Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Nashville, TN

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as a Purchasing Agent for the Supply Chain Management Service within the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System in Nashville, Tennessee. 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 by purchasing complex and highly specialized services, supplies, equipment, and systems.

The Purchasing Agent applies policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases and uses knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales, pricing, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stock, and shipments. The position also provides procurement and administrative support to medical staff, customers, and other service contacts.

The work schedule is 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The position is not virtual; telework is ad hoc. The incumbent must hold and maintain a current, valid state driver's license and drive to local vendors and other clinics as part of the duties. The work is performed in an office setting with everyday risks or discomforts and normal safety precautions. Some standing, sitting, walking, or bending is required, with no special physical demands.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• For GS-6 qualification, at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 in the Federal service, including experience supporting purchasing and procurement; procuring supplies and services; working with medical staff on procurement needs and priorities; resolving shipment, payment, or other procurement discrepancies; purchasing equipment, supplies, and services using a purchase card; and assembling or summarizing file and document information into reports using automated computerized supply or inventory management systems and Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Current Federal employees and certain former Federal employees applying to a GS-6 position must meet the time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at GS-5, where applicable.
• Must possess and maintain a current, valid state driver's license.
• Must complete all required application steps, including an online assessment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must complete a background/security investigation and online onboarding process.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with logistics and purchasing or procurement for complex organizations, the military, or a healthcare setting.
• Knowledge of the Government Purchase Card.

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.
• Use federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify potential sources and other relevant purchasing information.
• Track obligations and commitments, monitor expenditures for recurring budget forecasts, and identify potential fraud, waste, or abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends.
• Procure supplies and services to meet organizational purchase, rental, or lease needs, and develop unique selection criteria for each purchase.
• Prepare and issue contract modifications for delivery-schedule changes and send formal correspondence to customers and contracting officers as appropriate for auditing documents, 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, recordkeeping, and other miscellaneous duties in a medical facility.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Drive to local vendors and other clinics during the course of duties.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits eligibility depends on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Newly appointed federal employees may request, subject to approval, credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when determining annual leave accrual.

What This Job Offers

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