Under direction, performs professional and analytical purchasing work for the centralized procurement of supplies, materials, equipment, and services; and does related or other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3 of the Civil Service Rules.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
This is the journey-level class in the professional purchasing series. An employee in this class is responsible for performing a wide range of volume purchasing functions such as review of requisitions, preparation of bid and proposal invitations, communication with vendor representatives, and development of County operating orders. Work may also involve supervision of clerical and/or technical staff.
Note for Deputy Purchasing Agents assigned to operating departments: The Director of Purchasing and Support Services is the chief purchasing agent for the County. Deputy Purchasing Agents assigned to operating departments must fully comply with all rules and regulations established by the Director for the acquisition of supplies, materials and equipment for their departments.
TYPICAL DUTIES
Receives, reviews and analyzes requisitions from County departments for the purchase of supplies, materials, equipment and services; confers with department customers regarding their procurement needs and whether the items specified are best suited to meet those needs; determines the most appropriate and economical procurement method for the purchase of items and/or services.
Prepares purchase orders to selected vendors; checks purchase orders for accuracy and compliance with specifications when completed; confers with department representative on possible alternate items; approves and signs purchase orders.
Prepares drafts of requests for bid, requests for proposals, and other types of bid invitations, and coordinates all related activities with the requesting department; coordinates the solicitation of bids/proposals; conducts pre-bid, proposal, and other technical support meetings; participates on evaluation panels for selection of contractors; consults as needed with the County Purchasing Agent, County Counsel, department heads, members of the Board of Supervisors, and others regarding the more complex or sensitive purchases.
Analyzes bids and proposals and ensures compliance with standards and requirements; writes contracts and other purchasing documents; obtains required support documents and submits for approval.
Confers with representatives of manufacturing and commercial firms regarding suitability, availability and prices of commodities; negotiates cost, scope and purchasing standards; provides technical support and advice to contractors regarding San Joaquin County purchasing procedures.
Conducts surveys; compiles statistics on annual consumption of certain products; prepares reports; maintains files and records.
Researches, analyzes, interprets and explains federal, state and local laws, regulations and policies and their impact on assigned functions; recommends process adjustments to management when needed.
Assists in the development and establishment of office procedures and forms.
Provides training to departmental employees regarding the purchasing process; may assist in training less experienced workers in the Purchasing department; may supervise clerical or technical purchasing support staff; may act for a superior in his/her absence.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EITHER PATTERN I
Experience: Two years of experience as a Purchasing Assistant in San Joaquin County service.
OR PATTERN II
Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in public or business administration, political science, economics, or a related field.
Experience: Two years of experience in the volume purchasing of a wide variety of commodities and services, including the preparation of specifications and bid invitations, and the analysis of bids.
Substitutions: 1) Possession of a valid certificate as a Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) issued by the Institute of Supply Management, or a Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) or Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) issued by the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC), may be substituted for the above-required education; OR 2) additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the above-required education on a year-for-year basis.
KNOWLEDGE
The principles, practices, and techniques used in the volume purchasing of a wide variety of commodities; the various grades and qualities of commodities commonly purchased, their source of supply, and price trends; methods employed in the preparation of specifications, analysis of bids, and related purchasing research; accounting; business law; excise and sales tax laws as they apply to the purchasing of commodities; business office practices and procedures.
ABILITY
Apply the principles, practices, and techniques of purchasing to the procurement of a wide variety of commodities commonly used in governmental jurisdictions; do purchasing analysis and effective working relations with others; supervise the work of others; express oneself, clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Mobility-frequent operation of a computer, sitting for long periods; occasional standing, walking, pushing, pulling, bending, squatting, driving; Lifting-frequently 5 pounds or less; occasionally 5 to 30 pounds; Visual-constant good overall vision and reading/close-up work; frequent color perception and eye/hand coordination; occasional depth perception and peripheral vision; Dexterity-occasional holding, reaching, grasping, repetitive motion; frequent writing; Hearing/Talking-frequent hearing normal speech, hearing/talking on the telephone, talking in person; occasional hearing faint sounds and talking over an amplified system; Emotional/Psychological-frequent decision making, concentration, and public contact; occasional working weekends/nights/overtime; Environment-occasional noise.
San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
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