Purchasing Agent

Insight Global; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Insight Global is seeking a Senior Construction Purchasing Agent in Austin to lead procurement for Commercial and MILCON projects within a Design-Build organization.

The role focuses on trade engagement, bidding, subcontract management, and ensuring compliance with federal requirements, including DFARS and FAR. Strong negotiation and vendor management skills are essential for on-time delivery and cost control.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in construction procurement, purchasing, subcontract administration, or related.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a related field.
• Proven experience developing and managing subcontracts on complex projects.
• Strong understanding of project buyout, cost structures, and scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Lead procurement lifecycle for Commercial and MILCON projects, including trade outreach, bidding, and subcontract execution.
• Develop and manage RFPs, bid packages, scopes of work, and documentation.
• Evaluate subcontractor proposals for compliance, pricing, and capability.
• Negotiate subcontract agreements balancing cost, schedule, quality, and risk.
• Ensure flow-down clauses and compliance provisions are included in contracts.
• Build relationships with qualified trade partners for federal/military work.
• Monitor performance and ensure adherence to schedules, quality and safety requirements.
• Maintain procurement docs and support audits.

Skills

Procurement

Subcontracting

Bidding

Vendor Management

RFPs

Negotiation

Compliance

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's in Construction Management

Equivalent Experience

Tools

Procore

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Our client is seeking a Senior Construction Purchasing Agent to lead trade engagement, bidding, subcontracting, and procurement strategy for a growing portfolio of Commercial and Military Construction (MILCON) projects. Operating within a fully integrated Design-Build organization, the company serves as both designer and general contractor, delivering projects ranging from land development and infrastructure to vertical construction and facility finish-out.

This role will play a critical part in developing and managing subcontracting and procurement processes that support federal and military construction programs. The ideal candidate combines deep construction procurement experience with strong knowledge of government contracting requirements and the ability to manage complex subcontracting efforts within demanding project schedules.

Key Responsibilities

Trade Engagement, Bidding & Subcontract Management

• Lead the complete procurement lifecycle for Commercial and MILCON projects, including trade partner outreach, bidding, bid leveling, vendor selection, and subcontract execution.
• Develop, distribute, and manage Requests for Proposal (RFPs), bid packages, scopes of work, and subcontract documentation.
• Evaluate subcontractor proposals for compliance, completeness, pricing competitiveness, and technical capability.
• Negotiate subcontract agreements while balancing cost, schedule, quality, and risk considerations.
• Ensure subcontract agreements contain all required government contract flow-down clauses and compliance provisions.
• Build and maintain relationships with qualified trade partners and subcontractors capable of supporting federal and military construction projects.
• Monitor subcontractor performance and ensure adherence to project schedules, quality standards, and safety requirements.
• Maintain procurement documentation and support internal and external audits.

Compliance & Process Development

• Ensure procurement and subcontracting activities comply with applicable federal regulations and standards, including:
• FAR
• DFARS
• Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC)
• Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS)
• Department of Defense and agency-specific requirements
• Partner with legal, finance, project management, and operations teams to ensure contract compliance and risk mitigation.
• Develop and standardize subcontract templates, procurement workflows, approval processes, and compliance controls.
• Implement documentation, reporting, and contract administration procedures that support federal procurement requirements.
• Manage flow-down implementation of government contract obligations, reporting requirements, cybersecurity provisions, labor standards, and other regulatory requirements.

Resource Planning & Forecasting

• Manage procurement pipelines and subcontracting demand across active and upcoming projects.
• Develop project buyout forecasts and procurement schedules aligned with project milestones.
• Coordinate procurement activities with project teams to ensure material and subcontractor availability.
• Identify staffing, consultant, or outsourcing needs to support procurement objectives and project deadlines.
• Collaborate with project management and finance teams to align subcontractor pricing with approved budgets and cost structures.
• Analyze bid competitiveness, subcontractor performance metrics, and procurement trends.
• Develop reporting tools and dashboards to track procurement KPIs and vendor performance.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on procurement efficiency, compliance, transparency, and cost control.
• Expand and strengthen vendor networks for specialized federal and military construction trades.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in construction procurement, purchasing, subcontract administration, or related disciplines.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• Proven experience developing, negotiating, and managing subcontracts on complex construction projects.
• Strong understanding of construction sequencing, scopes of work, project buyout, and cost structures.
• Demonstrated success managing procurement activities under aggressive project schedules.
• Experience working with procurement, construction management, or project management platforms such as Procore or similar systems.
• Excellent organizational, communication, negotiation, and documentation skills.
• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance or higher, depending on project requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting federal, military, or Department of Defense construction programs.
• Working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, UFC, UFGS, USACE, and NAVFAC requirements.
• Experience within a Design-Build or self-performing general contractor environment.
• Understanding of government contract compliance, cost accounting standards, and supplier diversity programs.
• Experience implementing or improving procurement workflows and controls.
• Familiarity with advanced construction technology platforms and digital construction tools.
• Professional certifications such as:
• CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management)
• CPCM (Certified Professional Contracts Manager)
• CFCM (Certified Federal Contracts Manager)
• PMP (Project Management Professional)
• Established network of subcontractors and specialty trades serving federal construction projects.