Purchasing Agent

Bargaining Unit: ACE
Work Year: 230 days per year, 12 contract payments
OR 240 days per year, 12 contract payments
WorkDay: 8 hours per day
FTE: Full time, 1.0 FTE
Salary: ACE 7 A – D, $51,457.90 – $ 55379.40 ( 230 days),  $53,695.20 – $57,787.20 ( 240 days) 

Job Summary
The Purchasing Agent supervises the process for bids, quotes, contracted services, and other aspects of the purchasing process for the Anchorage School District. The position has a retirement association with the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS).

Job Requirements
The following are required:

• A bachelor’s degree in purchasing, business administration, or a related field. Equivalent experience, education, and training may be considered in lieu of the degree requirement.
• Knowledge of materials and services used in a public school system, including general construction documentation and bidding procedures.
• Knowledge of governmental purchasing procedures and practices.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies affecting school system purchasing and property disposal.
• Knowledge of specification preparation.
• Knowledge of materials, markets, marketing procedures, shipping procedures, rates, and pricing methods.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.

The following are preferred:

• Four years of responsible experience in the purchasing and storage of supplies and equipment in a school district.
• Working knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity or labor regulations and policies.

Essential Job Functions

• Supervises and coordinates the preparation of bids, quotes, and purchase orders for the purchase of supplies and contracted services.
• Works closely with the Purchasing director in areas of functional and commodity assignment and general purchasing support.
• Serves on the Purchasing director’s management council and provides advice and counsel relative to purchasing concerns and issues.
• Has sole signature authority for purchases which do not require Anchorage School Board approval.
• Evaluates and directs the purchasing process for incoming purchase requisitions.
• Evaluates and prepares memorandums containing contract award recommendations involving large dollar amounts which require school board action.
• Coordinates all activities required with District departments to purchase requisitioned materials, supplies, equipment and contracted services.
• Consolidates purchases to obtain maximum economic benefits and seeks methods wherein the competitive bid process is enhanced.
• Searches for more economical sources of supplies, materials, and equipment.
• Reviews and researches trends in purchasing and assists in the development and implementation of purchasing procedures and methods and records systems in accordance with laws, regulations, and policies.
• Evaluates, recommends, and implements ASD policies and procedures for all requisitioning units.
• Arranges for the sale of surplus materials and equipment such as obsolete stock.
• Initiates and evaluates studies for promotion of purchasing cost savings for Districtwide application.

Physical/Mental Demands
The physical demands of this job require frequent standing, walking, sitting, speaking, and hearing. Specific visual abilities are also required. The employee is regularly required to reach with his/her hands and arms and occasionally lift items weighing less than 40 lbs. Additionally, the employee must be able to communicate by oral and written means in an appropriate business manner and have cognitive skills to understand instructions, readily recall facts and details, handle conflict, and make effective decisions under pressure. The employee must have the ability to effectively manage the stress of working with students, parents, and other employees representing diverse cultures, personalities, and work styles in a dynamic work environment.

The Anchorage School District is committed to providing reasonable accommodations, according to applicable state and federal laws, to all individuals with qualified physical or mental disabilities.

Work Environment
Work is performed in a professional environment with a wide variety of individuals having differing functions, personalities and abilities, including working with diverse groups of people in a variety of different settings.

While performing the duties of this job the employee may be regularly exposed to a video display. The employee may be exposed to outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Additional Job Information
This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) in this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties as requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments.

Anchorage School District employees must possess the ability to read and write in English. This includes the ability to communicate in English with school staff, coworkers, and the public. Employees must also have the ability to comprehend and carry out oral and written directions and understand and follow English instructions and written documents.

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a satisfactory criminal background check.

This position may be required to work in ASD facilities on the military installations (JBER). Please visit www.dhs.gov/real-id-enforcement-brief for additional information.

The Anchorage School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.