Finance - Purchasing Agent

City of La Vergne Human Resources • La Vergne, TN

13d • $33 • Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Director of Finance, the Purchasing Agent oversees the procurement of goods and services for the City while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, policies, and ethical purchasing standards. This position partners with departments across the organization to secure high-quality products and services at the best value, manages contracts and procurement records, and serves as a trusted resource for responsible stewardship of public funds. This recruitment is being conducted to fill the Purchasing Agent position in accordance with the City Municipal Code and to ensure uninterrupted procurement operations.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Associate’s degree in accounting, finance, or information technology and a minimum of Three (3) years of experience in municipal purchasing is required.
• A combination of education and related experience may be considered.
• Must possess a valid Tennessee Driver’s License or be able to obtain one in a reasonable period.
• Must be comfortable with current accounting software and other computer programs. This position is heavily dependent on technology.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using Ramp spend management and procurement software, or comparable procurement, purchasing, or financial management systems, is preferred.
• Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO), or the ability to obtain certification within two (2) years of hire preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the City's subject matter expert on procurement by developing, communicating, and training employees on purchasing policies, procedures, and best practices
• Prepares and codes purchase orders for requisitions
• Works with the Director of Finance to make sure all purchases are budgeted for and makes decisions that are in the best interest of the City
• Works with all department heads to organize services and purchase goods and supplies
• Reviews, approves, or rejects procurement requests to ensure compliance with City purchasing policies, budget requirements, and applicable procurement laws
• Reviews state contract bids for competitive pricing of items of similar requests
• Coordinates competitive procurement processes, including formal bids, proposals, quotations, public advertisements, bid openings, evaluations, and award recommendations
• Updates, maintains, and tracks city contracts in the accounting system
• Makes purchasing of goods and services recommendations to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen
• Evaluates and processes sole-source, cooperative purchasing, and other alternative procurement methods in accordance with City policy
• Responsible for public notification of bids
• Develops and maintains productive vendor relationships while resolving contract performance issues, procurement disputes, and compliance concerns
• Ensures City purchases maximize available tax exemptions and comply with all applicable purchasing requirements
• Administers inter-local cooperative purchasing agreements with other agencies
• Responsible for office machinery maintenance requests as well as contract agreements and lease purchases such as copiers, printers, postage machines, etc.
• Retains and scans all purchasing-related documents into Laserfiche and/or Ramp
• Maintains all Gov Deal auction items, including pickups, bills of sale, and keeping detailed spreadsheets, etc.
• Assists in year-end audit
• Bank deposit runs as needed
• Updates, maintains, and reviews the fuel card systems
• Updates, manages, and reviews uniform requests from employees
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• 100% Paid Insurance for employees and their families, including health, dental, vision, life, disability, and even LASIK coverage.
• Retirement Security with immediate participation in a 401(a) retirement plan featuring a 4.5% City contribution, plus a 457 retirement plan with matching contributions up to 3.5%.
• Generous Paid Time Off, including vacation, sick leave, personal leave, 12 paid holidays, and your birthday off.
• Longevity Pay recognizing your years of service, along with incentive pay for professional certifications such as CMFO.
• Professional Growth through training opportunities, continuing education, and hands-on experience in municipal procurement, contract administration, and public purchasing.
• Meaningful Work where your decisions help safeguard public resources, support City operations, and improve services for the La Vergne community.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree