Senior Buyer

Senior Buyer

Office of Procurement

Exempt, Regular, 100% Full Time, Pay Grade 3.1

Job Location: Stateside, Adelphi, MD, Hybrid (Occasional Travel to Adelphi Required)

Summary:

The Senior Buyer will be responsible for the procurement lifecycle, which includes understanding and identifying business requirements or problems to negotiating and drafting contracts for goods and non-IT services. Key responsibilities include collaborating with departments and its procurement liaisons, assessing the needs of business owners, researching suitable contracting vehicles, drafting and evaluating solicitations and Request(s) for Proposals (RFPs), verifying vendor quoted pricing against contract terms, drafting contract amendments, processing requisitions, and preparing purchase orders and its change orders in Workday’s Financial Management module.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Draft Specifications & Vendor Qualification Criteria: Research business owner needs and develop specifications and vendor qualification criteria for solicitations and RFPs to ensure proper procurement, maximize competition, and ensure adherence to the University System of Maryland’s Procurement Policies and Procedures.

• Evaluate Proposals & Lead Evaluations: Evaluate proposal responses to solicitations and, when necessary, lead and collaborate with evaluation committees. Recommend awardees and facilitate required approvals from external parties. Conduct debriefings for unsuccessful vendors.

• Process Requisitions & Purchase Orders: Review requisitions submitted by departments daily. Research existing cooperative agreements when needed. Ensure all requisition attachments are processed and collaborate with departments as necessary. Source requisitions to purchase orders and process change orders in Workday to meet departmental procurement needs.

• Assist with Requisition Issues & PO Inquiries: Help resolve requisition issues that may delay PO processing. Assist vendors and departments with PO inquiries and direct invoice inquiries to UMGC Accounts Payable for resolution.

• Contract Research & Price Validation: Research underlying contracts for UMGC purchases, including validating prices. Review submitted price quotes to ensure they align with contractual terms and conditions.

• Draft Contracts & Amendments: Draft contracts and amendments as needed for statements of work, pricing updates, change orders, contract extensions, term renewals, and other contractual changes.

• Manage P-Card & Reconciliation: Oversee the department’s purchasing card (P-Card) and perform monthly reconciliations as required.

• Assist the Assistant Director: Provide support to the Assistant Director in day-to-day procurement activities and assist with various procurement-related tasks.

• Perform all other duties as assigned and as needed.

Skills (specific, learned abilities to perform tasks):

• Analytical Skills: Strong ability to research and analyze contract terms and conditions.

• Microsoft Office 365 Proficiency: Experience using Microsoft Word and Excel for documentation and reporting.

• Multi-Tasking & Problem Solving: Ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently while addressing challenges and finding solutions.

• Communication Skills: Effective written and verbal communication, with the ability to clearly convey procurement information to internal stakeholders and vendors.

• Customer Service Orientation: Strong customer service skills, with a professional and solution-oriented approach to vendor and department interactions.

• Attention to Detail: Detail-oriented in reviewing contracts, requisitions, and purchase orders to ensure accuracy.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Ability to work well within a team and assist senior procurement staff as needed.

• Organization Skills: Ability to prioritize and handle a variety of procurement tasks with a focus on deadlines and efficiency.

• Innovation & Professionalism: Approaches tasks with creativity and professionalism, while maintaining a high standard of work quality.

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

• Experience: Five to seven (5-7) years of experience in procurement or a related field.

• Experience in state and local procurement, and higher education is a plus.