TESTING Buyer TESTING
JOB SUMMARY:
Perform a variety of technical duties involved in the procurement of materials, supplies, services and equipment for City departments and operations in accordance with Nevada Revised Statutes and City policies. Perform specifications, development, preparation, contract administration and negotiations, as required for the most complex formal solicitations (Bids and RFPs) and agreements (contracts), including construction, professional and technical services, materials and equipment contracts. Performs checks to ensure account is accurately classified based on purchase of a good or service. Assist Finance Department with audit documentation preparation and other tasks, as assigned. Supervise employees performing related work.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Lead, plan, train and review the work of staff responsible for purchasing, financial analysis, budgeting and accounting.
- Analyzes purchase requisitions and requests to determine the types of materials, supplies, equipment or services required, ensures that such requests are complete and that proper authorization and funding has been obtained.
- Confers with the requesting party to ensure that order parameters are understood and to provide information regarding products, supplies, delivery and pricing.
- Obtains verbal or written price quotations or prepares formal specifications and bid packages, participates in the tabulations and financial analysis of bids and issues purchase orders accordingly.
- Compiles data to determine feasibility of procuring products and establishes price objectives and trends within budgetary limitations.
- Organizes and compiles data for the preparation of reports concerning costs, quality and quantity, standardization, value analysis and price trends.
- Analyzes bids and RFPs, recommends award and prepares the necessary documentation and agenda materials for contract awards, conferring with legal staff regarding contract provisions.
- Interviews salespersons, visits manufacturers and vendors, attends demonstrations, obtains samples and literature from potential suppliers; obtains comparative data regarding price, quality, quantity, availability and delivery of materials, equipment and supplies; recommends sources of supplies.
- Collaborates with Finance with budgeting, financial analysis and negotiating service agreements and contracts.
- Places orders with vendors, negotiates changes to purchase terms as required and follows-up with contract renewal upon expiration dates.
- Resolves purchase order, invoicing and delivery complaints and problems, follows-up and authorizes modifications to ensure that materials and supplies are received of an appropriate quality and quantity in a timely manner.
- Ensure compliance with applicable Nevada Revised Statutes, standard industry specifications, and City purchasing policies and procedures.
- Monitors expenditures to ensure proper budget performance, making changes in projects and reducing expenditures as necessary.
- Develop and customize formal and informal bidding documents for construction and professional services and review for accuracy, content and legality.
- Provide technical assistance and training to City staff in matters related to purchasing, finance and budget administration.
- Initiate, schedule and conduct pre-bid conferences, specification conferences, and bid openings; monitor and conduct the bidding process; establish bidders lists and ensure the broadest and fairest competition possible.
- Advise and assist prospective bidders and client departments and agencies in all aspects of bidding processes and subsequent actions.
- Verify balance of accounts for each requisition ensuring availability of funds and classification of expenditures are in accordance with current policy and GAAP.
- Obtain or research and prepare specification data; prepare documentation for presentation to the City Council.
- Evaluate and analyze bids and assist client departments in the development of evaluation criteria for professional service contracts.
- Collaborate with the City’s negotiation team to review and consult on negotiating bargaining unit agreements relative to the financial aspect of the item.
- Lead specifications and standardization teams, specialized committees, and supplier performance problem-solving teams; may organize and lead teams to evaluate and negotiate contracts.
- Study various market trends of new products and developments; prepare various technical and narrative reports.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Public Administration or Finance and a minimum of four (4) years of experience and advanced knowledge of the principles and practices of the purchasing functions.
- Public sector purchasing experience preferred.
Equivalency: Eight (8) or more years of education, training, and
experience, which provide knowledge of laws, regulations, NRS Statutes, City
Municipal Codes, skills, and abilities required for the job and related to the
essential functions of the position.
Licenses and Certifications:
- Requires a valid state driver's license and ability to maintain a satisfactory motor vehicle record with the ability to obtain appropriate Nevada state driver’s license within the required timeframe.
- Certified Public Purchasing Officer or Certified Public Purchasing Buyer is highly desirable.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge and ability to read and interpret purchase requests, specifications and other written material(s).
- Knowledge of the methods and techniques of competitive bidding and negotiation.
- Knowledge of the principles and procedures of public purchasing and contract administration.
- Knowledge of the warehousing and inventory control procedures.
- Knowledge of materials, specifications and standards.
- Knowledge of prices and current market conditions.
- Knowledge of the pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations governing municipal purchasing.
- Ability to research Nevada statutes and codes and apply results to proper coding and budget information.
- Making accurate mathematical calculations.
- Preparing clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials.
- Buying efficiently with regard to quality, quantity and price.
- Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Requires above average reading comprehension, judgment and decision making, complex problem solving, active listening, and critical thinking.
- Assist with monitoring of the city budget.
- Complete accurate account reconciliations and analyses in a timely manner to meet any deadline(s).
- Discern and detect problems, sensitivity, deductive and inductive reasoning, oral/written comprehension and expression, establish and maintain interpersonal relationships, as well as interacting with external and internal customers (Vendors, City Attorney’s Office, and City Clerk).
- Evaluate and process information to determine compliance with NRS and City policies and procedures.
- Assist departments in developing, interpreting and analyzing specifications.
- Evaluate quality and price of products to judge suitability of goods and alternatives offered.
- Use initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines.
- Maintain detailed and accurate operational reports.
- Interpret, apply and explain City purchasing policies.
- Ability to compute ratios and percentages.
- Ability to interpret a variety of instructions, both oral and written.
- Lead, organize and review the work of subordinate staff.
- Analyze and evaluate the relative merits of competitive commodities and their prices.
- Train others to use Oracle purchasing software and the NGEM.
- Work independently.
- Make oral and written presentations of technical nature.