General Summary: Processes purchase orders and requisitions; manages fixed asset, product, and fuel invoices; maintains up to date records of outstanding purchase orders and payments made, including reconciling accounts; and serves as liaison to other departments regarding purchase orders and with products/service satisfaction;. Essential Duties: Assist with various tasks associated with preparing bid specifications, including writing the specifications and terms and conditions, advertising, preparing lists of vendors from whom bids are solicited, sending and receiving bids, evaluating bids, and making recommendations for award; Processes purchase orders, including obtaining price quotations, coordinating with the requesting department(s), verifying departmental budget availability, communicating with vendors, and preparing and distributing the purchase orders; Responds to departmental requests regarding county purchases, including answering questions, preparing expenditure reports, and advising different departments regarding their outstanding purchase orders; Prepares state contracts, including communicating with the State Comptroller’s office and/or Cooperative Purchasing office. Manages fixed assets, including tagging items, logging them into the computer, tracking property transfers, and assisting with annual auction of county property; Manages product inventory, including monitoring inventory levels through the computer and reordering supplies as needed; Manages fuel inventory, including monitoring county vehicle usage and preparing monthly and quarterly usage reports, issuing gas cards to county employees, and running various tests; Files application for equipment and vehicle titles and license plates for county-owned equipment and vehicles; Creates reports detailing all outstanding purchase orders and payments made; Serves as liaison to accounts payable, providing up to date information on outstanding purchase orders and whether or not payment has been made; Provides departments with advice concerning equipment and service specifications, ensuring items purchased meet requirements; Ensures compliance by vendors on standing contracts; Creates forms such as purchase orders and requisitions, as needed; Maintains up to date knowledge of laws and market trends that affect purchasing and accounting; and Assists outside auditors when necessary. Manage the payment of construction projects and capital assets purchased. Other Duties as assigned. Supervision Received: Purchasing Agent Given: This is a non-supervisory position. Education Required: 30 hours of college course credit or High school graduate; or any equivalent combination of education and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. Preferred: Experience Required: Prior purchasing experience. Preferred: Certificates, Licenses, Registrations Required: None. Preferred: Physical Demands Typical: 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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 50 pounds, such as reports, stacks of records, equipment, furniture, or other similar objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus. Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities Typical: Personal computers; business and government accounting principles; laws, policies, and procedures affecting county government purchasing and solicitation of bids; and standard office practices and procedures. Use computer applications such as spreadsheets, word processors, and databases; read, analyze, and interpret various financial data, policies, and procedures; balance accounts; maintain accurate records of purchase orders and requisitions, as well as payments made and goods or services received; compile, analyze, and evaluate bid solicitation information and sealed bids; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with county employees, vendors, and the general public. Work Environment Typical: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is constantly required to work closely with others as part of a team, and must frequently work under time pressures to meet deadlines, perform multiple tasks simultaneously, and perform tedious and exacting work. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.