Part-Time Temporary Purchasing Assistant

Western Municipal Water District; California (MO); On-site; USD 28,000 - 36,000; Part time

Job summary

Western Municipal Water District is seeking a part-time Purchasing/Administrative Assistant to support our hybrid purchasing environment.

The role provides administrative assistance to management and staff, helps ensure compliance with board-adopted procurement policies, and fosters cooperative relationships with internal departments and external vendors. Strong written and verbal communication is essential, as is meticulous attention to detail.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Minimum one year of professional office/administrative experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and collaboration tools (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Adobe Acrobat, ClickUp).
• Ability to learn department-specific systems and document management software.
• Strong written and verbal communication and professional business demeanor.

Responsibilities

• Assist in all purchasing activities in Western Water's hybrid purchasing environment.
• Provide administrative assistance to Western Water management and staff.
• Assist in ensuring staff is compliant with Board-adopted procurement policies and procedures.
• Foster cooperative working relationships and communicate effectively with all departments and external parties.
• Perform related tasks as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Time management

Attention to detail

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Teams

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Adobe Acrobat

ClickUp

Job description

THIS IS A PART-TIME TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT

Hours per week: 24-29 Hours

Proposed Schedule: Varies

Proposed Work Days: Monday through Friday

Starting Salary: Depends on qualifications

** Position will close on 10/16/2026 or upon receiving 25 qualified applicants, whichever occurs first **

At Western Municipal Water District ("Western Water") our vision is to integrate the best-in-business processes and business systems while developing a leading-edge workforce that continuously creates greater efficiency and value for our customers.

About Western Water

• Western Water is one of the largest public agencies in Riverside County providing water and sewer services to nearly one million people; and
• We see ourselves as more of a business than a bureaucracy; and
• We view our customers as an essential partner in ensuring long-term water security for our region; and
• Together, the Western Water team is focused on being the definitive leader in water and sewer services, upholding the highest level of stakeholder trust.
• Western Water was awarded the Top Workplace Award for 2023. The Top Workplace Award recognizes organizations that excel in creating a positive working environment for their employees. This award is based on employee feedback regarding various aspects like workplace culture, values, leadership, compensation, benefits, and work-life balance.

Western Water’s values include:

• Service Excellence
• Efficiency
• Water Supply Reliability
• Fiscal Responsibility and Value
• Public Trust, Accountability and Transparency
• Environmental Stewardship
• Employee Empowerment
• Innovation

Western Water is a dynamic, forward-thinking agency dedicated to delivering potable water, recycled water, and wastewater services to nearly one million customers across Riverside County. As one of the region's largest and most impactful utilities, we are committed to the highest standards of transparency, innovation, and environmental stewardship.

Our Finance Department plays a pivotal role in realizing Western Water's vision of being the definitive leader in our industry, upholding the public trust through exceptional performance and customer-centricity. Composed of highly talented professionals across three distinct sections (Purchasing and Contracts, Accounting and Reporting, and Budgeting), the department is responsible for overseeing fiscal management and adherence to monetary policies and providing expert guidance to support optimal decision-making across the enterprise.

THE POSITION

This position will assist in all purchasing activities in Western Water's hybrid purchasing environment; provides administrative assistance to Western Water management and staff; assists in ensuring staff is compliant with Board-adopted procurement policies and procedures; fosters cooperative working relationships and communicates effectively orally and in writing with all Western Water departments and external parties; and performs related tasks as assigned.

This position reports to the Purchasing and Contracts Manager and may receive direction from the Finance Director.The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this classification.

• Provides technical assistance and guidance to Western Water employees involving purchasing standards, procedures, issues, and trends; interprets and explains applicable laws, regulations, codes, and policies.
• Assist in review of electronic requisitions submitted to the purchasing department and tracks them through to completion.
• Ensures purchase orders are created and distributed to vendors and internally as appropriate.
• Assist in maintenance of active vendor database within Western Water's computerized financial system.
• Assist in reviewing product or service descriptions on purchase orders are accurate, clear and precise. Verifies that supporting documentation (i.e. quotes or proposals) is provided and supports the request.
• Maintains good working relationships with vendors.
• Assist in reviewing vendor insurance documents are scanned and uploaded to the Western Water's insurance compliance system.
• Performs various administrative duties for the department including: word processing, filing, scheduling meetings, scanning and photocopying documents, and processing mail.

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Required Experience

Minimum one (1) year of professional office/administrative experience

• Use of modern office equipment and computer software applications including Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Adobe Acrobat, and other standard office productivity and collaboration tools such as ClickUp.
• Ability to learn and effectively use department-specific systems, databases, recordkeeping platforms, scheduling tools, and document management software.
• Utilize exceptional customer service and communication skills both verbally and in writing, with the ability to cultivate professional business partnerships, inspire team collaboration, and interact courteously and professionally with the public, consultants, contractors, and staff at all levels.
• Demonstrate strong grammar, spelling, proofreading, and business writing skills with the ability to prepare, review, and format correspondence, reports, forms, and other office documents accurately and professionally.
• Maintain a high degree of professionalism, reliability, discretion, and tact in handling sensitive information, representing the department and supporting daily office operations.
• Adherence to Western Water personnel rules, policies and labor contract provisions.
• Use principles of effective safety practices including the use of equipment in a proper and safe manner, use of preventative personal ergonomic techniques, and maintaining safe personal and common workspaces.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

The characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical:

Employees are regularly required to use repetitive motion for keyboard use and writing; frequently grasp, reach overhead, hold and reach; sit for long periods of time; occasionally walk, use staircases, stand, kneel, stoop and bend; occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds or 60 pounds with assistance; constantly use overall vision; and frequently hear and talk, in person and on the phone.

Mental:

Employees should possess the ability to speak, read, and write English, in addition to exercising math and computer aptitude as required. Employees work under pressure with frequent interruptions while communicating and interacting with a variety of Western Water personnel, the public, and others encountered in the course of work. The ability to explain, interpret, and apply related rules, regulations, policies and procedures; and work on multiple concurrent assignments, often within tight timeframes using good business judgment is necessary.

Environmental:

Employees primarily work in a temperature controlled office environment subject to typical office noise and settings. Incumbents are expected to use principles of effective safety practices including the use of equipment in a proper and safe manner, use of preventative personal ergonomic techniques, and maintaining safe personal and common workspaces.

Western Water is a tobacco free campus prohibiting smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and unregulated nicotine products in any Western Water vehicle and building, which includes any building owned and occupied, or leased and occupied, by Western Water, including, Headquarters, the Operations Center, and any remote facilities owned, leased and/or operated by Western Water.