Purchasing Agent

The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for a Purchasing Agent. The Purchasing Agent will function in Logistics Service.

Duties of a Purchasing Agent includes but not limited to:

• Advises approving officials and purchase card holders on purchase card program, procurement procedures and responsibilities.
• Answers telephones and refers calls.
• Conducts follow up action on undelivered orders and aged purchase card transactions to close our purchase orders.
• Provides clerical support and coordination to approving officials and administrators.
• Responds to requests or complaints.
• Conducts purchasing under the micro purchase threshold.
• Coordinates sources of supplies and acceptable substitutions.
• Initiates and provides training to acquisition and technical staff on the procurement process.
• Makes purchases involving specialized requirements and/or commercial requirements.
• Provides procurement support throughout the procurement cycle.
• Conducts open market research for purchases of routine equipment, supplies, and services.
• Examines incoming procurement requests for completeness.
• Performs program analysis function.
• Utilizes departmental software to produce printouts for logistic and medical staff.
• Utilizes various web-based applications to identify required sources of supply.
• Collects data to determine price reasonableness.
• Identifies factors to determine the best offer applicable for procurement
• Maintains accountable procurement records and auditing information.
• Maintains inventory of supplies or equipment.
• Obtains facts for making decisions or recommendations.
• Monitors purchase requests and active and delinquent invoices, and processes receipts.
• Monitors purchases and reconciles credit card billing statements.
• Maintains catalogs, contract files, and lists of firms offering specific equipment, supplies, and services.
• Develops reports and spreadsheets, obtains and organizes files, and retrieves reports for briefings and presentation purposes.
• Reviews, assembles, and maintains procurement related files and related systems.
• Analyzes descriptions and characteristics to identify problem areas.
• Applies conventional practices to solve problems in a procurement transaction.
• Resolves minor disputes and informal complaints.
• Identifies needs or problems and determines recommended corrective actions, alternatives or solutions.
• Plans and coordinates actions to prevent, correct, or resolve delays or misunderstandings in the purchasing process.