Buyer

City-of-Palo-Alto; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Palo Alto is seeking a Buyer to join our team and support critical procurement needs of various City departments. You will manage the full procurement lifecycle, from sourcing and selecting vendors to negotiating contracts and purchasing a wide range of materials, equipment, and services.

You will work closely with internal City staff to understand their needs, review requisitions, and ensure all purchases align with City policies.

Qualifications

• Two years experience as a buyer or equivalent purchasing experience.
• Equivalent to completion of 2 years of college with major in business.

Responsibilities

• Reviews and processes purchase requisitions;
• Prepares RFQs;
• Schedules solicitations on the City’s eprocurement software;
• Analyzes bids;
• Issues purchase orders and contracts;
• Maintains contract files and records;
• Operates SAP and related procurement systems;
• May train other staff on procurement process;
• P-card admin and technical support;
• Works with City departments to identify purchasing needs;
• Negotiate prices and terms with vendors;
• Maintain procurement records and reports;

Skills

Public sector procurement

Vendor relationship management

Communication skills

Familiarity with e-procurement

Detail-oriented

Education

Two years of college (business major)

Tools

SAP

Procurement software

Job description

The City of Palo Alto is seeking a Buyer to join our team and support critical procurement needs of various City departments.

The Position

In this role, you will be a key player in ensuring the effective and efficient use of City funds. You will be responsible for the full procurement lifecycle, from sourcing and selecting vendors to negotiating contracts and purchasing a wide range of materials, equipment, and services. You'll work closely with internal City staff to understand their needs, review requisitions, and ensure all purchases align with City policies.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented professional who can build strong relationships with vendors, manage contracts effectively, and maintain accurate records. This position also requires strong communication skills, as you'll be a central point of contact for both external vendors and internal departments.

• Experience in public sector procurement
• Strong communication skills
• Knowledge of public procurement practices
• Familiarity with procurement software; SAP experience a plus
• Comfortable with e-procurement systems
• Detail-oriented

Typical Tasks

Duties performed may vary depending on working level assigned.

• Reviews and receives purchase requisitions to be processed;
• Prepares Request For Quotes(RFQ);
• Schedules advertising and announcement of solicitations on the City’s eprocurement software;
• Conducts pre-bid conferences & review Council staff reports;
• Analyzes bids;
• Determines successful bidders and issues purchase orders, makes recommendations relative to the awarding of contracts.
• Prepares contracts and amendments
• Reviews and edits Scope of Services and Specifications
• Enters contracts, amendments, encumbrances, close out and task orders into SAP
• Works with Project Managers to resolve issues in SAP;
• Maintains contract files and ensures documents and pertinent materials are current;
• Operates personal computers and learns specialty software programs;
• May provide training to other procurement staff and partner departments on the procurement process;
• Serves as a back-up to other Buyers in their absence
• Performs related duties as required.
• P-card Admin and Technical Support

• Manage the procurement process from requisition to purchase for assigned departments
• Purchase goods and services via purchase orders, contracts, and agreements
• Work with City departments to identify and plan purchasing needs
• Research and evaluate suppliers; negotiate prices and terms
• Maintain accurate procurement records and compile reports with statistical data
• Evaluate vendor performance and resolve issues
• Serve as a resource for City staff, providing guidance on procurement policies and procedures
• Assist with inventory control and records management

Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities which would typically be acquired through:

• Equivalent to completion of 2 years of college with major in business.
• Two years experience as a buyer or equivalent purchasing experience.

Special Requirements

• Possession of a California Driver's License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to communicate with others and to assimilate and understand information, in a manner consistent with the essential job functions.

• Knowledge of purchasing and contracting methods; modern business practices; and, public purchasing and materials principles.
• Ability to analyze purchase requests; evaluate bids; prepare product specifications and contracts; make sound recommendations; establish, maintain, and compile accurate records and reports; operate office equipment; learn record retention procedures.
• General knowledge of maintenance, repairs, operating and office supplies, and safety equipment; ability to write and analyze related specifications.
• The skills associated with vendor development including negotiating, communicating, and product analysis.
• Ability to operate assigned equipment.
• Ability to make sound decisions in a manner consistent with the essential job functions.

This position is represented by Service Employee International Union (SEIU).

The Selection Process

• Recruitment status notifications will be sent via email or text (please enroll in text alerts when applying).
• Updates can also be found on your governmentjobs.com account.
• Applicants will be screened throughout the posting process and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
• The screening process for this position may include a virtual recorded interview and/or panel interviews preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee.

The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.