What are the responsibilities and job description for the Acquisition Associate (Partial Remote) - Purchasing Help Desk position at The University of Texas Medical Branch?
Minimum Qualifications:
High School Diploma or equivalent plus 2 years of work experience in an office environment.
Job Summary:
To provide basic advisory, technical, and administrative skills necessary to acquire supplies, equipment, and services required by the institution in compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Primarily responsible for acquiring routine supplies, equipment, and services on a non-competitive/spot market basis.
Job Duties:
The Acquisition Associate for the Purchasing Help Desk serves as the primary point of contact for all procurement-related inquiries and issues, providing essential first-level support to internal staff and suppliers. This role is vital in ensuring efficient purchasing processes, resolving technical and operational challenges, and maintaining strong vendor relationships. The specialist will handle a variety of tasks, from processing orders to troubleshooting system issues, all while upholding our purchasing policies and procedures.
Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, partial remote.
Compensation:
Actual salary commensurate with experience.
Equal Employment Opportunity
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Primary Location
United States-Texas-Galveston
Work Locations
0905 - Webster(Clear Lake Ctr)
Job
Supply Chain Management
Organization
UTMB Health
Regular
Shift
Standard
Employee Status
Non-Manager
Job Level
Day Shift
Job Posting
Dec 15, 2025, 11:03:26 AM
High School Diploma or equivalent plus 2 years of work experience in an office environment.
Job Summary:
To provide basic advisory, technical, and administrative skills necessary to acquire supplies, equipment, and services required by the institution in compliance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Primarily responsible for acquiring routine supplies, equipment, and services on a non-competitive/spot market basis.
Job Duties:
The Acquisition Associate for the Purchasing Help Desk serves as the primary point of contact for all procurement-related inquiries and issues, providing essential first-level support to internal staff and suppliers. This role is vital in ensuring efficient purchasing processes, resolving technical and operational challenges, and maintaining strong vendor relationships. The specialist will handle a variety of tasks, from processing orders to troubleshooting system issues, all while upholding our purchasing policies and procedures.
- First-Level Support: Act as the initial point of contact for users seeking assistance with purchasing systems, orders, and processes via phone (hotline), and the Ivanti ticketing system.
- Reporting & Resolution: Run daily reports to identify potential issues within the procurement process and proactively work to resolve them.
- Requisition Assistance: Provide direct support to departments in creating and managing requisitions within PeopleSoft 9.2, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Technical Troubleshooting: Offer first-level technical support for issues related to requisitions, purchase orders (POs), and receipts, guiding users through solutions.
- Order Processing: Accurately handle purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and change orders, verifying data integrity and completeness.
- Issue Resolution: Diagnose and resolve a range of problems, including PeopleSoft errors, POs not dispatching to the supplier correctly, and navigation of PeopleSoft, ensuring timely and effective solutions.
- Documentation & Record Keeping: Maintain detailed and accurate records of all issues, resolutions, transactions, and customer interactions.
- Escalation: Identify and escalate complex or unresolved issues to the appropriate next level of support or the broader purchasing team for further investigation.
- Guidance & Training: Provide basic training and guidance to internal staff on purchasing best practices, system usage, and policy adherence.
- Process Improvement: Contribute to the continuous improvement of purchasing help desk workflows, policies, procedures, and support systems by suggesting modifications and enhancements.
- Strong customer service orientation with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Exceptional organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
- Proven problem-solving and analytical abilities to diagnose and resolve complex issues.
- Proficiency with procurement software (e.g., PeopleSoft 9.2, Ivanti ticketing system) and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
- A collaborative spirit, with the ability to work effectively with various departments and external vendors.
Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, partial remote.
Compensation:
Actual salary commensurate with experience.
Equal Employment Opportunity
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Primary Location
United States-Texas-Galveston
Work Locations
0905 - Webster(Clear Lake Ctr)
Job
Supply Chain Management
Organization
UTMB Health
Regular
Shift
Standard
Employee Status
Non-Manager
Job Level
Day Shift
Job Posting
Dec 15, 2025, 11:03:26 AM