Buyer III

Typical Tasks

• Mentors, educates, coaches and trains new and existing purchasing personnel on an ongoing basis;
• Assists Purchasing Supervisor on selection and interview panels for new employees;
• As directed, organizes and monitors workload of subordinate team members; assigns requisitions; coordinates and controls procurements, including providing the release function on SAP within the prescribed dollar authority;
• Receives and analyzes assigned purchase requisitions for compliance with VTA standards and to ensure information is complete and accurate and that order parameters are clear and understood;
• Approves requisitions; organizes requisitions for efficient action and response;
• Reviews, assesses and develops product and service specifications;
• Confers with departments to obtain required information and resolve questions regarding requirements; revises specifications; when necessary, defines detailed and accurate specifications;
• Develops Invitation for Bids, Requests for Quotations, and Requests for Proposals, ensuring that all applicable legal and contractual provisions are included to safeguard VTA's interests;
• Evaluates bids, performing price/cost analyses and assessing discounts, delivery conditions and the quality and suitability of supplies, materials and equipment;
• Determines or recommends the award of bids, selecting appropriate vendors and suppliers;
• Utilizes on-line web bidding for bid postings, addendums and award notifications;
• Creates purchase orders for all major acquisitions and releases purchase orders within levels of authority;
• Initiates, develops and administers major contracts, including contracts related to facility and construction projects or reverse engineering on special parts;
• Within level of authority, drafts contract documents and interacts with appropriate VTA departments to ensure legality, accuracy and completeness; negotiates contract provisions, addendum and, when necessary, disputes;
• As assigned, monitors and evaluates contract compliance; assesses, defines and ensures complete resolution of non-compliance issues; when applicable, participates in and/or facilitates progress meetings; maintains contract files for all addendum, renewals and terminations;
• Investigates, analyzes, and determines new or better sources of supply for products and services within areas of assigned responsibility;
• Investigates, assesses and resolves product (e.g. overages, shortages), vendor (e.g. late payment), receiving or other problems, complaints or discrepancies; communicates and follows-up with vendors and appropriate internal departments to obtain prompt resolution; when necessary, analyzes, troubleshoots and resolves "expedited" and "critical" orders;
• Acts as VTA liaison with vendors and suppliers; educates vendors and suppliers regarding purchasing policies and procedures; interviews vendors to evaluate products and services and to obtain information for use in developing proposals;
• Serves as VTA representative in interactions regarding purchasing and related matters with VTA management and senior management, other VTA departments and outside agencies;
• Works with Information Technology Department to test and recommend enhancements to software and system used in purchasing unit;
• Prepares and maintains detailed spreadsheets, databases, and other reports as required;
• Performs related duties as required.

Employment Standards

Sufficient training, education, and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks and possession of the knowledge and abilities listed.

Development of the required knowledge, skills and abilities is typically obtained through graduation from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, public administration, finance, operations management or a related field; and five years of increasingly responsible experience in purchasing a variety of supplies, materials, services and equipment similar to those purchased by the VTA. (Additional experience in purchasing substitutes for college on a year for year basis.)

Note: Possession of certification in the California Association of Public Purchasing Officers (e.g. APPO or CPPO) may be substituted for up to two years of experience. Others certifications will be evaluated as to the relevance to public purchasing.

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, methods and techniques of public agency purchasing, including competitive bidding procedures;
• Principles, practices and techniques of drafting and administering complex purchase contracts and enforcing contract provisions;
• Applicable state and FTA laws and regulations governing VTA purchasing activities;
• Sources and types of products, commodities, and services used by a transportation authority;
• Methods of conducting products and vendor research;
• Record keeping practices and procedures related to a purchasing function;
• Principles and practices of sound business communication;
• Basic principles and practices of effective supervision and training;
• Standard computer software (i.e. word processing, spreadsheets, etc.);
• Good customer service skills.

• Operate a computer and adeptly use the computerized procurement system and word processing, spreadsheet and other standard software;
• Analyze and evaluate bid proposals, purchase requisitions, specifications and other purchasing-related documents;
• Read and understand detailed blueprints, room layouts, or schematic drawings;
• Define issues, analyze information and problems, evaluate alternatives and develop sound conclusions and recommendations;
• Present proposals and recommended courses of action clearly and logically;
• Organize, set priorities and exercise sound independent judgment within areas of responsibility;
• Understand, interpret, explain and apply VTA, federal and state laws and regulations governing purchasing procedures;
• Efficiently conduct vendor and product research;
• Draft concise, comprehensive purchase specifications for highly technical products and services;
• Communicate clearly and effectively, orally and in writing;
• Prepare clear, accurate and concise records and reports;
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously;
• Use tact, discretion and diplomacy in dealing with contractors and vendors;
• Effectively negotiate contract provisions, price and terms on behalf of VTA;
• Establish and maintain highly effective working relationships with VTA managers, staff, suppliers, vendors and others encountered in the course of work.