Buyer

GENERAL SUMMARY

Salary: $16.63/hr. midpoint - $19.68/hr. max (Depending on qualifications)

The Buyer assists in the procurement process of all bids and coordinates timely bidding of City contracts from user departments; assists in the evaluation of bid responses for adherence to specifications and preliminary recommendation of award. Provides a wide variety of support to the Purchasing division including purchases of supplies, services and material for city departments as directed; and to provide professional, effective and efficient public service assistance to the general public; and to provide highly responsible secretarial support to various department staff.

SUPERVISION

General supervision is provided by the Purchasing Manager.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• All behaviors comply with the Code of Conduct and Rules of Behavior outlined in chapter 8 of the General Government Policies and Procedures Manual.
• Provides skilled and responsible confidential administrative support to assist the Purchasing division staff and Telecommunications staff in the completion of their duties and responsibilities.
• Ability to conduct training of purchasing policies and procedures to all levels of personnel within the city and to the general public.
• Assist Purchasing Manager in composing, reviewing and verifying a variety of memorandums, correspondence, reports, public notices, permits, forms and documents as assigned, including bid specifications and bid addenda's; research and verify information as required.
• Maintain and monitor the status of annual contracts; assist in administering annual contracts with the Purchasing Manager's guidance.
• Answer questions and provide information to the general public, vendors and other departments regarding bid notices, bid openings, bid specifications and bid awards, etc.; refer citizen and client complaints and questions to appropriate department or division staff member for resolution.
• Prepare and maintain a variety of files and filing systems; prepare, maintain, and update various records; verify information as requested.
• Prepare materials and correspondence for distribution within the City and to other related external businesses and governmental agencies; photocopy, mail, or fax materials as necessary.
• Assist department with entering Purchase Requisitions into Munis system to produce Purchase Orders. Assist departments with system requisition questions and issues.
• Assist in the preparation of annual budgets and annual Performance Measurements for Central Copy and Transportation Pool.
• Maintain and manage the annual uniform contract for field service employees; process all uniform orders and resolve problems and complaints with vendor; maintain all order and replacement uniform records.
• Maintain and manage copier contracts with various vendors; schedule all maintenance for copiers and order supplies; gather data and process payment for copiers; prepare end of month report for accounting to allocate copy cost to departments.
• Oversee transportation pool; issue pool cars to employees; monitor and schedule all repairs for vehicles; prepare end of month report for accounting to charge mileage to departments.
• Assist new vendors on how to register on-line on the City's Web site and on the electronic procurement provider's Web site (BidSync); answers any questions vendors may have regarding conducting business with the City.
• Maintain and update vendor supply catalogue file.
• Assist in the monitoring of Purchase Orders from inception to delivery of goods and services.
• Assist Purchasing Manager with informal quotes. May consult catalogs or contact vendors to obtain price and availability information.
• Assist departments on the scheduling of bid openings, prepare bid specification documents and any bid addenda's; post all documents on the City's Web site and on the electronic procurement provider's Web Site (BidSync).
• Attend formal bid openings; tabulate bids and post on City's Web site and on the electronic procurement provider's Web Site (BidSync).
• Maintain stamp order requests on-line as submitted from city departments.
• Responsible for maintaining all records retention management for Purchasing, Print Shop and Warehouse departments, as required by law.
• Prepare and maintain city auction reports for City equipment, police confiscated or abandoned vehicles; verifies accurate audit trail.
• Process all business card and note-card orders for City personnel and City Council.
• Obtain bonding and notary certificates from the State of Texas for City employees.
• Maintain and update advertisement records.

• Assist with the review and resolution, under immediate Manager, to assist fairly in resolving purchasing discrepancies with vendors or city departmental staff.
• Provide assistance on the monitoring and determination of effective and efficient vendor delivery.
• Schedule travel arrangements, reservations, daily operations and meetings as assigned.
• Balance receipts for petty cash; prepare and maintain reimbursement and expense vouchers.
• Frequently act as backup to Water and Sewer Accounting department by operating the PBX switchboard, receiving cash payments and balancing the cash drawer.
• Collect payments for a variety of City permits and fees; encode payments with proper accounting category; provide vouchers and receipts as requested.
• Enter payroll for division personnel; maintain and update personnel files as needed; monitor and control City issued equipment as assigned.
• Oversee maintenance of office equipment, maintain inventory of supplies and order supplies as necessary.
• Coordinate various social functions as appropriate; prepare associated materials.
• Provide training on office equipment as necessary.
• Screen and direct calls and visitors as appropriate.
• Attend various meetings and take, transcribe and prepare minutes as appropriate; prepare agendas and associated materials.
• Distribute daily mail.
• Participate in annual budget preparation for division including research, assembly of information, and data entry into budget system.
• May participate in a variety of activities involving travel between various City facilities and to other related external business and government agencies which may include collecting and distributing mail, delivering money for deposits and picking up materials and supplies.
• May process checks and verify account balances.
• Enter data into the computer system; backup computer disks as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• May serve as Notary Public; notarize a variety of documents related to City business as needed; may act as a witness as necessary.

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION

Associates degree or higher in Business Administration, Procurement, Accounting Finance, Public Administration or related field.

EXPERIENCE

Two (2) years of progressively responsible procurement experience or related field.

Two (2) years of experience working with Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES

None.

WORK SCHEDULE

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS / WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position does not require a physical for employment.

Applicants with disabilities meeting the job requirements and capable of performing the essential functions of the job, either on their own or with reasonable accommodations, are encouraged to apply

Full Time Employees:

The City of Mesquite offers the Zero Premium, Employee Only Benefits under the following plans: High Deductible Medical Plan, Dental HMO Plan, Vision Plan, and Life Insurance.
The City is self-insured and offers a choice of two medical plans: HSA, and High Deductible Medical Plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. Employee medical coverage goes into effect the first day of the month following 30 days of employment. Coverage is available to all full-time employees at group rates. Employees enrolled in the City's self-insured medical plan also have access to the Mesquite Employee Health Center (MEHC) clinic and pharmacy.

The City offers three dental plan options: a managed plan (DHMO), an indemnity plan (DPPO), an enhanced indemnity plan (DPPO Enhanced). Coverage is available to all full-time employees at group rates.

The City offers free Vision Insurance to all employees. Dependents can be added for an additional fee.

Basic Group Life Insurance protection is provided to eligible full-time employees in the amount of two times the annual salary as recorded at the beginning of each year. The following voluntary benefits are available to full-time employees: Supplemental Life, AD&D Insurance, Cancer Insurance and Long-Term Disability

Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS): All employees appointed to positions designated to work 1,000 hours or more per year must participate in the TMRS. TMRS is a qualified tax-deferred retirement plan under Section 401 of the IRS. Seven (7) percent of gross earnings are deducted each payroll as a pre-tax deduction and deposited into the member account. When an employee becomes vested and retires, the City provides 2-to-1 matching contributions.

Other benefits include Social Security, Tax Saver Program (Section 125 Flexible Spending Account), Deferred Compensation Plans, Direct Deposit, Paid Holidays, Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Personal Leave.
For more information about the City of Mesquite's employee benefits, please visit: http://www.cityofmesquite.com/hrbenefits