Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Reno, NV

14d • Onsite

About The Position

The Purchasing Agent serves in the Logistics Service of a Veteran Affairs Health Care System and its supported catchment area. The position acquires supplies, services, and construction through purchase, rental, or lease, using delivery orders and small-purchase procedures. The work requires knowledge of applicable policies and procedures, commercial supply sources, and common business practices involving sales, prices, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, inventory, and shipments. The role supports purchases of a wide variety of complex and specialized services, supplies, equipment, and systems for the facility’s programs and activities.

The position also provides administrative and customer support, including serving as a first point of contact for medical staff and other customers regarding procured items. It develops reports and spreadsheets, organizes and maintains records, and performs receptionist, timekeeping, and related duties in the medical facility. The role is an onsite, non-virtual position in an office setting. The work schedule is Monday through Sunday, with various shifts.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must be able to undergo a background/security investigation and complete online onboarding and pre-employment identification requirements.
• Must participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must complete a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• For GS-6, one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-5 is required. Qualifying experience may include clerical or assistant support for purchasing and procurement; procurement of supplies and services; working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; resolving shipment, payment, or other procurement discrepancies; purchasing equipment, supplies, or services using a purchase card; and preparing reports using automated supply or inventory systems and Microsoft Office programs such as Word and Excel.
• Current or former Federal employees subject to time-in-grade requirements must have 52 weeks at GS-5 for a GS-6 position and submit documentation demonstrating eligibility.
• Applicants must clearly describe relevant duties and responsibilities and the hours worked per week to receive credit for experience.
• There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Responsibilities

• Conduct purchases under the micro-purchase threshold and review and edit purchase requests.
• Resolve issues to ensure requests and bills are processed accurately and promptly; identify problems and determine corrective actions.
• Use federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify potential sources and 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 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.
• 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; obtain, organize, file, and retrieve reports for briefings and presentations.
• Perform receptionist, timekeeping, recordkeeping, and miscellaneous duties in the medical facility.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive federal employee benefits package.
• Prior work or military service may qualify selected applicants for credit toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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