Lead Purchaser - Procurement Division

Taleo; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 114,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement Plans

Flexible Work Schedules

Paid Leave and Holidays

Health Premiums paid at 100% for Full‑

Job summary

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) seeks a Lead Purchaser to coordinate procurement efforts and drive best value for the state. The role emphasizes relationship building, customer service, and public purchasing expertise, with opportunities to lead a team across multiple offices.

The position requires at least 5 years in purchasing (3 in public procurement), a valid Texas driver license, and relevant certifications. On-site work at Stassney Campus or other TxDOT locations is available.

Qualifications

• Five years of experience in purchasing, including three years in public purchasing.
• Valid driver’s license and CTCD, CTPM, or equivalent certification within 18 months of hire.
• Ability to lead, train, and coach staff and coordinate procurement activities.

Responsibilities

• Oversees advanced purchasing functions and leads a staff of professionals.
• Develops specifications, SOWs, and evaluation criteria for procurements.
• Analyzes vendor pricing and negotiates to obtain best value for the state.
• Prepares requisitions and open market purchases and ensures contract compliance.
• Represents the Department at meetings and coordinates with districts and vendors.

Skills

Purchasing

Public procurement

Leadership

Job description

Job Description

Lead Purchaser - Procurement Division - ( 2602510 )

Position Information

TxDOT's Procurement Division is seeking an experienced, procurement professional to join their team as a Lead Purchaser. At TxDOT, people are the Department’s most important customer, asset, and resource. The well-being, safety, and quality of life for Texans and the traveling public are of the utmost concern to the Department. We focus on relationship building, customer service, and partnerships. The role of the Lead Purchaser is to coordinate the effort of their team in its purchasing mission "to purchase the right quality, in the right quantity, at the right time, at the right price, from the right supplier, in the most effective manner to obtain the best value for the state." The ideal candidate is detailed oriented, fast paced, an effective communicator, a positive motivator, customer focused and highly knowledgeable in public purchasing. We have a diverse workforce of over 12,000 employees statewide. If you want to build an exciting career, let's talk!

Work location: The selected candidates' work location may be headquartered in TxDOT - Stassney Campus (Austin, TX) or any of the following 25 TxDOT District offices located in Abilene, Amarillo, Atlanta, Austin, Beaumont, Brownwood, Bryan, Corpus Christi, Childress, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, Laredo, Lubbock, Lufkin, Odessa, Paris, Pharr, San Angelo, San Antonio, Tyler, Waco, Wichita Falls, and Yoakum.

Minimum Salary

69,572.00

Maximum Salary

114,099.00

Pay Basis

Yearly FLSA Status : Exempt

Work Locations

Stassney Hq - Main 6230 East Stassney Lane Austin 78744

Travel

Yes, 10 % of the Time

Shift : Day Job Shift Details : 40 hours/week, Alternative and/or flexible schedule available Location Flexibility : Onsite

Benefits and Perks

• Retirement Plans
• Alternative and/or Flexible Work Schedules
• Paid Leave and Holidays
• Health Premiums paid at 100% for Full-Time Employees
• On-the-Job Training
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Holistic Wellness Program with Leave Incentives
• Career Development and Advancement Opportunities
• Family-Friendly Policies and Programs

In 2024, TxDOT was recognized as a Best Place for Working Parents, and many of our offices statewide are also designated as Texas Mother-Friendly Worksites. These recognitions reflect our dedication to supporting families and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

For a complete list of our total compensation package please visit our website at: Total Compensation Package

To view benefits available to all State of Texas employees visit: Benefits at a Glance | ERS (texas.gov)

Oversees and performs advanced technical and complex purchasing functions for the Department. Work involves research, study, and evaluation of assigned goods and/or services. Serves as lead worker for a staff of professional, technical, and/or clerical employees. Reports to the Purchasing Branch Manager. Work requires contact with other governmental agencies and private entities. Employees at this level are virtually self-supervising and assume direct accountability for the work product.

• Serves as a lead worker by advising, training, and coaching employees to increase job efficiency; acting as a resource for complex questions; presenting workflow and operational updates to the supervisor/manager; providing input on team members’ career conversations.
  
• Assists in establishing, maintaining, and disseminating purchasing and administrative procedures.
  
• Coordinates and compiles basic and/or complex reports.
  
• Corresponds with departmental staff and vendors regarding updates on products/services literature, clarifications, solicitation response reviews, expediting deliveries and coordinating testing/evaluation of products/services.
  
• Develops technical equipment, material, or service specifications/statements of work (SOWs); reviews specifications/ SOWs prepared by others.
  
• Keeps abreast of technological and price changes in goods and/or services; determines impact of changes and recommends necessary actions.
  
• Oversees the development of some specifications and SOWs and reviews all new specifications and SOWs before approval.
  
• Monitors the achievement of individually established Historically Underutilized Business participation goals.
  
• Plans forums to address the availability or establishment of statewide/regional contracts and/or blanket purchases and update of standard specifications.
  
• Prepares and oversees the preparation of evaluation criteria; evaluates vendor pricing and responsive information using the statutory best value criteria; assists management in negotiations.
  
• Prepares requisitions for open market purchases and makes delegated purchases; makes recommendations on the standardization of equipment, materials, suppliers and/or services.
  
• Provides guidance and technical expertise to personnel in the districts and the divisions on quality of goods and services; acts as liaison between districts, divisions and vendors.
  
• Represents the Department at various meetings; may serve as a member on a solicitation review team.
  
• Reviews and analyzes solicitation responses; awards purchase orders and makes award recommendations to management or the Comptroller of Public Accounts.
  
• Visits districts, divisions, and offices to discuss requirements for materials, supplies, and/or services; arranges for tests/demonstrations and evaluations of new equipment and/or supplies.
  
• Performs other job responsibilities as assigned.

Experience: 5 years of experience in purchasing, which includes 3 year of public purchasing. (Experience can be satisfied by full time or prorated part time equivalent). Related graduate level education may be substituted for experience on a year per year basis.

Licenses and Certifications

• Valid driver’s license. This position requires driving a state vehicle.
• Must be Certified Texas Contract Developer (CTCD), Certified Texas Procurement Manager (CTPM), OR obtain specified Texas certification within eighteen (18) months of the date of hire
• Will be delegated signature authority under existing department policy

Extensive knowledge of

• Technical specification writing
  
• State rules and procedures associated with expediting, ordering, purchasing and warehousing laws, policies and procedures
• Researching, analyzing, and interpreting policies and state and federal laws and regulations specific to functional area
  
• Using basic mathematical fundamentals
  
• Following verbal and written instructions
• Public relations for maintaining effective working relationships with individuals and groups, both internal and external
  
• Leading, assigning, reviewing, and monitoring work and the work of others
  
• Coordinating labor, materials, and equipment
  
• Evaluating products, equipment and material
  
• Persuasion and negotiation of critical issues
  
• Analyzing and organizing business and technical data
  
• Preparing technical/statistical reports
  
• Training in a classroom, office, or field environment
  
• Developing and giving presentations
  
• Using computers and applicable programs, applications, and systems
  
• Evaluating new equipment performance
  
• Maintaining a safe working environment
  
• Evaluating solicitation responses and making awards

Ability to

• Follow verbal and written instructions
  
• Protect sensitive and confidential information

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Sedentary work - Lift up to 10 lbs at a time and occasionally carry files/small tools.
  
• Light work - Lift up to 20 lbs at a time and frequently lift or carry objects up to 10 lbs.
  
• Standing - Prolonged periods of time.
  
• Repetitive Motion - Substantial movements of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers
  
• Close Visual Acuity - Work includes data/figures; view a computer screen; extensive reading
  

Military Occupational Specialty (MOS)

TxDOT is committed to hiring veterans. To assist in determining whether your military experience may pertain to the minimum requirements for this position, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces have been assigned to each state classification code/title where applicable. The MOS codes are grouped by occupational category.

To view the MOS codes please click on link below and click on the appropriate occupational category.

https://hr.sao.texas.gov/CompensationSystem/JobDescriptions

The Texas Department of Transportation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If requested, reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities for any part of the employment process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Action of 1990.