Purchasing Agent

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

The Purchasing Agent will report to the Purchasing Services Contracting Manager and is a key member of the purchasing team. The Purchasing Agent performs all tasks necessary in implementing purchasing activities in compliance with Caltech's Policies and Procedures, to acquire goods and services for one or more departments/divisions and will provide general purchase order administration.

Primary duties include:

• Handles a wide range of procurements of supplies, equipment, and services ranging from moderate to high financial exposure.
• Communicates with suppliers and internal customers to develop technically sound procurement documents.
• Evaluates sourcing, bid and order documentation (requisitions, change orders, quotes).
• Initiates, monitors, amends, and closes out standard and declining balance purchase orders.
• Prepares competitive and non-competitive procurement justifications, including market research.
• Performs cost or price analyses and recommends options that best meet the customer requirements.
• Administers negotiations of terms and conditions for each procurement and ensures all applicable purchasing documents accommodate each procurement according to internal and external audit requirements.
• Works under general supervision of the Purchasing Services Contracting Manager(s) and the management team.
• Processes and reconciles P-Card transactions.
• Presents procurement information on administrative procedures, processes, services, regulations, etc. for the purpose of training and teaching Campus personnel.
• Participates in team meetings, in-service training, and workshops for the purpose of gathering and relaying information to perform job duties.
• Reviews and becomes knowledgeable on purchasing-related information/processes for the purpose of providing information to and educating the Campus.

Special Assignments may include, but not limited to:

• Provides procurement presentations to Campus on an as needed basis.
• Prepares procurement training material for Campus training classes.
• Works with the Support Team to aide in communicating relevant Procurement news to the Campus quarterly.
• Participates in Purchasing's Supplier Relations Committee, which seeks to foster and build relationships among Caltech's e-procurement catalog suppliers and Campus customers.

• Bachelor's degree or 4-6 years of relevant work experience.
• The selected candidate must pass a pre-employment background investigation to be hired for this position.
  

• Certified Professional Contacts Manager (CPCM) certificate a plus.
• NCMA membership is a plus.
• Experience in higher education is preferred.
• Candidate must be proficient in various software applications (word processing, spreadsheets, database, email, networked server applications).
• Excellent organization, interpersonal and written communication skills with strong customer focus.
• Excellent negotiation, problem solving, presentation and leadership skills.
• The candidate must be self-driven with the ability to work as part of a team or independently as an individual contributor.
• Candidate must be confident with public speaking and provide structured training classes.
• Experience with government procurement and government property accountability is a plus.

• Resume.