State of Maryland

This is supervisory work in the field of professional governmental purchasing. The main purpose of this class is to supervise all Buyers of the Purchasing Bureau and to be in charge of all procurement activities in the absence of the Chief of the Bureau, as assigned.

The employee in this classification is responsible for training, counseling and supervising personnel assigned to the buying groups. The work requires expert knowledge of market trends, product specifications and standards and the methods of establishing and maintaining reliable and economical sources of supply.

The employee is involved in developing, revising and implementing uniform purchasing rules and regulations. The employee is expected to resolve unusual procurement and supply problems of using agencies and to work out differences with vendors. The work requires a continuing study of modern competitive bid purchasing procedures, methods and organization. The employee also participates in planning for future resource needs of the Purchasing Bureau. Responsibility is exercised for the establishment and maintenance of essential records and files and for training all new professional personnel.

Employees in this class receive general direction from the Chief, Purchasing Bureau. Work effectiveness is determined through review of reports, evaluation of contribution to the accomplishment of program goals and objectives, frequency of protests due to inadequate specifications, vendor relations, timeliness of purchases and adequacy of new source development. Supervision is exercised over all personnel assigned to the buying groups.

Supervises and directs the daily activities of all the Buyers in the Purchasing Bureau;

Assists the Chief in assigning and matching commodities among the commodity groups;

Determines most advantageous methods of source selections and trains Buyers in this technique;

Assists in the preparation of complex commodity specifications;

Assists in the training of all Buyers of the Bureau, including life cycle costing and value analyses;

Assists in developing standards for the purchase of State equipment, materials and supplies;

Confers with departments and vendors with respect to procurement and supply problems;

Assists in developing, revising and implementing uniform purchasing rules and regulations;

Prepares special reports as requested; Establishes with the Buyer IV, savings goals for each Buying group;

Assists Buyers in developing and negotiating contracts;

Assists Buys in achieving goals established for small business and minority business procurements and other preference procurements established by law;

Reviews reports dealing with all aspects of purchasing and makes appropriate recommendations;

Assures that Buyers adhere to purchasing manual, laws, regulations and policies;

Supervises the establishment and maintenance of essential narrative, numerical and statistical reports, records and files;

Assists with legislation, as assigned;

Assists the Chief of the Purchasing Bureau in protest matters;

Performs other related duties.

Expert knowledge of competitive bid purchasing techniques, methods, and specifications; of the qualities of supplies, materials, and equipment; of the source of supply and market values;

Working knowledge of the principles of administration, supervision, and office management;

Ability to develop and conduct effective training programs for professional personnel; to develop an effective standardization and testing program; to supervise the establishment and maintenance of essential records and files; to communicate both orally and in writing with associates, supervisors, vendors, manufacturers and other State agency personnel; to study and understand market trends and product development.

Education: Graduation from a standard high school or possession of a State high school equivalence certificate.

Experience: Seven years of experience as a buyer performing work involving determination of source, preparation of complex specifications, and the procurement of a variety of supplies, materials, equipment and services in accordance with competitive bid purchasing methods, two years of which must have been in a supervisory capacity.

Note: Applicants may substitute additional education at an accredited college or university for up to four years of the non-supervisory experience at the rate of 30 semester credit hours for each year of non-supervisory experience.