Senior Procurement Officer

Job Posting Title:

Senior Procurement Officer

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Hiring Department:

Department of Chemistry

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Feb 06, 2025

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

Job Description Summary

Procure goods and services for the department while ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures. Oversee all aspects of inventory management, including certification, surplus transfers, and equipment tagging. Manage the department’s receiving facilities, including staffing, training, and daily operations. Develop and maintain relationships with vendors to support department needs, negotiate pricing, and coordinate beneficial events for faculty, students, and research labs. Serve as a liaison between the department, University Purchasing Office, vendors, and the receiving facility to ensure timely and accurate order fulfillment. Oversee department-owned spaces, ensuring efficient use and compliance with university policies. Manage eShip profiles, including account numbers and compliance with training and EHS regulations.

Responsibilities

• Prepare purchase orders and procurement-related correspondence, such as requests for bids, order cancellations, and prepayment forms. Review and process Exclusive Acquisition Justifications (EAJs) to ensure compliance with procurement policies.
• Act as the primary point of contact for faculty, students, and staff regarding procurement inquiries, outstanding orders, exchanges, and vendor credits. Work closely with vendors and end users to ensure accurate orders, negotiate pricing when applicable, and resolve issues.
• Serve as a liaison between the department, University Purchasing Office, vendors, and the receiving facility to ensure smooth order fulfillment, delivery, and distribution of goods.
• Oversee inventory management, including annual certification, surplus equipment transfers, and proper removal of obsolete items. Coordinate with auditors and ensure compliance with asset management policies. Ensure proper labeling, documentation, and tracking of new inventory items to maintain accurate records.
• Manage receiving facilities, including hiring, training, and scheduling student workers. Conduct daily facility checks to monitor workflow, address operational issues, and ensure efficient processing of shipments. Maintain and update Scope of Work (SOW) to reflect current procedures and responsibilities.
• Develop and maintain vendor relationships to secure competitive pricing, ensure product availability, and enhance service responsiveness.
• Organize vendor events, including vendor shows, pipette calibrations, and balance calibrations, to provide faculty, students, and research labs with valuable resources and promotional opportunities that won't delay lab research.
• Manage the department-owned spaces website, ensuring efficient use and compliance with university policies, and ensure accurate coding and documentation for different types of spaces, including research areas, storage, and technical closets.
• Manage eShip profiles, including managing and updating account numbers for users and labs. Ensure labs stay in compliance with training and EHS regulations by contacting ehs-hazmatshipping@austin.utexas.edu for incoming or outgoing collaborator packages.

Required Qualifications

High School diploma or GED plus five years of experience. Experience in performing stores work or purchasing/procurement functions. Ability to problem solve and research transaction related inquiries. Excellent organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail. Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel and creating reports using Excel. Experience in sourcing and purchasing materials, equipment, and supplies while ensuring cost efficiency and quality. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to interact and maintain productive working relationships with vendors, faculty, staff, and students and maintain a positive and professional demeanor. Demonstrated ability to work independently with little daily supervision.

Relevant education can be substituted for experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree. Experience purchasing supplies, materials, and services relat