Purchasing Agent

Purchasing Manager

This position manages all activities involved with procuring goods and services, (raw materials, equipment, tools, parts, professional services, and all other purchased items) for the City of Bentonville. This position actively manages contracts and purchases for compliance with federal, state, and local law. The position requires critical thinking, effective communication, time management, self-motivation, strong organizational skills, and professionalism.

Essential duties include the following. Reporting relationships, work assignments, and work schedules may be subject to change in order to meet city needs or operation requirements. Attendance at work and the ability to get along with the public, supervisors, and co-workers are essential elements of this position. Other duties may be assigned.

Plans, organizes, and manages the activities of the Purchasing Department to provide a procurement process for approximately $200,000,000.00 worth of goods and services, including $106,000,000.00 of utility power / water / sanitation payments, throughout the year ensuring that purchases meet City Ordinances, State laws, Federal laws, and best practices. This duty is performed daily.

Regularly communicates and coordinates with City Departments regarding bids, projects, contract compliance, policy compliance, and all other purchasing activities. This duty is performed daily.

Communicates with vendors regarding purchasing through the City, which includes marketing offerings such as Vendor Introduction Meetings, expos, and other avenues of attracting vendors to do business with the City. This duty is performed weekly.

Reviews requisitions of all expenditures for compliance with the City Purchasing Policy and approves those over dollar amount specified by policy. This duty is performed daily.

Maintains current knowledge of new laws, best practices, and other items related to all aspects of job duties. Responsible for maintaining and updating the Purchasing Policy according to changes necessary due to process improvements or amendments and changes in applicable laws; including directing City departments about purchasing compliance and the best way to utilize quotes, bids, and cooperative contracts. This duty is performed annually.

Prepares bid documents and distributes to vendors; managing the complete procurement process, which includes, but is not limited to public notification (advertisement), responses to questions, hosting public pre-bid meetings, amendments to documents and / or timelines, hosting public bid openings, full bid evaluation and any necessary steps (including acceptance and / or rejection of bids, allowable corrections, and all other necessary processes). This duty is performed weekly.

Manages City's IDIQ contracts to ensure compliance with monetary thresholds approved by City Council. This duty is performed weekly.

Administers the City auction process and advises departments regarding the legal disposal of surplus goods. This duty is performed monthly.

Manages software implementation for any Purchasing Department related software and assists in the implementation of software for related activities, such as implementations that may be managed by the Finance Department. This is performed on an as needed basis.

Responsible for performing all Purchasing related year end close procedures in the financial software. This is performed on an annual basis.

Reviews City Council agenda items for purchasing related documentation. This duty is performed bi-weekly.

Manages and oversees the City's online ordering memberships, and vendor portals. This includes identification, evaluation, and implementation of memberships or accounts that would improve City-wide efficiency in purchasing. This duty is performed monthly.

Supervises 1-3 Purchasing Specialists in the Purchasing Department.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in business administration, purchasing management, procurement or a related field and 5+ years of experience in the related field. or equivalent combination of education and experience. Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) or other Purchasing certification preferred.

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to effectively present information and to respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. Ability to read, analyze, and understand common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to complex or difficult inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the legal community.

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to prepare and interpret bar graphs. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Ability to solve complex problems and deal with a variety of known variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

Computer training in Microsoft Office.

Intermediate : Database, Spreadsheet, Word Processing / Typing.

Intermediate : 10-key, Accounting, Contact Management, Presentation / PowerPoint, Spreadsheet / Excel.

Preference for familiarity with MUNIS.

Under minimal supervision and direction where a definite objective is set up or standard practice enables the employee to proceed alone planning and arranging own work, referring only unusual cases to supervisor. Ability to initiate problem solving independently without supervisor guidance or direction.

Autonomy with regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner, and / or sequence of performance of own work and work of the Purchasing Department.

Probable errors would not likely be detected until they reached another department, office, or patron, and would then require considerable time and effort to correct the situation. Frequently, possibility of error that would affect the organizations prestige and relationship with the public to a major extent.

Normal working conditions as found within an office setting, wherein there is controlled temperature and a low noise level, plus a minimum of distractions. Periodically exposed to such elements as intermittent standing, walking, pushing, carrying, or lifting; but none are present to the extent of being disagreeable.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to talk or hear; regularly required to sit, reach with hands and arms; frequently required to walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and occasionally required to stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 25 pounds; regularly lift and / or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision; and color vision.

Moderate diversity, low physical. Work activities which allow for a moderate amount of diversity in the performance of tasks which are not as varied as those positions with high-level diversity and decision-making.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.