Purchaser I/II

County of Marin; San Rafael (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Marin seeks a Purchaser to join the Procurement team, supporting departments with procurement of goods, services, and technology. The role emphasizes compliant, efficient purchasing and data-driven sourcing across a range of solicitations.

The ideal candidate will bring knowledge of procurement laws, strong customer service, and the ability to manage requisitions, quotes, and vendor relations in a public sector setting.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of principles, practices, terminology and methods of public agency purchasing.
• Laws and practices regarding the formal competitive bidding process.
• Applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.
• Standard price and vendor references and sources of materials, service and supplies.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Business mathematics and basic accounting principles.
• Standard office practices and procedures.
• Basic principles of surplus recycling and disposal.

Responsibilities

• Analyze requisitions for materials, equipment and supplies to meet department needs.
• Read, interpret and explain complex laws, regulations, policies, procedures, specifications and purchase requisitions.
• Prepare and analyze bids and specifications.
• Purchase varied materials, equipment and supplies with regard to quality, delivery and price.
• Prepare accurate, clear and concise purchase orders, specifications, reports and correspondence.
• Make accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Organize work, set priorities, meet deadlines, and exercise sound judgments within guidelines.
• Resolve delivery and product problems and maintain records.

Job description

At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do, and they are proud to tell people, “I work for the County of Marin.” Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture on the Department of Human Resources website. Read on to find out more about this opportunity.

The mission of the Department of Finance (DOF) is to instill the public's trust and ensure the financial integrity of the County of Marin by safeguarding the County's funds and promoting the prudent utilization of resources.

The DOF maintains the accounts of County government, the County’s school districts, and many of the special districts within Marin County. The Department of Finance also administers the County’s major financial, budgetary, payroll, fixed asset, tax apportionment and revenue collection systems.

There is currently one (1) Purchaser I/II. This position is located on-site reporting to the Department of Finance in San Rafael, CA.

The Purchaser is an integral member of the Procurement team, partnering with County departments to deliver efficient, compliant, and customer-focused procurement services. Working across a wide variety of goods, services, professional services, technology procurements, cooperative purchases, and competitive solicitations, the position helps departments navigate procurement requirements, identify practical solutions, and support the County's ongoing efforts to modernize procurement processes and technology.

The Purchaser compiles data, runs reports, and conducts research in response to requests from departments, management, and staff. The position also assists with sourcing and obtaining quotes, reviewing requisitions, developing specifications, supporting competitive solicitations, and providing practical procurement guidance to County departments. The Purchaser is expected to develop and apply procurement best practices while ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and County laws, policies, procedures, and guidelines.

As training and outreach are important functions of the Procurement team, the Purchaser participates in the planning and delivery of monthly training opportunities, biannual Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) training, and additional sessions or resources to address specific and emerging procurement needs.

Our Highly Qualified Candidate:

The ideal candidate is a collaborative, organized, curious and adaptable professional who thrives in a fast-paced, diverse, and interdependent team environment. The ideal candidate has experience with or exposure to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, such as Tyler’s Enterprise ERP Software (EERP/Munis), electronic procurement workflows, contract management systems, or other procurement technologies, and is familiar with requisitions, purchase orders, and contracts. Experience working in or with the public sector is highly desirable.

The ideal candidate demonstrates strong interpersonal and customer service skills and is comfortable working with a diverse range of customers, colleagues, vendors and stakeholders. They possess sound problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and strong organizational and communication skills, both verbally and written. The ideal candidate builds positive working relationships, collaborates effectively, supports equitable and inclusive customer service and approaches challenges with a solution-oriented and continuous-improvement mindset while providing responsive and professional service throughout the course of their work.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of

• Principles, practices, terminology and methods of public agency purchasing.
• Laws and practices regarding the formal competitive bidding process.
• Applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.
• Standard price and vendor references and sources of materials, service and supplies.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Business mathematics and basic accounting principles.
• Standard office practices and procedures.
• Basic principles of surplus recycling and disposal.

Ability to

• Analyze requisitions for a variety of materials, equipment and supplies and relate them to the current and future needs of operating departments.
• Read, interpret and explain complex laws, regulations, policies, procedures, specifications and purchase requisitions.
• Prepare and analyze bids and specifications.
• Purchase varied materials, equipment and supplies effectively with regard to quality, delivery and price.
• Prepare accurate, clear and concise purchase orders, specifications, reports, correspondence and other written materials.
• Make accurate arithmetic calculations.
• Organize own work, setting priorities, meet critical deadlines and make sound, independent judgments within procedural guidelines.
• Resolve delivery and product problems in an effective manner.
• Maintain accurate records and files.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES

Purchaser I

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and skills listed. Typicaly, equivalent to possession of a High School diploma or its equivalent and three years of clerical or administrative support experience which include duties related to purchasing operations.

Purchaser II

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and skills listed. Typicaly, equivalent to one year of college coursework in business or public administration, or a related field and two years of purchasing experience at the Purchaser I level, preferably in a public agency. Additional purchasing experience may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.

If you have questions concerning this position announcement, please contact Dario Aguilar at [e-mail].

All applicants will receive email notifications regarding their status in the recruitment process. Please be sure to check your spam settings to allow our emails to reach you. You may also log into your GovernmentJobs.com account to view these emails.

Testing and Eligible List:

Depending on the number of qualified applications received, the examination may consist of a highly qualified review, application screening, online assessment, written examination, oral examination, performance examination, or any combination to determine which candidates' names will be placed on the eligible list. The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill the current vacancy, and any future vacancies for open, fixed-term, full-time or part-time positions which may occur while the list remains active.

Disaster Service Workers:

All County of Marin employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer:

If you have questions regarding equal employment opportunities, please contact Roger Crawford, Equal Employment Opportunity Director, 415-473-2095.