Purchasing Agent

Job Description

Job Description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for supporting the organization's purchasing and procurement activities by obtaining competitive quotations, evaluating vendor pricing and availability, preparing purchase requisitions and purchase orders, coordinating deliveries, and maintaining accurate procurement records.

The Purchasing Agent ensures purchases are made in accordance with company policies, contractual requirements, applicable federal acquisition requirements, and established internal controls. This position works closely with requesting departments, suppliers, accounting, receiving, and management to ensure materials, equipment, and services are obtained accurately, timely, and cost-effectively.

The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, dependable, and capable of handling multiple purchasing requests while maintaining complete and accurate documentation.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Purchasing and Procurement

· Receive and review purchase requisitions and purchasing requests for completeness, accuracy, authorization, and supporting documentation.

· Obtain and document competitive quotations from approved vendors in accordance with company purchasing procedures and applicable contract requirements.

· Research vendors, products, pricing, availability, lead times, and delivery requirements.

· Prepare purchase orders based on approved purchase requisitions and vendor quotations.

· Verify that purchase orders accurately reflect quantities, prices, terms, delivery requirements, and applicable specifications.

· Issue purchase orders to approved vendors and maintain documentation of vendor acknowledgments.

· Monitor open purchase orders and follow up with vendors regarding order status, shipment dates, backorders, and delays.

· Coordinate with requesting departments to resolve purchasing questions, substitutions, changes, or delivery issues.

· Assist with emergency, expedited, and special purchasing requirements when authorized.

· Ensure purchases are made from approved sources when required by company policy, contract requirements, or customer requirements.

Government Contract and Compliance Responsibilities

· Follow company purchasing policies and procedures designed to meet government contracting and audit requirements.

· Maintain complete procurement files and supporting documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with applicable purchasing requirements.

· Ensure required quotations, sole-source justifications, or other supporting documentation are obtained and retained.

· Ensure purchasing actions are properly authorized before commitments are made.

· Follow applicable organizational procedures related to separation of purchasing responsibilities and conflicts of interest.

· Protect proprietary, sensitive, and government-related procurement information.

· Assist with internal and external audits by providing requested purchasing documentation and records.

· Remain familiar with applicable company procedures, customer requirements, and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements relevant to assigned purchasing activities.

Vendor Management

· Maintain professional relationships with suppliers and service providers.

· Request quotations and negotiate pricing, delivery schedules, payment terms, and other commercial conditions within established authority.

· Evaluate vendor performance based on price, quality, responsiveness, delivery, and reliability.

· Communicate vendor performance issues to the Purchasing Manager.

· Assist with identifying and qualifying new vendors when necessary.

· Maintain accurate vendor information and purchasing records.

· Ensure vendors receive complete and accurate purchase order information.

Receiving and Delivery Coordination

· Coordinate with shipping, receiving, warehouse personnel, and requesting departments to ensure timely receipt of purchased goods and services.

· Track shipments and communicate delivery status to internal personnel.

· Assist in resolving discrepancies involving quantities, damaged goods, incorrect shipments, or missing documentation.

· Coordinate returns, replacements, credits, and corrective actions with vendors as necessary.

Records and Documentation

· Maintain organized and complete purchasing files.

· Ensure purchase requisitions, quotations, purchase orders, approvals, invoices, receiving documentation, and related correspondence are properly documented and retained.

· Enter and maintain purchasing information in the company's accounting, purchasing, or ERP system.

· Ensure purchasing records are accurate and readily available for management and audit purposes.

· Prepare purchasing reports and status updates as requested.

AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

The Purchasing Agent is responsible for performing purchasing activities within the authority delegated by the Purchasing Manager and company management.

The Purchasing Agent may not commit the company to a purchase outside established authority levels or without required approvals.

The Purchasing Agent must promptly escalate unusual, high-value, urgent, noncompetitive, or potentially noncompliant purchasing situations to the Purchasing Manager or appropriate management representative.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

· High school diploma or equivalent required.

· Associate's or bachelor's degree in business, purchasing, supply chain management, accounting, or a related field preferred.

Experience

· Two or more years of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, administrative, or related business experience preferred.

· Experience working with purchase orders, vendor quotations, invoices, and procurement documentation preferred.

· Experience working for a government contractor or in a regulated procurement environment is highly desirable.

Knowledge and Skills

· Strong understanding of purchasing and procurement practices.

· Strong organizational and recordkeeping skills.

· Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills.

· Ability to negotiate professionally with vendors.

· Ability to prioritize multiple purchasing requests and meet deadlines.

· Ability to work independently while following established procedures.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.

· Ability to learn and effectively use purchasing, and accounting systems.

· Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise good judgment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

· Experience with government contracting and federal procurement requirements.

· Familiarity with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

· Experience with DCAA-related procurement documentation and audit requirements.

· Experience purchasing materials involving hazardous materials, international shipments, or specialized transportation requirements.

· Familiarity with government contract clauses and flow-down requirements.

KEY PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

1. Process purchasing requests accurately and in a timely manner.

2. Obtain required quotations and maintain adequate supporting documentation.

3. Follow all company purchasing policies and procedures.

4. Maintain complete, organized, and audit-ready procurement files.

5. Ensure purchases are properly authorized before commitments are made.

6. Obtain competitive pricing whenever required.

7. Develop and maintain effective vendor relationships.

8. Monitor purchase orders and follow up on outstanding orders.

9. Identify and escalate potential compliance issues.

10. Protect company, customer, and vendor confidential information.

11. Provide responsive and professional customer service to internal departments.

12. Demonstrate honesty, integrity, accountability, and sound business judgment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

· Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.

· Ability to communicate effectively by telephone, email, and in person.

· Ability to occasionally lift or move files, packages, or materials weighing up to 50 pounds, as required.

· Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Purchasing Agent primarily works on-site in an office environment and routinely interacts with employees, management, vendors, suppliers, shipping personnel, receiving personnel, and other business partners.

The position may occasionally require work outside normal business hours to address urgent purchasing, shipping, or operational requirements.

\nCompany Description

Founded in 1994, Neany Incorporated is an industry leader in providing time-sensitive tactical response solutions to the worldwide defense industry. Our ability to incorporate advanced technologies into unmanned systems quickly, and effectively transition them into operational systems, is the hallmark of our business base. The Neany family is dedicated to creating next generation aeronautical solutions designed to support the warfighter and provide protection and security.

Our headquarters are located in the heart of Saint Mary’s county Maryland in close proximity to the District of Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland. We also have offices in Crystal City, Virginia

Company Description

Founded in 1994, Neany Incorporated is an industry leader in providing time-sensitive tactical response solutions to the worldwide defense industry. Our ability to incorporate advanced technologies into unmanned systems quickly, and effectively transition them into operational systems, is the hallmark of our business base. The Neany family is dedicated to creating next generation aeronautical solutions designed to support the warfighter and provide protection and security.\r\n\r\nOur headquarters are located in the heart of Saint Mary’s county Maryland in close proximity to the District of Columbia and Baltimore, Maryland. We also have offices in Crystal City, Virginia