If you would like to apply for this position, please click on the Apply Now Button to provide your information and then click on the Submit Button. Our team will reach out to you and guide you through the entire process.
Job Title: Buyer
Duration:
Job Descriptions:
Summary
- Incumbents in this classification are responsible for serving as project manager for large or complex solicitation processes and existing contracts. Duties include: consulting with departments regarding procurement strategies, specification development, and response evaluation; preparing letters for the Council; facilitating pre-bid conferences; preparing letters to extend contracts; drafting solicitation documents; negotiating contracts; acting as primary internal department support; acting as primary vendor contract contact; and serving as a contact for the City's procurement software, including training and troubleshooting. Work requires limited supervision and the use of independent judgment and discretion.
Essential Functions
- The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.
- Serves as project manager on assigned contractual categories, which includes: serving as the primary point of contact on contractual matters; assuming a leadership role for strategic vendor sourcing, contract scope, and contract management; reinforcing service delivery to the customer; identifying the most favorable sourcing and contracting alternatives; managing contracts and relationships; assisting in work planning and purchase consolidation, contract terms and conditions development, specification development, solicitation preparation, scope and statement of work development, and contract negotiations and finalization; organizing and maintaining related information; procuring applicable items; assuring procurement procedure integrity and/or, performing other related activities.
- Determines correct procurement methods and conducts formal solicitation processes, which includes: collating formal bid data and information; evaluating requests for bids in conformance with applicable laws, procedures, and requirements; approving price increases; updating contracts; analyzing proposals for conformance to specifications, prices, terms, and possible cost savings; conducting negotiations; placing newspaper and website advertisement; preparing and issuing solicitation packages; facilitating pre-bid conferences; leading public bid openings and/or closed proposal openings; evaluating bid and proposal responses; forwarding information to applicable departments; structure and facilitate group evaluation; compile and maintain evaluation templates; coordinate and execute contract amendments and/or change orders ; maintaining bids and contracts information; compiling vendor contact lists; updating vendor information and accounting data in applicable databases; hosting bid openings for public reading; and/or, performing other related activities.
- Trains internal department and/or Purchasing Division staff on the use of procurement software, procedure implementation, procurement strategy, and contract administration.
- Serves as a liaison between internal departments and vendors.
- Generates procurement requisitions and contracts.
- Maintains applicable records and databases on bids, leases, contracts, procurement sources, and/or other related information.
- Facilitates procurement of complex and/or large scale contract categories.
- Assist in research, development and implementation of procedure for complex procurement methods.
- Conducts follow-ups on orders to ensure receipt of items ordered in a timely manner and to resolve problems; integrates performance data into contract administration.
- Educates and assists the internal department to develop specifications.
- Reviews and verifies appropriate approvals for specified commodities.
- Assist Directors with facilitation of Request for Qualifications and construction.
- Prepares a variety of reports related to progress, cost savings, vendor performance, contract administration, and/or other related procurement items.
- Facilitates or attends a variety of meetings with staff, suppliers, contractors, vendors, and/or other interested parties.
- Must meet regular attendance requirements.
- Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, and citizens.
- Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Licensing and Certifications
- Current Public Purchasing Buyer Certification or ability to obtain within two years.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or related field with four (4) years experience in purchasing activities, to include project management and contract administration; or any combination of equivalent experience and education.
- All employees must maintain Tennessee residency from the date of hire.
Knowledge and Skills
- Knowledge of procurement principles and practices; negotiation techniques; specification research and preparation methods; supply sources; customer service principles; conflict resolution principles; and of applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
- Skill in using a computer and related software applications; researching, analyzing and interpreting applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures; reading, interpreting, and analyzing bids and purchasing documents; expediting purchases; performing mathematical calculations; providing customer service; conducting negotiations; exercising informed and sound judgment; solving problems; and collaborative and professional communication and interpersonal skills, as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, vendors, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.
Physical Requirements
- Positions in this class typically require: fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.
Work Environment
- Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
Special Requirements
- Safety Sensitive: N
- Department of Transportation - CDL: N
- Child Sensitive: N
Supplemental Information
- All employees must maintain Tennessee residency from the date of hire.
- This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check
- The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.