Finance Purchasing Agent Level 2

GENERAL DUTIES

This class of positions encompasses responsible purchasing of a variety of materials with varying degree of latitude. For independent initiative and judgment and supervisory work of a major subdivision in a large bureau or purchasing organization. There are three assignment levels within this class of positions. All personnel perform related work.

Assignment Level I

Under general supervision, with limited latitude for independent or unreviewed action or decision in accordance with standard procedures and legal requirements, performs work of limited difficulty and responsibility in one or more of the following areas:

• Is responsible for the purchase of a volume and variety of materials in assigned fields.
• Reviews purchasing requisitions, checking descriptions and specifications to determine their accuracy and adequacy and consults with department and agencies to adjust possible discrepancies.
• Analyzes market conditions in relation to recent, current, and anticipated purchases.
• Prepares proposals for bidding on items to be purchased.
• Develops lists of prospective bidders.
• Reviews bids and quotations to determine most reasonable price in relation to market conditions and responsibility of bidders and makes recommendations based on these determinations.
• Examines samples of items to determine compliance with specifications or standards, suggesting substitute items when desirable.
• Interviews and corresponds with vendors, business representatives and contractors.
• Analyzes trade journals, catalogs, directories and other technical material with respect to market and price conditions.
• Prepares necessary purchasing documents in accordance with procurement requirements.
• May supervise Assistant Purchasing Agents and clerical personnel.
• Keeps records and makes copies.

Assignment Level II

Under general supervision, with considerable latitude for independent or unreviewed action or direction, in accordance with standard procedures and legal requirements, handles more complex problems in one or more of the following:

• Is responsible for the purchasing of materials in assigned fields which involve a large expenditure of money and the more complex purchasing problems that are continual in nature, due to such factors as seasonal variations, number and variety of items, frequency and extent of emergency purchases, complicated and non-standard nature of items purchased, and liabilities and consequences resulting from purchasing errors.
• May incidentally perform duties described under Assignment Level I.

Assignment Level III

Under direction, with wide latitude for independent or unreviewed action or decision, performs supervisory work in one or more of the following, after having performed duties at Assignment Level I and/or II at least two years:

• Supervises and coordinates the purchasing activities of a subdivision consisting of two or more commodity units.
• Makes investigations in relation to purchase and handles special assignments as required.
• Reviews contract and calendar proposals before advertising.
• Approves recommendations for contract awards, contract modifications, buy-against transactions, formal requests for time extension on contracts, etc.
• Supervises various activities in connection with open market transactions.
• Supervises personnel in the titles of Assistant Purchasing Agents and other clerical personnel.
• May incidentally perform duties described under lower Assignment Levels.
• May, during temporary absence of immediate superior, perform the duties of that individual.

CONTRACT TITLE

Purchasing Agent

FLSA

Non-exempt

CAMPUS SPECIFIC INFORMATION

New York City College of Technology (City Tech) of the City University of New York (CUNY) is a comprehensive college in downtown Brooklyn, offering associate and baccalaureate degree in technology and health related degree programs, other career-oriented degrees and liberal arts transfer degrees in its Schools of Arts and Sciences, Technology and Design, and Professional Studies.

The Purchasing Office at City Tech welcomes applications for a Finance Purchasing Agent Level 2 position. This position will be in provisional status. Continued employment is contingent upon taking and passing a civil service examination when it is offered by CUNY.

Under general supervision by the Finance Procurement Specialist, with considerable latitude for independent action, and in accordance with standard procedures and legal requirements, the Purchasing Agent Level 2 will:

• Handle a high volume of commodities purchasing for the College, including office furniture, office supplies, promotional materials, software, and IT related hardware.
• Manage the procurement of services, including catering and speaker related services, requiring coordination with end users, review of scope requirements, and adherence to applicable procurement methods and compliance standards.
• Conduct complex emergency purchases for essential items, including accessibility furniture and equipment, emergency electrical and HVAC supplies, as well as other urgent contracts that may arise.
• Prepare and review specifications for bids and develops lists of prospective bidders for use with Request for Quotes (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP), and Invitation for Bids (IFB).
• Interact with end users to independently assess needs and advise on compliant purchasing methods, resolving complex or non standard procurement issues.
• Place advertisements with the City Record and New York State Contract Reporter, which includes forwarding bid documents to prospective bidders, and assist in evaluating bid responses.
• Prepare award and renewal letters and related documents for contracts; produce contracts and purchase orders via CUNY’s e-procurement and ERP systems.
• Maintain and audit complete procurement files to ensure compliance with statutory, regulatory, and audit requirements.
• Conduct spend analyses by category and vendor; share ideas, plans, and initiatives for spend optimization.
• Assist the Purchasing Manager with various projects as needed and perform any other purchasing-related activities to support the Procurement department's daily operations.

Please note: Until further notice, this position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. High school graduation or its equivalent and four years of full-time, paid experience in purchasing a large volume and/or variety of materials, supplies, or equipment, two years of which may have been in a field closely related to large-scale purchasing such as inspection or specification writing covering a large volume and/or variety of materials, supplies or equipment; OR
2. A baccalaureate degree, from an accredited college, in marketing , materials testing, mathematics, merchandising, purchasing, retailing, economics, or finance and one (1) year of full-time, paid experience in purchasing a large volume of materials, supplies or equipment; OR
3. A combination of education and/or experience which is equivalent to 1 or 2.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

The following knowledge, skills, and abilities are preferred:

• Knowledge of purchasing procedures, New York State Government Contracts, and reporting principles are preferred.
• Proficiency using computers and standard office, financial and relational database applications and systems, especially MS Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, PeopleSoft, and financial systems.
• Strong attention to detail, and strong evaluation and research skills.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders of various organizational levels.
• Ability to work productively as an individual contributor and collaboratively as a team member in a time-sensitive and customer-service oriented office.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to plan, manage a large and varied workload with competing priorities, and consistently meet deadlines.

COMPENSATION

New Hire: $61,445*

Incumbent: $69,432

*This amount reflects a 13% salary suppression in effect for the first 24 months of employment only.

BENEFITS

CUNY offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees and eligible dependents based on job title and classification. Employees are also offered pension and Tax-Deferred Savings Plans. Part-time employees must meet a weekly or semester work hour criteria to be eligible for health benefits. Health benefits are also extended to retirees who meet the eligibility criteria.