Purchasing Manager

Deadline to apply: 12/1/2025

GENERAL NATURE OF WORK

This is a responsible, advanced administrative and skilled technical position in county administration, responsible for coordination and implementation of all purchasing activities for the Kenton County Fiscal Court and member Cities and Agencies of the Northern Kentucky Governmental Purchasing Association. An employee in this class acts as the principal purchasing agent for the County, soliciting price quotes for items to be purchased valued under $40,000 and assisting in the solicitation of bids for items valued over $40,000. Reports to the Assistant County Treasurer. Duties are performed under standard to general supervision.  

Requirements

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to lift forty (40) pounds or more to a height of four (4) feet or more.
• Must be able to sit for extended periods of time.
• Eye sight must be correctable to 20/20 vision.
• Hearing must be within normal acceptable range of 20-25 with or without a hearing aid.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Summary

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Coordinates and controls all purchasing activity for the Fiscal Court and the member cities and agencies belonging to the N. Ky. Governmental Purchasing Association. Attends meetings of the association as necessary.
• For items costing in aggregate less than $40,000, receives and processes requisitions submitted by county departments; develops specifications if necessary, sometimes working with others, and solicits quotes for the items from approved vendors. 
• For items costing more than $40,000, prepares new specifications and /or modifies or revises existing specifications, or adopts specifications prepared by others; prepares legal advertisements, solicits bids via online procurement software and reviews bids when received. Participates in bid evaluation process.
• Collaborate with the County Attorney, Treasurer and department heads to negotiate contract terms, conditions, and pricing and also draft, review and edit contracts, agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to ensure compliance with procurement regulations, KRS and County policies. 
• Monitor contract performance and vendor compliance with terms and deliverables. 
• Maintain a centralized contract repository and ensures accurate tracking of renewal dates, expirations and key milestones for all contracts, agreements, MOU’s, etc.
• Prepare purchase orders as necessary and maintain all official purchasing records for the County.
• Maintains digital workflow in both the accounting system and the procurement and contract management system.
• Coordinates contract close-out, including verifying completion of deliverables, reconciling payment history and issuing final payment, and archiving records in accordance with record retention policies.
• Maintains accurate records of all equipment and property showing the responsible department, the dollar value at time of purchase, and the acquiring purchase order number if available.
• Performs various office tasks such as typing, filing, and data entry. 
• Performs other duties as may be required.

DESIRABLE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated leadership ability; willingness to make timely and appropriate decisions; willingness to accept the responsibility for successes and failures; ability to delegate authority and still control the work operation; ability to work with others.
• Good verbal skills; ability to communicate effectively with individuals or with small or large groups of people; ability to give clear and easily understood directions or instructions.
• Good writing skills; ability to prepare clear and concise specifications, written job reports, accident/incident reports, material reports, etc.  
• Ability to read and comprehend written reports, specifications, bid information, contracts and legal terms, and to communicate this information to others who may have varying degrees of purchasing or contract experience. 
• Knowledge of basic contract law, procurement regulations and public purchasing procedures.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with legal counsel, department heads and external partners in the contract development process.
• Skill in managing vendor relationships and monitoring contract performance. Ability to identify and resolve conflicts related to contract interpretation, performance and/or compliance.
• Proficient in maintaining accurate contract documentation and managing renewal/expiration schedules.
• Advanced computer software proficiency, specifically, advanced skills using Microsoft Office products.
• Ability to work effectively on a daily basis with general to limited supervision.

DESIRABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Graduate of a four-year college or university with a degree in accounting, public administration, business administration, finance, or a related field; or any combination of training and experience which provides the desired knowledge, skills and abilities. Previous experience in purchasing desirable but not an absolute requirement. 

The above Job Description is intended to describe the general content of, and the requirements for, the performance of this job, including the essential functions. The description is not to be construed as an exhaustive, all inclusive statement of job duties, requirements, or responsibilities.

BENEFITS

A full-time employee is one who works more than thirty (30) hours per week on a regularly scheduled basis. Full-time employment with the County, enjoys an excellent health benefits plan (including hospitalization, dental, prescription, and optical plans), competitive wages, participation in the County Employees Retirement System (CERS), Life Insurance coverage, Long term Disability coverage, optional participation in state administered 401(k) program, and paid sick days, vacation and holidays.