Salary: $22.51-$27.48 hourly / $3,914-$4,779 monthly / Range:
5576
DEFINITION: Under general direction, procures specialized
commodities of a complex nature requiring substantial experience in
purchasing, contracting and purchasing policy and procedure.
Negotiates for the purchase of supplies, equipment and services for
County departments and other public agencies; performs
administrative activities in support of the purchasing function; and
completes related work as required.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: This is the advanced journey/ lead
worker level in the Buyer series; it is distinguished from Buyer II
by the complexity of the work assigned and by the level of
independence exercised. Incumbents in the Buyer, Sr. class also
provide training and technical assistance to others in the Buyer
I/II classification. The class of Buyer, Sr. is further
distinguished from the class of Purchasing Manager by the latter’s
role as direct supervisor for the all levels in the Buyer series and
by the Purchasing Manager’s greater public visibility, e.g., his or
her contact with the Board of Supervisors and the media.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
1. Receives and reviews requisitions for accuracy; confers with
departmental representatives to determine specific needs, taking
into account budget allocations, market conditions and availability.
2. Prepares and reviews departmental workload statistics; advises
the Purchasing Manager regarding the proper allocation of commodity
assignments to buyers, and monitors the work of buyers and support
staff.
3. Researches sources of supply by reading current periodicals and
product literature, interviewing marketing representatives and
evaluating sample products.
4. Prepares complex requests for bid and contacts vendors for bid
quotations; analyzes bids received; issues purchase orders; prepares
and monitors contracts, outlining performance standards, tolerances,
warranties, and maintenance requirements.
5. Provides technical support and conducts training for staff.
6. Visits departments to become acquainted with their specific
needs; notifies departments of new products and arranges for samples
and demonstrations.
7. Investigates sensitive or unusual issues or complaints regarding
vendors/products; provides guidance and assistance to vendors and
County departments; reviews, analyzes, and interprets legislative
data pertinent to procurement.
8. Interprets County and departmental policies, County codes, state
statutes, and regulations governing purchasing activities and the
awarding of contracts.
9. Reviews procedure manuals and training materials to ensure that
changes in law, policy, and procedure are properly reflected on the
Purchasing Department’s Web page and in all published materials.
Assists the Purchasing Manager in the development of the Local
Vendor Outreach program. Assists in the production of training
materials and presentations.
10. Acts as Purchasing Manager in his/her absence and performs other
administrative tasks as required.
Employment Standards:
1. Five years of responsible experience in quantity buying for a
large organization; or,
2. three years of experience performing duties equivalent to Buyer
II for Santa Barbara County; or,
3. equivalent combination of training, education, and experience
which would provide the required knowledge and abilities.
Additional Requirement: Possession of a valid California Class C
Driver’s License may be required.
Knowledge of: theory and practices of purchasing, including ethics,
standards, bid preparation and evaluation, competitive bidding
procedures, quality control; data collection techniques for
establishing sources of supply, product, and vendor information;
market research techniques; general law of contracts; statistical
analysis; accounting and budgetary controls; office procedures; use
of office automation to assist in the purchasing function; general
computer applications used in business, such as spreadsheet, data
base, word processing software.
Ability to: conduct studies, evaluate data, and make recommendations
and decisions; prepare and present written or oral reports; act as
Purchasing Agent as assigned; perform arithmetic calculations; use
common units of measure; calculate interest, discounts, and shipping
charges; provide staff training in the use of computer applications
for purchasing; recognize responsibility and limits of assigned
authority; maintain an effective liaison with vendors, management
personnel, and co-workers.
Desirable Qualifications: Journey-level experience as a buyer in a
public agency is highly desirable.
