Lead Buyer Specialist

Virginia's Community College System; Daleville (VA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid telework

Job summary

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) seeks a Lead Buyer Specialist to guide a team of about 10 Buyer Specialists across a regional grouping of colleges, the System Office, and the Shared Services Center. This role handles transactional purchases for a wide range of goods and services for the 23 VCCS colleges.

Responsibilities include leading workload, ensuring compliance with state laws and VCCS policies, and using e-procurement to process requisitions to orders and acknowledgments.

Qualifications

• Minimum purchasing experience reviewing requisitions, soliciting bids, and vendor outreach.
• Multiple years of customer service or team-oriented work experience.
• Current Virginia Contracting Associate (VCA) certification or ability to obtain within one year.

Responsibilities

• Receive demand signals and purchase goods and services up to the small purchase threshold.
• Ensure purchases are performed accurately, timely and in accordance with state laws and VCCS policies.
• Lead region to assign workload and act as an elevation point; improve performance and efficiency.
• Use e-procurement to process requisitions through to purchase orders and acknowledgments.
• Exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Skills

Procurement

e-Procurement

Quote analysis

Vendor management

Customer service

MS Office

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Virginia Contracting Associate (VCA)

Tools

MS Office

Adobe Acrobat Pro

Job description

Under the direction of the Purchasing Supervisor the Lead Buyer Specialist will guide a team of about 10 Buyer Specialists serving an assigned grouping of colleges arranged region while performing transactional purchases for a wide variety of goods and services for the 23 VCCS colleges, the System Office and the Shared Services Center.

The Position

• Receives demand signals and purchases goods and services up to the small purchase threshold
• Ensures that all purchases are performed accurately, timely and in accordance with applicable state laws and policies and VCCS policies
• Employs best business practices to continuously improve performance, compliance, efficiency and effectiveness
• Acts as a lead for respective region to assign workload and act as an elevation point

KSA's/Minimum Qualifications

Ability To

• execute simple to moderately complex purchases of supplies, equipment, and services
• proficiently use automated procurement systems (e-procurement) to review and process requisitions through to a purchase order and acknowledgment
• analyze quotes/, bids and make appropriate purchasing decisions
• fully manage procurement process for assignments from the need through the purchase order, including order status and invoicing discrepancies
• exercise sound judgment, solve problems, and attend to detail in a fast pace, team oriented and customer service-oriented environment
• provide exceptional customer service to internal and external customers in a professional manner
• complete assignments following procedures and processes within the policies and laws
• express thoughts clearly both verbally and in writing
• maintain confidentiality
• work effectively with a wide range of constituencies
• use the computer hardware and software required, including proficiency in MS Office
• to lead, assign and act as an elevation point of daily operational tasks to maximize efficiency on their respective teams
• to communicate effectively with leadership regarding progress and support in their respective areas

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimal purchasing experience such as reviewing requisitions, soliciting bids, and vendor outreach
• Multiple years of customer service or team-oriented work experience or a combination
• Current Virginia Contracting Associate (VCA) certification or ability to obtain within one year of hire; see https://vip.dgs.virginia.gov/ for more information on VCA certification

Additional Considerations

• Experience guiding and directing small groups
• Purchasing experience (Private or Public Sector)
• Experience using MS Office products and/or Adobe Acrobat Pro

Special Instructions to Applicants

In support of the Commonwealth's commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process (AHP). The AHP is established as part of a comprehensive strategy to increase employment of individuals with disabilities within state government, which offers a non-competitive path to state employment. For Frequently Asked Questions, please review the DHRM document here: alternative-hiring-process-faqs-for-applicants.pdf.(virginia.gov).

Hybrid telework available!

Sponsorship will not be offered for this position.

The selected candidates offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background investigation, which may include: fingerprint checks, local agency checks, employment verification, verification of education, credit checks (relevant to employment). Additionally, selected candidates may be required to complete the Commonwealths Statement of Economic Interest. For more information, please follow this link: http://ethics.dls.virginia.gov/

• The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and ap licants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, political affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or other non-merit factors.
• The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Acts (ADA and ADAAA), to provide, reasonable accommodation to applicants in need of access to the application, interviewing, and selection processes when requested.
• VCCS uses E-Verify to check employee eligibility to work in the United States. You will be required to complete an I-9 form and provide documentation of your identity for employment purposes.