Purchasing Assistant

DISTIGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS

The Purchasing Assistant provides managerial and operational support to the Director of Purchasing and General Services in the Purchasing and General Services Department. The incumbent supervises the purchasing section to assure that the Town acquires goods and services in a manner that complies with applicable laws and regulations and with the Town’s procurement policy. The Purchasing Assistant provides information and technical assistance to Town departments with respect to purchasing activities, assists in the supervision of clerical and custodial staff, and performs related work as required.

Interested candidates who meet the minimum qualifications are encouraged to submit an Application for Employment at the following website: https://www.colonie.org/departments/civilservice/

Resumes without a signed application will not be considered.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

Creates bid solicitations, conducts bid openings, tabulates bid submissions, and works with interested Town department personnel throughout the process of awarding and renewing bids and developing the resultant contracts;

Supervises the creation of bid solicitations and tabulations by purchasing office personnel;

Supervises purchasing office personnel to ensure compliance with the Town’s procurement policy and applicable New York State laws and regulations;

Provides direction, training, and guidance to Town personnel regarding the application of purchasing laws and regulations and the Town’s procurement policy;

Assists the Director in determining proper schedules for procurement;

Contacts vendors and contractors to determine organization reliability and product and/or service availability;

Confers with Town department personnel and vendors to resolve procurement difficulties;

Reviews purchasing documents and, in limited instances, acts to authorize payment;

Interacts with Comptroller’s Office to expedite authorization of payment to vendors and contractors;

Organizes and administers the Town’s excess property sales;

Provides information to Town departments concerning available purchasing opportunities authorized by New York State General Municipal Law §103(3) and §103(16);

Assists the Director in the management and supervision of the Department’s custodial staff;

Assists the Director in the management of the Department’s Prevailing Wage application and tracking database;

Prepares reports and maintains records as required.

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Good knowledge of the laws, regulations, procedures and practices governing municipal purchasing and the ability to explain same to Town personnel; good writing skills with the ability to compose clear, effective communications; good oral communication skills with the ability to make oral presentations; proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel; ability to learn and apply new practices to increase efficiency; ability to deal effectively and impartially with vendors; ability to direct the work of others; ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATONS:

Possession of an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration or a related field AND two (2) years of experience in purchasing activities.

Special Requirement:

Incumbents must obtain certification as “Certified Professional Public Buyer” from the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council within 30 months of employment.

Note:

The degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If the degree was awarded by an educational institution outside of the United States and its territories, the candidate must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. The candidate must pay the required evaluation fee.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $65,413.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Ability to Relocate:

• Latham, NY 12110: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person