Specializations

NIGP; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 60,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Lawrence is seeking a skilled Buyer to join the Finance Department. You will manage requisitions, bids, and contracts while ensuring compliance with city policies. A CPPB certification is preferred, with five years of centralized procurement experience.

Responsibilities include overseeing competitive solicitations, vendor evaluations, and contract administration, using ERP and eProcurement tools to support efficient, transparent purchasing for city operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business management, public administration, or supply chain.
• Five years of procurement experience in centralized purchasing, municipal preferred.
• CPPB certification must be obtained by within 24 months from hire.

Responsibilities

• Review requisitions and contracts for compliance with codes and policies.
• Utilize ERP, eProcurement, eBidding, and related systems daily.
• Develop, edit, and issue competitive bids and solicitations.
• Participate in pre-bid meetings, short-list interviews, and bid openings.
• Assist in vendor evaluations and prepare award recommendations.
• Monitor eBidding portal, purchasing emails, and vendor registrations.
• Research market data and improve specifications and supplier sources.
• Review sole source submittals and cooperative-contract options.

Skills

Vendor management

Bid evaluation

ERP systems

Procurement policies

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

CPPB certification

Tools

ERP software

eProcurement platforms

MS Word

MS Excel

Job description

• Location: LAWRENCE, Kansas 66044-2268 United States
• Salary: $60,000 to $67,000
• Date Posted: October 20, 2026

Description

The Buyer position, under the direction of the Purchasing Manager, is located within the City of Lawrence Finance Department.

This role performs and coordinates administrative, technical, and professional procurement work to ensure the City is supplied with the materials, equipment, and services necessary for effective and efficient operations.

The Buyer is responsible for maintaining compliance with all applicable policies, guidelines, and internal controls.

The position supports the full procurement lifecycle to promote efficiency, transparency, and responsible stewardship of City resources. Primary duties include managing formal, fair, and competitive solicitations; ensuring purchase order compliance; administering and monitoring contracts; conducting sourcing activities; and collaborating with City departments to identify, understand, and meet their procurement needs.

Requirements

Responsibilities: Important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Reviews requisitions for purchase orders and contract entries as well as change orders to ensure compliance with applicable codes and policies.
• Involves the routine use of a financial ERP system, various eProcurement platforms, eBidding, project management systems and other computer-based systems and applications such as word processing, spreadsheets or databases.
• Develops, edits, and issues competitive bids and solicitations while collaborating with departments, requestors, and subject matter experts.
• Participates in pre‑bid and pre‑proposal meetings, short‑list interviews, and site visits; attends public bid openings; and prepares comprehensive bid tabulations and evaluation matrices.
• Supports the evaluation of vendor responses and prepares award recommendations and related procurement documentation to ensure timely, compliant, and value‑driven purchasing outcomes.
• Monitors and manages City's eBidding portal, purchasing email, eProcurement sites, and vendor marketplace registrations.
• Researches and analyzes market data, sources, and trends available. Researches a variety of sources, documents, etc. to ensure adequacy of specification in terms of clarity, precision, and related criteria. Identifies and maintains lists of vendors and develops new sources of supply for goods and services.
• Researches and provides guidance on the use or “piggybacking” of available local, state, and regional cooperative contracts.
• Review and research of sole source procurement submittals from departments.

Qualifications: A Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Business Management, Public Administration, or Supply Chain. Five (5) years of increasingly responsible procurement experience in a centralized purchasing system, preferably in municipal government.

Possession of a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) at the time of hire or obtained within twenty-four (24) months from the date of hire.