Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Jefferson Barracks, MO

19d • Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Logistics Service within the St. Louis VA Health Care System. The role acquires supplies, services, and construction by purchase, rental, or lease through delivery orders and small-purchase procedures. It supports a wide range of programs and activities, including purchases of complex and highly specialized services, supplies, equipment, and systems.

The Purchasing Agent applies policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases, along with knowledge of commercial supply sources and business practices related to sales, pricing, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stock, and shipments. The position also provides administrative and customer support within a medical facility.

The work is full-time, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Central time. It is not a virtual position, and telework is listed as not available. The work is performed in an office setting with ordinary risks and discomforts and normal safety precautions. Some standing, sitting, walking, or bending is required; there are no special physical demands.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Applicants may be required to serve a probationary period and are subject to a background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants must complete an online onboarding process.
• Health Care Personnel must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program and, subject to legally required accommodations, the COVID-19 vaccination program.
• For GS-6 qualification, current or former federal employees subject to time-in-grade rules must have 52 weeks at GS-5; applicable applicants must submit SF-50 documentation.
• One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-5 is required. Examples include purchasing and procurement support; procuring supplies and services; working with medical staff on procurement needs and priorities; resolving shipment, payment, or other procurement discrepancies; purchasing through a purchase card; and preparing reports using automated supply/inventory systems and Microsoft Word or Excel.
• Applicants must clearly describe relevant duties and responsibilities and hours worked per week to receive experience credit.
• There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Conduct purchasing under the micro-purchase threshold.
• Review and edit purchase requests and resolve issues so requests and bills are processed accurately and promptly.
• Identify needs or problems and determine corrective action.
• Use federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify potential sources and other relevant purchasing information.
• Track obligations and commitments and monitor expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud, waste, or abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends.
• Procure supplies and services to meet the organization's purchase, rental, or lease needs.
• Develop unique selection criteria for each purchase.
• Prepare and issue contract modifications for delivery-schedule changes.
• Send formal correspondence to customers, including inventory management specialists, service-line contacts, and contracting officers, for purposes such as auditing documents and processing receiving reports and payments.
• Conduct open-market research and sole-source small purchases for highly specialized medical items with critical product requirements.
• Serve as the first point of contact for medical staff and customers regarding procured items.
• Develop reports and spreadsheets, and obtain, organize, file, and retrieve reports for briefings and presentations.
• Perform receptionist, timekeeping, record-keeping, and miscellaneous duties in the medical facility.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees earn annual leave at a rate of 4, 6, or 8 hours per pay period depending on years of service.
• Selected applicants may request, subject to approval and not guaranteed, credit toward annual leave accrual for prior work or military service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed