Lead Buyer Specialist

Virginia's Community College System; Richmond (VA); Hybrid; USD 53,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia's Community College System is looking for a Lead Buyer Specialist to oversee procurement processes for its institutions. This role includes managing a team, ensuring compliance with regulations, and making purchasing decisions to maximize resources for student success. The ideal candidate will have experience in procurement and strong customer service skills.

Benefits

Hybrid telework options available

Qualifications

• Minimum purchasing experience such as reviewing requisitions.
• Multiple years of customer service or team-oriented work experience.
• Ability to lead and manage operational tasks.

Responsibilities

• Guide a team of about 10 Buyer Specialists.
• Perform transactional purchases for a variety of goods and services.
• Ensure compliance with state laws and VCCS policies.

Skills

Customer service

Judgment

Analytical skills

Team-oriented

Education

Virginia Contracting Associate certification

Tools

MS Office

Job description

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Working Title Lead Buyer Specialist Role Title Procurement Officer I Role Code 19151-SW FLSA Exempt Pay Band 04 Position Number 27000381 Agency VCCS-Shared Services Center Division Shared Services Center (Div) Work Location Botetourt - 023 Hiring Range $53,000 - $63,000 Emergency/Essential Personnel No EEO Category B-Professional Full Time or Part Time Full Time Does this position have telework options? -Telework options are subject to change based on business needs- Yes Does this position have a bilingual or multilingual skill requirement or preference? No Work Schedule

Monday-Friday

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Sensitive Position No Job Description

Innovation allows an organization to make the most of every dollar spent. At Virginia’s Community Colleges System (VCCS), our compelling mission, our ambitious strategic plan and our fiscal realities challenge us to ensure that community college resources are maximized for the priority of student success and credential completion.

Nestled between the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains, the VCCS Shared Services Center is centrally located to all 23 colleges in the VCCS, 43 miles from Blacksburg, VA, and a four hour drive from Washington, D.C. A vital part of the ever-growing Roanoke Valley, Daleville is a haven for tourists and residents alike. Within an hour’s drive are the breathtaking Smith Mountain Lake, world-famous Appalachian Trail, and many other outdoor activities, including golfing, biking, and hiking. The thriving Historic City Market in downtown Roanoke and the Daleville Town Center and Performance Pavilion also host farmers markets, community and cultural events, and festivals throughout the year.

The VCCS Shared Services Center is an innovation strategy to advance the priority of student success, reduce the administrative burden on individual colleges, consolidate transaction-based functions, create economies of scale and improve backroom process efficiency. This work allows the VCCS to better focus resources on the students – helping them start their educational journeys, persist, and succeed.

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 & policies and VCCS policies
• Employs best business practices to continuously improve performance, compliance, efficiency and effectiveness
• Acts as a lead for respective regions to assign workload and act as an elevation point
  
  

Special Assignments

May be required to perform other duties as assigned. May be required to assist the agency or state government generally in the event of an emergency declaration by the Governor.

KSA's/Required Qualifications

Required KSA’s:

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 & processes within the policies & 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

Additional Considerations

• Experience guiding and directing small groups
• Procurement experience in higher education and/or state government
• Working knowledge of Commonwealth of Virginia & VCCS procurement policies (VPPA, APSPM, etc.)
• Working knowledge of eVA (state procurement system) and AIS/PeopleSoft
• Knowledge of governmental procurement principles and ability to follow procurement policy and standard operating procedures
• Professional procurement certification(s): Virginia Contracting Officer (VCO), Certified Public Procurement Buyer (CPPB), Certified E-Procurement Professional (CEPP) or other nationally recognized procurement certification
  
  

Operation of a State Vehicle No Supervises Employees No Required Travel

Less than 5%

Posting Number CLS_3827P Recruitment Type General Public - G Number of Vacancies 1 Position End Date (if temporary) Job Open Date 06/13/2025 Job Close Date 06/24/2025 Open Until Filled Agency Website www.ssc.vvcs.edu Contact Name Email Phone Number Special Instructions to Applicants

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth’s Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly called a Certificate of Disability) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans may also apply via the AHP if they also provide an AHP Letter. To request an AHP Letter, use this link: https://www.dars.virginia.gov/drs/cpid/PWContact.aspx or call DARS at 800-552-5019, or DBVI at 800-622-2155

Additional Information

Hybrid telework available!

Sponsorship will not be offered for this position.

Background Check Statement Disclaimer

The selected candidate’s 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 Commonwealth’s Statement of Economic Interest. For more information, please follow this link: http://ethics.dls.virginia.gov/

EEO Statement

The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants 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.

ADA Statement

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.

E-Verify Statement

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.

Quicklink for Posting https://jobs.vccs.edu/postings/85988

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Purchasing and Supply Chain

• Industries

  Higher Education

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