Buyer

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) in Richmond/Alexandria seeks a Buyer to support day‑to‑day procurement for construction, engineering, and services. The role requires knowledge of public procurement laws and strong sourcing across VPRA projects, with eligibility for a 15% geography pay differential for Northern Virginia.

Ideal candidates have 4+ years of procurement experience, excellent negotiation and analytical skills, and proficiency with MS Office, Adobe, Dynamics 365, and Kahua.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Bachelor's degree or higher preferred in business/public admin/engineering/construction management or related field; or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 4 years of procurement experience in public/government setting.
• Knowledge of VPPA, FAR, and public procurement processes; ability to negotiate for best value.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook; familiarity with ERP/PMIS systems.

Responsibilities

• Ensure purchases comply with VPRA policies, applicable law and procedures.
• Manage requisitions and coordinate with departments on requirements and terms.
• Identify diverse and reliable suppliers; promote SBSD/SWaM participation.
• Develop, negotiate, and manage vendor agreements for cost savings and risk mitigation.
• Oversee procurement lifecycle including sourcing, bids, contracts, and change orders.
• Assist with vendor management and bid processes; support closeout and reporting.

Skills

Procurement knowledge

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Independent work

MS Office proficiency

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree in business or public administration, engineering, construction management, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Adobe

Dynamics 365

Kahua

Job description

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) is a political subdivision established by Chapter 1230 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly. VPRA is responsible for promoting, sustaining, and expanding the availability of passenger and commuter rail services in the Commonwealth, including all administrative and fiduciary responsibilities for Virginia's state-supported passenger rail services. VPRA also is a funding partner on many Virginia Railway Express (VRE) initiatives and administers capital expansion projects, infrastructure, and land acquisitions related to the multi-billion-dollar Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative, which will double Amtrak and VRE service in Virginia over the next decade. The VPRA acts as a "responsible public entity" for the acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, or operation, or any combination thereof, of a "qualifying transportation facility" under the Public Private Partnership Act of 1995.

Do you excel in public procurement and want to make an impact on major infrastructure projects? If so, VPRA is looking for you! The Buyer will handle day‑to‑day purchasing needs, including a moderate to high volume of construction, architecture/engineering, consulting services, and small goods and services procurements. This role plays a key part in supporting VPRA's procurement and contract administration functions and requires strong knowledge of public purchasing requirements and familiarity with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

Although this role is posted for both Richmond and Alexandria, VPRA is hiring one Buyer position, and this full-time position may be based in either city. Applicants based in Northern Virginia are eligible for a 15% geographical pay differential.

Responsibilities

With minimal direction from the Senior Manager of Procurement, the Buyer will:

• Ensure that all purchases are performed accurately and timely, following applicable law and VPRA policies and procedures.
• Manage requisitions and confer with departments regarding requirements, specifications, quantity, quality, and delivery.
• Identify and cultivate dependable supply and service sources, actively promoting increased participation from small and diverse businesses (SWaM).
• Oversee all stages of the procurement process, ensuring compliance, timeliness, transparency, and strategic sourcing that aligns with VPRA's objectives and applicable regulations.
• Develop, negotiate, and manage strategic vendor agreements with consultants and contractors to ensure cost savings, risk mitigation, and compliance with VPRA policies, legal standards, and industry standards while monitoring contracts to uphold best practices and enhance procurement efficiency.
• Oversee contract compliance by managing change orders and adherence to terms and conditions;
• Identify and implement procurement and contracting methods that align with VPRA requirements, Federal grant regulations, industry standards, and marketplace best practices.
• Support procurement efforts to resolve issues by addressing disputes related to scope and performance and serving as an escalation point to mitigate risk and ensure smooth project execution, while maintaining clear communication with VPRA leadership.
• Prepare final project records for closeout and reporting while supporting spend analysis and sourcing development through accurate data collection and documentation.
• Provide guidance and training to staff on procurement best practices while staying current on market trends and product availability.
• Assist with vendor management and prospective bidders, communicating processes, policies, and procedures, and representing VPRA tactfully and professionally.

Required Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred Education:

• Bachelor's degree in business or public administration, engineering, construction management, or related field; or equivalent years of experience.
• Virginia Construction Contracting Officer (VCCO) or other procurement/contracting certifications

Required Experience:

• Minimum of four (4) years of relevant procurement experience with demonstrated knowledge of best practice procurement principles, public procurement law, and acceptable governmental procurement methods.
• Familiarity with every stage of a procurement, from preparing a scope of work to gathering quotes or preparing a request for proposal/qualifications, negotiating with vendors, and preparing written contracts.
• Knowledge of public procurement law, acceptable governmental procurement methods, terminology, and principles, including the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA) and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).
• Skilled in negotiating costs to achieve the best value and mitigate risk across procurement activities for goods and services related to construction, engineering, and simple projects.
• Capacity to independently handle many assignments with minimal guidance and make effective procurement decisions.
• Strong analytical skills to evaluate business and procedural processes, identify inefficiencies, and eliminate non-value-added actions, for optimal resource utilization.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and other commonly used office software, such as Adobe, Dynamics 365, and Kahua.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.

Preferred Experience:

• Ability to make effective decisions that resolve complicated issues when obtaining bids and proposals, awarding contracts, and developing reliable sources of supplies/services.
• Experience working with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and Small Business Supplier Diversity (SBSD).
• Proficiency with ERP and PMIS systems.
• Familiarity with terminology and industry-specific jargon commonly used in engineering, design contracts, and civil construction.

Are you interested in this position, but you don't meet every single requirement? At VPRA, we are dedicated to building a talented team and an inclusive, authentic workplace. So, if you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other positions.

Applicants must fully and accurately represent their qualifications and work history on the application or resume. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information in the application, resume, or other relevant documents; therefore, applicants must supply detailed information. Submitting an incomplete application/resume or an application/resume lacking in detail may impact your interview eligibility. This website will confirm receipt when the application is submitted successfully. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities during the application and interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. VETERANS, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AMERICORPS, PEACE CORPS, AND OTHER NATIONAL SERVICE ALUMNI ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY. Equal Opportunity Employer