Lead Purchasing Agent

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; North Little Rock (AR); On-site; USD 45,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lead Purchasing Agent for the Logistics Service at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in North Little Rock, AR, oversees procurement activities for prescribed items to Veterans in alignment with VHA guidelines and directives.

The role leads a team of Purchasing Agents, handles orders, and ensures accurate delivery, stock, and shipment processing. Responsibilities include coordinating vendor relations, reviewing acquisitions, and maintaining compliance across procurement programs.

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in purchasing and procurement for a government or large organization.

Responsibilities

• Leads three or more Purchasing Agents at the GS-6 level or below.
• Serves as primary responder for procurement issues and resolves disputes; escalates unresolved problems.
• Distributes workload and ensures timely completion of assignments.
• Reviews work for compliance and provides on-the-job training to new staff.
• Conducts micro-purchasing for VA Health Care System and supported catchment area.
• Uses government purchase cards for micro purchases and manages various ordering and reporting procedures.
• Maintains administrative oversight of orders, advising officials and purchase card holders on procedures.

Job description

Summary

The Lead Purchasing Agent for the Logistics Service is responsible for issuing - reviewing and procuring prescribed items to Veterans in compliance with VHA guidelines and directives and leading a team of Purchasing Agents. The work requires knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases - and also requires knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales - prices - discounts - units of measurement - deliveries - stocks - and shipments.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 09/24/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: experience performing clerical or assistant duties in support of purchasing and procurement; procuring supplies and services to meet the purchase - rental - or lease needs of an organization; working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; resolving a variety of shipment - payment - or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations; and purchasing various supplies and services through the use of a purchase card. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Duties

• Major duties include - but not limited to: Lead Duties - Leads three or more Purchasing Agents performing work at or below the GS-6 level


• serves as first respondent to any staff concerns related to procurement or purchase orders and is expected to work independently to resolve those issues - only escalating unresolvable issues


• distributes and balances the workload among employees


• assures timely accomplishment of assignments


• and reviews completed work for compliance


• instructs Purchasing Agents in specific tasks and job techniques


• and - identifies training needs and provides on the job training to new Purchasing Agents


• Purchasing and Procurement Support - Conducts purchasing for the VA HCS and supported catchment area under the micro purchase threshold


• purchases various equipment - supplies - and services using the government purchase card for micro purchases


• utilizes different ordering - reporting procedures - and purchasing methods depending on the type quantity - dollar value - and urgency of the requirement


• provides administration and oversight on orders and services


• advises approving officials and purchase card holders on purchase card program - procurement procedures and responsibilities


• Administrative Support - Serves as the first line of contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items


• provides clerical support and coordination to approving officials and administrators


• utilizes a variety of automated systems to enter - update - revise - sort - and calculate data


• develops reports and spreadsheets - obtains - organizes - files and retrieves reports for briefing and presentation purposes


• Performs other related duties as assigned


• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm (Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.) Virtual: This is not a virtual position


• Position Description/PD#: Lead Purchasing Agent/PD99879S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized


• Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved


• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.