Under the direction of the Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, the purchasing agent will hold responsibility for the overall purchasing activities of the District including the development and maintenance of a comprehensive purchasing system; perform a variety of complex technical and clerical functions; procure and purchase goods, materials, supplies, and equipment; perform responsible buying functions in coordination with other employees; and do other related work as required.

Duties and Responsibilities

Deliverables consist of providing support to the overall procurement activities of the District, including the development and maintenance of a comprehensive purchasing system. Procurement activities include those specific to the function and ones that have a broader impact on the organization. Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Review requisitions and obtain information relative to price, product quality, service, and delivery timelines; compare and analyze quotations, and recommend product and service contracts; confer and advise with a variety of District personnel and vendors concerning quality and purchasing specifications
• Responsibly purchase goods and equipment after reviewing and evaluating pricing, service and quality
• Prepare bid requests from draft materials supplied by the various departments; contact vendors and invite quotations and bids; assist in organizing and coordinating the bid process and subsequent bid analysis
• Prepare and maintain standard purchasing and supply lists; manage the inventory control system; negotiate with vendor representatives in order to obtain an advantageous supply and purchase price
• Prepare and conduct the necessary follow-up activities to finalize all purchase order transactions; establish and maintain a variety or records in order to evaluate new and alternative commodity supply sources; maintain inventory of surplus property; assist in establishing purchasing policies and procedures
• Provide expertise and contribute to the implementation of enterprise-wide procurement processes and systems; optimize existing processes based upon business needs, performance, and strategic objectives
• Gather information, research, and maintain schedules in the fixed asset system for newly acquired fixed assets and asset retirements, including identifying applicable capital and expense amounts
• Assist management with ad hoc reporting and analysis

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Strong computer skills with appropriate financial systems and analytic tools such as Excel, Access, PeopleSoft, and/or other related purchasing software applications
•  In-depth knowledge of general ledger accounting, budgetary concepts and essential financial principles
• Understanding of operational procedures and guidelines pertaining to functions and activities of purchasing for a public school district (i.e. applicable sections of State Education Code, standard purchasing terminology, informal and formal bidding procedures, legal mandates, Board policies, etc.)

Ability to:

• Work in a fast paced, deadline driven environment
• Think creatively, work well in a dynamic environment, recommend and implement process improvements, work independently, and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to convey complex information to all levels of the organization              

Experience:

• Six months to one year of responsible and technical purchasing experience in a school district or related field

Desirable:

• Bilingual in Spanish/English 

Education:

• Equivalent to the completion of an Associate of Arts degree, including or supplemented by coursework or training in bookkeeping, accounting, business management, or closely related fields

Personal Qualities:

• Patience, helpfulness, diligence, persistence, and a willingness to work with staff, students and parents from widely different cultural and linguistic backgrounds