Buyer I - Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

UTHealth Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% paid medical premiums for full‑t.

Generous vacation and sick time

Longevity Pay

Retirement/pension plan

Wellness programs and gym discounts

Employee discounts (entertainment, car

cell phones, etc.

Resources for child and elder care

Job summary

UTHealth Houston's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is seeking a Buyer I to join the team. The role focuses on managing purchasing requests tied to contracts and grants, ensuring audit-compliant processes, and supporting strategic sourcing and vendor management.

Collaboration with faculty, researchers, and staff is essential to meet procurement needs efficiently. This position offers a robust rewards package, including medical, time off, retirement, and wellness benefits,

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 1 year buying experience preferred in Higher Education or State of Texas Institution preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prepares and executes requisitions for various commodities and services.
• Researches and evaluates vendor quotes to qualify commodity suppliers.
• Monitors and reports purchase order status using automated systems.
• Interacts with customers to ensure purchasing policies and procedures are followed.
• Administers University Procurement Card within the assigned department; orders, reconciles, and adheres to policy.
• Performs receiving function for desk top delivery in assigned departments.
• Maintains documentation for audit purposes.
• Prepares reports on purchase order activities (routine and ad-hoc).
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Excellent communication

Vendor research

Procurement documentation

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

UTHealth Houston's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is looking for a Buyer I to join the growing team! This role is critical to managing the increasing volume of purchasing requests, particularly those tied to contracts and grants. The Buyer I will manage purchasing requests related to contracts and grants, ensuring compliance with audit standards, as well as support strategic sourcing and vendor management. This role involves close collaboration with faculty, researchers, and administrative staff to meet procurement needs efficiently.
What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.
Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...

• Free financial and legal counseling
• Free mental health counseling services
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus many more!

Position Summary:

Prepares and executes requisitions for various, commodities and services under guidelines established by federal, state, and local requirements.

Position Key Accountabilities:

• Executes requisitions of goods and services from suppliers.
• Researches and evaluates vendor quotes to qualify commodity suppliers. Identifies qualified suppliers of commodities pursuant to agency needs.
• Monitors and reports purchase order status through the use of various automated systems.
• Interacts regularly with customers to ensure all purchasing policies and procedures are followed.
• Administers University Procurement Card within the assigned department(s) to include; placing orders, reconciliation of orders and adherence to Procurement Card policy and procedures.
• Performs receiving function for desk top delivery within assigned department(s).
• Maintains appropriate documentation for audit purposes.
• Prepares reports on a routine and ad-hoc basis to provide information regarding purchase order activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills:

• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
• Microsoft Office literate.
• Manages Human Resources activities of department in regards to: recruiting and selection, hiring and termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.
• Basic Texas Purchaser by Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts preferred

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent required

Minimum Experience:

1 year of buying experience preferred in Higher Education or State of Texas Institution preferred May substitute required experience with equivalent years of education beyond the minimum education requirement.

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds frequently and/or a negligible amount constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive:

• 51.215 and Texas Government Code
• 411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code
• 117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R.
• 791.4.

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.