Job Category
Work Schedule
Full-time
Employer
City of Hanford
Job Open until Filled
Job Closing Date
Email
Website
Phone
5595377982
Fax
5595852595
Under general direction, the Purchasing Agent manages the procurement processes and procurement administration for the City including advertised bidding for goods, services and capital projects, vendor and capital project contracts, and supplier relationships; ensures compliance with all local, state, county, and federal regulations, policies, and procedures; assists with the oversight of the City’s inventory systems, inventory and asset reporting, and internal inventory control processes; updates, develops and enforcing policies and procedures for procurement, bidding, and inventory control; and assists with reviewing and assigning duties to lower level procurement/accounts payable staff.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
The Purchasing Agent will receive direct supervision by the Finance Manager or the Finance Director. This position will also provide direction, and assign duties to, lower level purchasing/accounts payable staff.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES - Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Review and approve requisitions for supplies, materials, equipment, and services processed by lower level procurement staff/accounts payable staff. Will also enter requisitions, purchase orders, and contracts in the Financial system.
Receive, review and respond to any inquiries, concerns, or complaints pertaining to procurement services and processes.
Analyze procurement problems and make appropriate recommendations.
Develop streamlined, creative methods for obtaining goods and services including the use of blanket contracts, piggybacking and the use of cooperative intergovernmental agreements.
Confer with Vendors to obtain product or service information, such as process, availability, delivery, and commencement or completion dates.
Discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services with inspection or quality control personnel users, vendors, and others to determine source or trouble and take corrective action.
Locate sources of supplies and services. Maintain and update lists of vendors for supplies, services, and contractual activities.
Compare costs and quality of products offered from a variety of vendors. Abide by the City’s municipal code for procurement practices.
Interview and correspond with vendors and representatives regarding products, complaints, and shipping and delivery problems.
Maintain current information on new products, services, market conditions, and product trends.
Determine vendor/provider from which purchase or service will be made or used, and assist in preparing contracts.
Advise other department personnel on purchase methods and alternate products, and may recommend substitutes when necessary.
Coordinate and facilitate the planning of procurement of goods and services with vendors and other departments.
Maintain manual and/or computerized procurement records of vendors, contractors, products, services, equipment, supplies, and projects and various other detailed purchasing records.
Review and make recommendations to the Finance Director for the use of sole source vendors or emergency procurements.
Review bids, proposals, requisitions, contracts, and various other procurement requests for conformance to legal requirements, price, and acceptability of items as specified.
Ensure all bids and notices are advertised appropriately and in required time frames.
Invite and accept bids, and evaluate prices, service costs, discounts offered, delivery conditions, products and services offered, and availability.
Prepare, receive, and analyze bids, quotes, proposals, systems and specifications and other documents necessary to award projects, purchase supplies, materials, equipment and services.
Negotiate contracts or agreements for commodities or services when competitive bidding is not necessary or required.
Review and monitor budgets for approved projects, services, equipment, and supplies to ensure budget levels are maintained.
Review and approve awarding of informal bids and recommend award of contracts on formal bids.
Administer and monitor contract agreements for legal compliance.
Review and track construction and other project-related payments;
Maintain retention amounts for projects and Notice of Completion file dates with the County.
Abide by all procedures and specifications of each contract and agreement.
Prepare and/or review Council Staff Reports for all procurement and project related activities.
Prepare and write reports and correspondence.
Assist in updating and maintaining of City’s procurement and bidding policies and procedures.
Serve as an advisor or resource to other city staff on unusual or complex procurement and bidding policy items.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
Principals, methods and approved practices of public sector purchasing and central purchasing system;
Knowledge of MRP systems, procurement principles, acquisition and bidding regulations;
Microsoft skills: Excel, Power Point, Word, MS Projects;
Construction/Contractor Estimating software;
Bid Management Software;
Various procurement options available;
Joint Powers Authority, Government funded projects, and grant funded projects;
General business practices, procedures, and recordkeeping methods;
Sources of supply, material, equipment and services, market conditions, and prices trends of various materials, equipment, and supplies;
Relevant regulations and laws relating to public agency purchasing transactions;
Service and product contracts, indemnification, and insurance documents;
Contracting law, Uniform Commercial Code, and other laws and regulations pertaining to the solicitation of bids/proposals, evaluation of offers, and negotiations and awarding contracts;
Product research and evaluation; and
Bidding and purchasing terminology, documents, and records.
Skills and Abilities:
Strong verbal and written communication skills as well as excellent follow-up;
Possess strong customer service and support skills;
Ability to be team-oriented as well as work independently, results-driven, positive attitude, and be active with the entire procurement process;
Effective presentation skills, with the ability to present risks and achievements to management, staff, and City Council;
Exceptional analytical and organizational skills;
Remarkable problem-solving skills;
Ensure that monitoring and enforcement efforts meet audit standards for compliance;
Ensure sufficient internal controls are in place to prevent abuse and potential fraud;
Develop city responses to related audit findings and comments and be able to negotiate with auditors on findings and comments as appropriate;
Keep current with changes in the market, products, and trends and with applicable laws, policies, and procedures;
Organize and prioritize workload to meet deadlines and operating needs;
Analyze and project consequences of decisions and/or recommendations;
Use of mathematical principals;
Perform Cost and Price analysis;
Maintain accurate records and files;
Management of multiple tasks at once in a high-pressure environment;
Willingness to be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities;
Supervision of staff and/or assigning tasks to lower level staff and monitoring those assignments;
Ability to read project drawings and specifications; and
Ability to think “outside the box’ and establish positive supplier, customer and contractor relationships as well as positive internal relationships.
Experience and Education
Minimum qualifications are used as a guide for establishing the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license which are required and equivalent to the following:
Experience:
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible purchasing and project bidding experience at a professional or senior level – with a minimum of three (3) years in public or municipal government agency,
Education:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Business, Finance, Logistics, Purchasing or other closely related fields. One year of professional-level experience may be substituted for each year of required education.
License and Certificate
Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver’s license.
Possession of a valid and appropriate purchasing certification i.e., Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) or Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) is highly desirable.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
The Purchasing Agent will receive direct supervision by the Finance Manager or the Finance Director. This position will also provide direction, and assign duties to, lower level purchasing/accounts payable staff.
EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES - Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Review and approve requisitions for supplies, materials, equipment, and services processed by lower level procurement staff/accounts payable staff. Will also enter requisitions, purchase orders, and contracts in the Financial system.
Receive, review and respond to any inquiries, concerns, or complaints pertaining to procurement services and processes.
Analyze procurement problems and make appropriate recommendations.
Develop streamlined, creative methods for obtaining goods and services including the use of blanket contracts, piggybacking and the use of cooperative intergovernmental agreements.
Confer with Vendors to obtain product or service information, such as process, availability, delivery, and commencement or completion dates.
Discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services with inspection or quality control personnel users, vendors, and others to determine source or trouble and take corrective action.
Locate sources of supplies and services. Maintain and update lists of vendors for supplies, services, and contractual activities.
Compare costs and quality of products offered from a variety of vendors. Abide by the City’s municipal code for procurement practices.
Interview and correspond with vendors and representatives regarding products, complaints, and shipping and delivery problems.
Maintain current information on new products, services, market conditions, and product trends.
Determine vendor/provider from which purchase or service will be made or used, and assist in preparing contracts.
Advise other department personnel on purchase methods and alternate products, and may recommend substitutes when necessary.
Coordinate and facilitate the planning of procurement of goods and services with vendors and other departments.
Maintain manual and/or computerized procurement records of vendors, contractors, products, services, equipment, supplies, and projects and various other detailed purchasing records.
Review and make recommendations to the Finance Director for the use of sole source vendors or emergency procurements.
Review bids, proposals, requisitions, contracts, and various other procurement requests for conformance to legal requirements, price, and acceptability of items as specified.
Ensure all bids and notices are advertised appropriately and in required time frames.
Invite and accept bids, and evaluate prices, service costs, discounts offered, delivery conditions, products and services offered, and availability.
Prepare, receive, and analyze bids, quotes, proposals, systems and specifications and other documents necessary to award projects, purchase supplies, materials, equipment and services.
Negotiate contracts or agreements for commodities or services when competitive bidding is not necessary or required.
Review and monitor budgets for approved projects, services, equipment, and supplies to ensure budget levels are maintained.
Review and approve awarding of informal bids and recommend award of contracts on formal bids.
Administer and monitor contract agreements for legal compliance.
Review and track construction and other project-related payments;
Maintain retention amounts for projects and Notice of Completion file dates with the County.
Abide by all procedures and specifications of each contract and agreement.
Prepare and/or review Council Staff Reports for all procurement and project related activities.
Prepare and write reports and correspondence.
Assist in updating and maintaining of City’s procurement and bidding policies and procedures.
Serve as an advisor or resource to other city staff on unusual or complex procurement and bidding policy items.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
Principals, methods and approved practices of public sector purchasing and central purchasing system;
Knowledge of MRP systems, procurement principles, acquisition and bidding regulations;
Microsoft skills: Excel, Power Point, Word, MS Projects;
Construction/Contractor Estimating software;
Bid Management Software;
Various procurement options available;
Joint Powers Authority, Government funded projects, and grant funded projects;
General business practices, procedures, and recordkeeping methods;
Sources of supply, material, equipment and services, market conditions, and prices trends of various materials, equipment, and supplies;
Relevant regulations and laws relating to public agency purchasing transactions;
Service and product contracts, indemnification, and insurance documents;
Contracting law, Uniform Commercial Code, and other laws and regulations pertaining to the solicitation of bids/proposals, evaluation of offers, and negotiations and awarding contracts;
Product research and evaluation; and
Bidding and purchasing terminology, documents, and records.
Skills and Abilities:
Strong verbal and written communication skills as well as excellent follow-up;
Possess strong customer service and support skills;
Ability to be team-oriented as well as work independently, results-driven, positive attitude, and be active with the entire procurement process;
Effective presentation skills, with the ability to present risks and achievements to management, staff, and City Council;
Exceptional analytical and organizational skills;
Remarkable problem-solving skills;
Ensure that monitoring and enforcement efforts meet audit standards for compliance;
Ensure sufficient internal controls are in place to prevent abuse and potential fraud;
Develop city responses to related audit findings and comments and be able to negotiate with auditors on findings and comments as appropriate;
Keep current with changes in the market, products, and trends and with applicable laws, policies, and procedures;
Organize and prioritize workload to meet deadlines and operating needs;
Analyze and project consequences of decisions and/or recommendations;
Use of mathematical principals;
Perform Cost and Price analysis;
Maintain accurate records and files;
Management of multiple tasks at once in a high-pressure environment;
Willingness to be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities;
Supervision of staff and/or assigning tasks to lower level staff and monitoring those assignments;
Ability to read project drawings and specifications; and
Ability to think “outside the box’ and establish positive supplier, customer and contractor relationships as well as positive internal relationships.
Experience and Education
Minimum qualifications are used as a guide for establishing the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license which are required and equivalent to the following:
Experience:
A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible purchasing and project bidding experience at a professional or senior level – with a minimum of three (3) years in public or municipal government agency,
Education:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Business, Finance, Logistics, Purchasing or other closely related fields. One year of professional-level experience may be substituted for each year of required education.
License and Certificate
Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver’s license.
Possession of a valid and appropriate purchasing certification i.e., Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) or Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) is highly desirable.