Purchasing Agent

Definition

The City of Milpitas

Incorporated in 1954, the City of Milpitas is a bustling general-law city supervised by a council-manager form of government. Milpitas is a full-service city that includes Police, Fire, and a water utility and sewer utility. The Council makes planning and policy decisions for residents, and oversees the City’s $253.2 million budget. Issues currently challenging the City include development, quality of life, and traffic.

The Finance Department provides fiscal strategies and operations of the City in accordance with City Council policies and relevant regulations with a small but powerful staff of 30 FTEs. The Department strategizes, manages, and directs programs and activities including fiscal policies, budgets, audited financial statements, compliance, transparency reporting, asset and debt management, procurement, risk management, utility fiscal services, business licenses and excellent customer service.

The ideal candidate will have experience planning, organizing, and directing the centralized purchasing activities of a public agency, which includes procuring goods and services, developing specifications, and managing bidding processes. They will have hands-on experience in contract development, negotiation, execution, and administration, while also offering support to agency staff on procurement matters. The Purchasing Agent will manage, train, and evaluate a Purchasing team and act as a liaison with other agency departments. The ideal candidate understands and has implemented procurement standards based on best practices, reviewed and approved procurement documents for accuracy and compliance, maintained procurement records, and prepared reports for the agency senior and executive staff, and the agency’s governing entity.

For the complete job description, please click here: Purchasing Agent

Examples of Duties

• Plans, organizes, and directs the operations of the Purchasing Division of the Finance Department.
• Manages, trains, supervises, and evaluates assigned personnel.
• Acts as a liaison to City departments on procurement-related issues and questions, including, but not limited to, requisitioning, solicitation, and contracting procedures, cost and availability of goods and services, vendor qualifications and current technology.
• Develops and implements procurement and related contracting standards and procedures based on public procurement best practices to procure goods and services to fulfill customer department requirements and needs.
• Reviews and approves City procurement-related documents, including, but not limited to purchase orders, contracts, solicitations, and Council Action Reports, for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with applicable City policies, procedures, and municipal code requirements.
• Directs the maintenance of procurement-related records in accordance with the City’s established retention policies.
• Prepares reports as needed for the Director of Finance, City administrators, and City Council.
• Prepares and implements division budget.

Typical Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Education:

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in purchasing, business administration, finance, public administration, or closely related field

Experience:

• Three (3) years increasingly responsible experience as a buyer and /or purchasing agent in a public sector/governmental agency.

Certificate:

• A Certificate in Purchasing issued by the National Association of Purchasing Management or other equivalent professional purchasing organization is highly desirable

License:

• Maintain a valid California driver's license.
  

Supplemental Information

*Panel Interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of October 28, 2024 via Zoom*

SELECTION PROCESS:
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.

Please note: The examination process (including dates) may be changed as deemed necessary by the Human Resources Department. Meeting the minimum requirements listed in this job description does not guarantee advancement in subsequent phases of the selection process.

HYBRID WORK OPTION:
Based on departmental needs, incumbents in this position may be authorized to work remotely 1-2 days per week.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:

• Receives general direction from the Director of Finance or the Assistant Finance Director, as appropriate.
• Exercises direct and indirect supervision over professional, technical, and clerical staff.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to work in a standard office environment; repetitive keyboarding; ability to work occasional nights and/or weekends; ability to travel to various locations within and outside the City of Milpitas.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Milpitas will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the Human Resources Department.

The City of Milpitas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

RETIREMENT
Membership in CalPERS (2% at 60 or 2% at 62 with three year average salary). City of Milpitas employees do not participate in Social Security,but do contribute to Medicare.

MEDICAL INSURANCE
Choice of CalPERS Medical Plans. City pays coverage up to the Kaiser rate (currently $2,228.36/mo. for family). Employees who waive health coverage are eligible to receive $125 per month in lieu of medical plan coverage with proof of other coverage.

RETIREE MEDICAL
Employees are eligible upon CalPERS retirement from the City to receive up to 100% retiree medical coverage (currently based on the Kaiser health rate), based on years of service.

DENTAL & VISION
City provides full family coverage for Delta Dental and MES Vision at no cost to the employee.

LIFE INSURANCE
City provides $50,000 term policy. Supplemental employee-paid life insurance is available up to $500,000, based on carrier acceptance.

DISABILITY INSURANCE
City provides a Short-Term Disability plan similar to State Disability Insurance (SDI) coverage. Employees do not participate in SDI. Long-Term Disability coverage of 60% of base salary up to $1,500 per month is available after a 60-day waiting period. Additional buy-up options for LTD are available up to $6,000 per month.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION
City contributes $75 per month on the employee's behalf.

VACATION
Hourly employees earn 11-31 days of vacation and Exempt employees earn 16-36 days of vacation based on years of service.

HOLIDAYS
Employees receive 12 paid holidays and one (1) floating holiday per year.

SICK LEAVE
Employees earn 12 days annually.

TUITION REIMBURSEMENT
Employees are eligible to receive up to $2,000 per fiscal year in tuition reimbursement.

FITNESS PROGRAM
Employeesare offered free access to City-sponsored sports and fitness programs.

The City also offers a flexible spending benefits plan, employee assistance program, and other voluntary insurance. Contact Human Resources (HR) at 408-586-3090 or https://www.milpitas.gov/245/Benefits for more information on employee benefits.

Closing Date/Time: 10/16/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• City of Milpitas

• 408-586-3090

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