Course Materials Buyer

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Riverside (CA); On-site; USD 35,817 - 37,195; Full time

Job summary

California Baptist University seeks a Course Materials Buyer to support procurement, inventory management, and distribution of physical and digital course materials. You will collaborate with faculty, vendors, and internal teams to ensure timely adoptions and availability for on-campus, online, and satellite campuses.

The role requires strong organizational, analytical, and customer service skills, with supervisory aspects for student workers and extended hours during peak periods.

Qualifications

• Associate degree and 1 year related experience preferred.
• Experience in purchasing, inventory management, retail operations, course materials management, or higher education environment is preferred.
• Strong organizational and numerical data skills are required.
• Ability to train and mentor student workers and oversee activities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with departments, faculty, staff, and vendors to collect course material adoptions.
• Manage adoption data using ERP, Excel, and related software.
• Create purchase orders and obtain pricing from publishers and vendors.
• Administer course material affordability programs and ensure timely delivery of materials.
• Maintain relationships with faculty, staff, student employees, publishers, vendors, and partners.
• Assist with inventory management including shelving, stock maintenance, and returns.

Skills

Excel proficiency

Data analysis

Communication skills

Time management

Customer service

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Training abilities

Education

Associate degree

Tools

ERP systems

Course materials software

E-commerce platforms

Data import/export tools

Job description

Course Materials Buyer

Pay Range: Compensation for this position is expected to range between $26.00 and $27.50 per hour, in alignment with what California Baptist University (CBU) reasonably anticipates paying for this role. The final rate may vary depending on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and prevailing market conditions. In addition to competitive wages, CBU provides a comprehensive and generous benefits package to eligible employees.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Director of Course Materials, the Course Materials Buyer supports a wide range of professional, technical and administrative duties that support the procurement, inventory management, and distribution of physical and digital course materials for California Baptist University (CBU). This position collaborates with faculty, vendors, and internal stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate course material adoption, purchasing, and availability across on‑campus, online, and satellite learning environments. The role also assists with the training and oversight of student employees and requires strong organizational, analytical, communication, and customer service skills. The incumbent is expected to uphold university policies and support CBU’s Christ‑centered mission and values. Extended hours, including overtime, will be required during peak operational periods.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Coordinate with academic departments, faculty, staff, and vendors to ensure the timely and accurate collection of course material adoptions.
2. Manage course material adoption data through research, tracking, reconciliation, and data maintenance using the campus store ERP system, Excel, and other approved software applications.
3. Support course material procurement activities by creating purchase orders, researching product availability and edition status, and obtaining pricing information from publishers and vendors.
4. Administer and support course material affordability programs, ensuring timely implementation and delivery of required materials.
5. Establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships with faculty, staff, student employees, publishers, vendors, customers, and campus partners.
6. Assist with inventory management activities, including shelving, merchandising, stock maintenance, and returns processing.
7. Collect, analyze, and interpret operational, inventory, and market data to support decision‑making and identify trends affecting course materials operations.
8. Identify opportunities for process improvement and leverage technology solutions to enhance operational efficiency, accuracy, and service delivery.
9. Prepare routine and ad hoc reports, forecasts, and analyses for management review and planning purposes.
10. Collaborate with CBU Information Technology, Learning Management Systems (LMS), and Course Design teams to support system integration and approved process enhancements.
11. Develop, maintain, and distribute documentation, training materials, user guides, sales history reports, and forecasting resources for internal and external stakeholders.
12. Train, mentor, and provide day‑to‑day oversight of student employees to ensure work is completed accurately, efficiently, and in accordance with established procedures.
13. Facilitate training sessions and provide backup instructional support for workshops, demonstrations, and open lab sessions for faculty, staff, and students as needed.
14. Participate in periodic and annual physical inventory counts to maintain inventory accuracy and compliance with established procedures.
15. Remain knowledgeable of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices related to course materials management and higher education retail operations.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Other Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated commitment to living out and upholding the University’s Christ‑centered mission and values.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including advanced working knowledge of Excel and other business software.
• Ability to effectively utilize enterprise systems and technology platforms, including ERP systems, course materials management software, e‑commerce platforms, and automated data import/export tools.
• Working knowledge of business English, basic mathematics, and standard office practices, procedures, and equipment.
• Ability to develop and maintain databases, manage data integrity, and generate reports for operational and strategic decision‑making.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and maintain a high level of accuracy.
• Effective and persuasive written and verbal communication skills, including professional correspondence, report preparation, presentations, and customer interactions.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Strong analytical skills, including the ability to gather, interpret, and present data in a meaningful and actionable format.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, vendors, and external partners.
• Ability to train, mentor, and provide functional oversight to student employees, including organizing, assigning, and monitoring work.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and adapt policies, procedures, and operational guidelines.
• Strong problem‑solving and customer service skills, including the ability to effectively resolve concerns and provide timely support.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, and use hands and fingers to operate computers and other office equipment. The employee must have sufficient visual acuity to read printed and electronic materials and communicate effectively in person, virtually, and by telephone. The employee may occasionally lift, move, or carry materials weighing up to 45 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Work Environment

Work is typically performed in a professional office and retail environment with moderate noise levels. The position may require occasional work in stockroom or warehouse areas and periodic physical inventory activities. Exposure to health or safety hazards is minimal.

Education and Experience Requirements

Associate degree from an accredited two‑year college or technical school and one (1) year of related experience preferred; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Experience in purchasing, inventory management, retail operations, course materials management, or a higher education environment is preferred.

Discrimination Statement

State and Federal law permit California Baptist University to discriminate on the basis of religion in order to fulfill its purpose. The University does not discriminate contrary to either State or Federal law.