Administrative Buyer Assistant - Procurement

General Function:
Performs responsible, specialized administrative and clerical work, and serves as a coordinator/facilitator of training in support of the Procurement & Contracts Department. Work involves document preparation, recordkeeping, vendor relations, contract and solicitation support, market research, public meeting support, training assistance, and daily office operations.
Duties require strong organizational skills, attention to detail, confidentiality, and the ability to interact professionally with internal departments, vendors, governmental entities, and the public. Work requires independent judgment in accordance with established policies, procurement procedures, and applicable laws and regulations governing centralized procurement operations.

Reports To:
Director of Procurement & Contracts
Assistant Director of Procurement & Contracts

Supervisory Responsibilities:
None

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provides administrative and clerical support to Procurement staff, including scheduling meetings, drafting correspondence, preparing reports, and organizing files.
• Adheres to Purchasing Policies, ethical standards, Federal and State laws, and City ordinances in all procurement-related activities.
• Maintains department recordkeeping systems, including contract files, purchase orders, vendor documentation, surplus records, and public record uploads.
• Scans, uploads, and archives contracts, solicitations, addenda, bids/proposals, and related procurement documents in electronic systems.
• Receives, logs, and routes requisitions, invoices, and purchasing-related documents for review and processing; reviews requisitions and communicates with vendors and staff to obtain pricing, availability, and delivery information.
• Assists with preparation and routing of field purchase orders (FPOs), requisitions, budget transfers, purchase orders, quote requests, and other procurement documents.
• Supports buyers in determining the appropriate procurement method (direct purchase, quotation, piggyback, or competitive solicitation) and gathering supporting documentation.
• Assists with maintaining procurement records for purchase orders, including costs, delivery tracking, product/service quality, and performance information.
• Supports staff in preparing solicitation documents, bid packets, meeting minutes, agenda items, and public notices.
• Assists in issuing bid postings and electronic solicitations; tabulates informal and formal bids/proposals; and posts notices of award.
• Supports bid openings, vendor meetings, evaluation committees, and other procurement activities by preparing sign-in sheets, packets, and meeting materials.
• Greets and assists vendors and internal customers at the Procurement counter; answers phones, routes inquiries, and provides general information on procurement processes.
• Conducts preliminary vendor checks (SAM.gov, State of Florida, City lists) and assists with maintaining the vendor master file.
• Supports buyers by drafting and issuing notices of award, award letters, award sheets, and maintaining award documentation.
• Coordinates, attends, and participates in vendor fairs, vendor training events, and internal department training sessions to support outreach and process education.
• Oversees the Vendor Registration process and provides assistance to vendors; delivers vendor process training as assigned.
• Conducts market research, including data collection on market conditions, specifications, scopes of work/services, and commodity trends.
• Coordinates with other governmental entities to research and obtain contracts suitable for piggybacking opportunities.
• Maintains and updates the contract management system and tracks contract documentation required for contract awards.
• Assists with contract administration, including obtaining periodic vendor performance evaluations from user departments.
• Investigates delivery issues and coordinates with vendors, staff, and end users to resolve defective or unacceptable goods or services and ensure corrective action.
• Assists in expediting delivery of goods and services to user departments.
• Maintains updated lists of materials, supplies, equipment, and other items routinely required by City departments.
• Researches and compiles data for complex purchasing reports for the Director.
• Assists with surplus activities, including preparing item listings, photographs, and online auction documentation.
• Maintains office supply inventory and coordinates procurement-related equipment maintenance.
  Assists in meeting deadlines for departmental reports, annual inventory efforts, and budget preparation tasks.
• Develops and regularly updates the Emergency Preparedness Binder, ensuring procedures, contact lists, inventories, and continuity documents are current and accessible.
• Provides clerical support during emergency activation or hurricane preparation, as assigned.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

All of the above information is intended to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. This description is not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and qualifications required of employees assigned to this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Type of Appointment/Work hours:

• Full-time/Regular in-person position.
• Standard workweek, which is forty (40) hours of work per week usually consisting of five (5) days of eight (8) hours per day. The workday may be varied for the efficient delivery of public service.
• Will be required to work other than the standard workweek on occasion, including evenings, weekends, and/or holidays.
• Will be required to work occasional overtime or shift assignments, if applicable.

Requirements:

• An Associate’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field is required. A Bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• Two (2) to three (3) years of administrative or clerical experience required, including knowledge of governmental procurement principles, practices, laws, regulations, and techniques.
• Knowledge of basic principles of bookkeeping and financial recordkeeping procedures required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and the ability to learn database and purchasing software is required.
• Knowledge of writing simple bid specifications and scopes of work/services, the ability to tabulate informal and formal bids, and perform procurement functions related to issuing quote requests is required.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally, both orally and in writing, with employees, vendors, and the public.
• Ability to understand and follow procurement policies, ethical standards, and recordkeeping requirements required.
• Ability to use standard office equipment and operate more complex equipment with training required.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision, exercise sound judgment, and maintain accurate and detailed records and files required.
• Must possess a valid Florida driver's license with a clean driving record.
• Must pass a background screening process.

Equivalency Clause:

• An equivalent combination of High School Diploma, training, and at least 10 years of experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered in lieu of the stated education and experience requirements. Substitution will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine relevance and comparability.

Physical and Environmental Demands or Conditions:
The physical and environmental demands for this position have been listed on the last page of this description. Physical and environmental demands must be met to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of this position.

Core Competencies:

• Judgment - Sound decisions based on fact; uses logic to solve problems.
• Quality of Work - Performs work thoroughly, accurately, and professionally.
• Reliability - Timely and consistently completes assigned work; consistently reports to work and is punctual.
• Safety - Committed to ensuring a safe environment and complies with applicable safety standards.
• Technical Capability - Applies knowledge to identify issues and works to develop skills; demonstrates knowledge of techniques, skills, and equipment.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance:

• The employee must successfully pass a background screening process and comply with the City’s Drug-Free Workplace policy.
• The City will also verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired so the proper completion of Form I-9 is required, which includes the employee providing documents evidencing identity and employment authorization.

Equal Opportunity Statement:
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Qualifying individuals with disabilities may be provided reasonable accommodations to enable them to perform the essential functions.

Veteran’s Preference Policy:
In accordance with Florida Statute 295.07, F.S., Chapter 55A-7, the City of Homestead complies with Florida law by providing Veterans' Preference in hiring. Qualified applicants, including veterans, spouses, widows/widowers, parents of service members, and current reserve or National Guard members, may receive hiring priority if they meet minimum qualifications and can perform the duties required. Veterans’ Preference includes additional points on exams, prioritized placement on employment lists, and education waivers for certain qualified individuals. This preference ensures eligible candidates are considered fairly at all stages of the hiring process. For questions, contact the Human Resources Department.