Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Brockton, MA

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Purchasing Agent serves in the Logistics Service within the Boston VA Health Care System in Brockton, Massachusetts. This is not a virtual position; the employee must live within or be willing to relocate within commuting distance of the duty location.

The position acquires supplies, services, and construction through purchase, rental, or lease, using delivery orders and small-purchase procedures. It requires knowledge of acquisition policies and procedures, commercial supply sources, and common business practices concerning sales, pricing, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments. The employee handles purchases of a wide variety of complex and highly specialized services, supplies, equipment, and systems supporting the organization’s programs and activities.

The role includes purchasing, procurement, and administrative support. The employee conducts purchases under the micro-purchase threshold, reviews requests, resolves processing issues, tracks commitments and expenditures, and supports budget forecasts. The position also procures supplies and services, conducts market research and sole-source small purchases for specialized medical items, prepares contract modifications and correspondence, and serves as a point of contact for medical staff and customers. Administrative work includes preparing reports and spreadsheets, maintaining and retrieving records, and performing receptionist, timekeeping, and related duties. Other related duties may be assigned.

Requirements

• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in Federal service, typically in or related to the work of the position.
• Specialized experience in clerical or assistant duties supporting purchasing and procurement.
• Experience procuring supplies and services by purchase, rental, or lease.
• Experience working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities.
• Experience resolving shipment, payment, or other discrepancies in procurement programs and operations.
• Experience purchasing equipment, supplies, and services using a purchase card.
• Experience assembling or summarizing information from files and documents to create reports using automated computerized supply or inventory management systems and Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must complete the required application steps, questionnaire, and online assessment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Subject to background and security investigation.
• Selected applicants must complete online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• Must live within or be willing to relocate within commuting distance of the duty location.

Responsibilities

• Conduct purchases under the micro-purchase threshold and review and edit purchase requests.
• Resolve issues so that purchase requests and bills are processed accurately and promptly; identify problems and determine corrective action.
• Use federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify potential sources and purchase-related 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 trends.
• Procure supplies and services by purchase, rental, or lease to meet organizational needs.
• Develop selection criteria for individual purchases.
• Prepare and issue contract modifications for delivery-schedule changes and send formal correspondence to customers and contracting officers as appropriate.
• 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 and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package.
• Eligible selected applicants may receive credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

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