Purchasing & Administrative Clerk

Outreach Community Health Centers•Milwaukee, WI

About The Position

Under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) the Purchasing Clerk serves as the primary procurement coordinator for Outreach Community Health Centers, Inc. (OCHC). This position is responsible for processing all purchase orders through the accounting system, working directly with clinical and administrative departments to fulfill supply and equipment needs, maintaining vendor relationships, and ensuring cost-effective purchasing practices. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, customer service-focused, and capable of managing multiple procurement requests while maintaining strong internal controls and compliance with organizational policies and grant requirements. Essential Duties and Responsibilities The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

Requirements

Requires Associate’s degree in business-related field required, Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Minimum 2–3 years of experience years purchasing, procurement, or supply chain coordination.

Responsibilities

Purchase Order Processing & Management: Process all purchase orders through the accounting system
Review purchase requisitions from departments for completeness, accuracy, and proper authorization
Verify budget availability and proper account coding before creating purchase orders
Obtain required approvals in accordance with organizational purchasing policies
Generate and distribute purchase orders to vendors via email, fax, or vendor portals
Track open purchase orders and follow up with vendors on delivery status.
Update accounting system to reflect receipts of goods and services
Departmental Collaboration: Work directly with clinical, administrative, and operational departments to understand their purchasing needs
Serve as primary point of contact for purchasing questions and requests
Assist departments in identifying appropriate vendors and products
Provide guidance on purchasing procedures and policy requirements
Communicate delivery timelines and any issues affecting order fulfillment
Coordinate with receiving departments to confirm successful delivery and acceptance of goods
Vendor Management & Relations: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with vendors and suppliers
Manage delivery schedules when appropriate
Research and recommend new vendors for departmental needs
Resolve vendor issues related to orders, pricing discrepancies, or damage/incorrect shipments
Process vendor returns and credit memos
Communicate vendor policy changes and updates to relevant departments
Inventory & Receiving Support: Verify receipt of goods against purchase orders
Assist with investigation of missing, damaged, or incorrect shipments.
Compliance Functions: Support grant budget compliance by ensuring proper coding of grant-funded purchases
Ensure compliance with federal grant procurement requirements (2 CFR 200) for grant-funded purchases
Support documentation requirements for single audit and program-specific audits
Maintain audit trail for all purchasing transactions
Identify and escalate policy exceptions or unusual transactions to Controller or CFO.
Other duties as assigned.
Administrative Functions: Act as the primary backup for the Executive Assistant during vacations, illness, or periods of high workload.
Handle confidential and sensitive information with the utmost discretion and integrity.
Provide on-site meeting support for executive meetings, including setup, greeting guests, and managing technology.