criteria; evaluates vendor pricing and responsive information using the statutory best value criteria; assists management in negotiations.
Prepares requisitions for open market purchases and makes delegated purchases; makes recommendations on the standardization of equipment, materials, suppliers and/or services.
Provides guidance and technical expertise to personnel in the districts and the divisions on quality of goods and services; acts as liaison between districts, divisions and vendors.
Represents the Department at various meetings; may serve as a member on a solicitation review team.
Reviews and analyzes solicitation responses; awards purchase orders and makes award recommendations to management or the Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Visits districts, divisions, and offices to discuss requirements for materials, supplies, and/or services; arranges for tests/demonstrations and evaluations of new equipment and/or supplies.
Performs other job responsibilities as assigned.