Buyer

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

The purpose of the class is to perform routine-to-moderately complex technical work in the procurement of equipment, supplies, and services for Richland County and to perform other work as necessary in support of effective and efficient Department operations. The class works within a general outline of work to be performed; develops work methods and sequences under limited guidance; reviews purchase requisitions submitted by County departments; and verifies available funds, object codes, and source selection methods for Department purchase requests. This position develops and/or reviews specifications; conducts materials and market research; conducts cost and value analyses to ensure the highest level of product submitted quotations for compliance with specifications; analyzes quotes to determine the best value; conducts pre-solicitation conferences and formal bid openings; processes, tabulates, evaluates, and makes recommendations for formal and informal solicitations; issues purchase orders; communicates with vendors as necessary to expedite deliveries and resolve shipping issues; researches problems related to procurement and other accounting issues; and maintains and updates vendor and purchasing records to include contact information, certificates of insurance, bonds, etc.  This position also processes related FOIA requests, serves as the County's account manager for online ordering portals; serves as the documentation specialist for records retention; acts as the assistant administrator for Procurement Card Program (PCard); enters requisitions; and oversees RC Procurement email. This class organizes work around broad organizational goals and processes; the supervisor oversees activities through regular meetings.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential Functions:

• Reviews and processes purchase requisitions submitted by County departments; analyzes budget availability and expenditures, object codes, spend categories and source selection methods for Department purchase requests.
• Develops and/or reviews specifications for the purchase of equipment, supplies; and services for County departments.
• Establishes qualified product list and standardization programs; conducts materials and market research and cost and value analyses to ensure the highest level of product/service quality.
• Consults catalogs and/or contracts; interviews qualified vendors to obtain product price quotes according to prescribed County policy; reviews submitted quotations for compliance with specifications; and analyzes quotes to determine the best value.
• Conducts pre-solicitation conferences and formal bid openings.
• Under limited supervision and as a priority, develops, processes, tabulates, evaluates, and makes recommendations for formal and informal solicitations; develops, processes, and approves amendments as necessary.
• Issues purchase orders; monitors purchase orders through completion of transaction.
• Communicates with vendors as necessary to expedite deliveries and resolve shipping/ invoicing discrepancies and problems with product quality.
• Reviews relevant FOIA requests; provides an estimate of search/review time, and pages; researches and releases documents; and provides if requestor agrees to payment.
• Researches problems related to procurement and other accounting issues; prepares and maintains related journal reports, records, and ledgers.
• Maintains and updates vendor and purchasing records to include contact information, certificates of insurance, bonds, etc.
• Evaluates surplus and obsolete inventory to determine how it should be dispositioned- responsible to transfer within the County, sell to the general public, or have it properly disposed.
• Serves as the County’s account manager for various online ordering portals; enters employees into the online systems; enters new purchase order numbers into system; and aids employees regarding orders, discrepancies, or delays.
• Serves as the documentation specialist for records retention; maintains, catalogs, stores, retrieves, and returns documents as applicable; and stores and enters documentation information into a records system.
• May serve as the assistant administrator for the PCard Program with the chosen bank; coordinates and distributes PCards issued to County employees; designates default account codes for all new vendors; signs and submits applications and change request forms; and attempt to resolve any disputes with vendors and by the cardholder.
• Monitors cardholder transactions; follows-up with employees/supervisors on split transactions; notifies cardholder supervisor concerning any unauthorized charges, suspicious activity, or possibly intentional misuse; audits statements each month; send out emails on questionable purchases; and emails audit and violations each month.
• Prepares a variety of required records, reports and correspondence as required by the Department, County and/or other agencies; receives and responds to inquiries, concerns, complaints, and requests for assistance in areas of responsibility.
• Understands and adheres to federal, state, and local procurement regulations; provides County staff with information and assistance with procurement policies and procedure; and provides guidance to vendors in becoming a qualified vendor to the County.
• May oversee Procurement email; receives, responds, or forwards questions, concerns, complaints, and requests for assistance in relevant areas.
• Performs a variety of clerical work as required, including typing reports and correspondence; copying and filing documents; entering and retrieving computer data; sending and receiving faxes; answering the telephone; etc.
• Attends staff and County meetings as required.
• Keeps abreast of the latest product development in assigned commodity area; attends training, meetings, seminars, and/or workshops as required to enhance job knowledge and skills; and stay abreast of all federal, state, and local procurement regulations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Associate degree.
• No experience required.

-or-

• Any combination of education and experience that meets the requirements for performing the essential functions of this job.

Licenses/Certifications/Other:

• Preferred certifications; Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB); Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP); Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP); or equivalent.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS REQUIRED

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Data Involvement:  Requires researching, summarizing, tabulating, or formatting data or information in accordance with a prescribed schema or plan to facilitate the identification and extraction of useful information.
• People Involvement:   Requires giving information, guidance, or assistance to people to directly facilitate task accomplishment; may give directions or assignments to helpers or assistants.
• Involvement with Things: Requires handling or using machines requiring moderate instruction, experience such as computers, and software programs such as word processing, spreadsheets, or custom applications.
• Reasoning Requirements:  Requires performing skilled work, being detailed oriented and highly organized, and involves rules/systems with constant problem-solving.
• Mathematical Requirements:  Requires using basic algebra involving variables and formulas, and/or computing discounts and interest rates.
• Language Requirements:  Requires reading technical instructions, procedures, manuals, and charts to solve practical problems; composing routine reports and specialized reports, forms and business letters with proper format and grammar; and speaking compound sentences using normal grammar and word form.
• Mental Requirements:  Requires doing clerical, manual, or technical tasks requiring a wide range of procedures and requiring intensive understanding of a restricted field or complete familiarity with the functions of a unit or small division of an operating agency; requires normal attention with short periods of concentration for accurate results or occasional exposure to unusual pressure.

• Computer Requirements:  Requires experience/knowledge in word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and integrated business software packages; advanced knowledge in Microsoft Office products with emphasis in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint useful.
• Judgments and Decisions:  Responsible for guiding others, requiring frequent decisions affecting co-workers and others who depend on the service or product; works in a somewhat fluid environment with rules and procedures but with many variations from the routine.

Physical Requirements:

• The work is sedentary work which requires the person in this position to occasionally exert up to 10 pounds of force to grasp, lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:
• Handling:  Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination in sound.
• Manual Dexterity: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion:  Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Visual Acuity: Have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading. Including color, depth perception, and field vision. Visual Acuity to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned or to make general observations of facilities or structures.
• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

May be required to work hours other than the regular schedule including nights, weekends, and holidays. This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee’s physical presence at the workplace. Work is performed in a safe and secure work environment that may periodically have unpredicted requirements or demands.

EEO AND ADA MESSAGE

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions described herein.  Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were written out in this job description.

Richland County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  ADA requires the County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.  Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

Richland County has the right to revise this job description at any time. This description does not represent in any way a contract of employment.

Compensation Minimum: $42,308.73