Lead Purchasing Agent

Summary The Lead Purchasing Agent serves in the Logistics Service in a Nebraska Western Iowa (NWI) Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VA HCS) and supported catchment area. The incumbent is responsible for issuing, reviewing and or procuring prescribed items to Veterans in compliance with VHA guidelines and directives and leading a team of Purchasing Agents. Responsibilities Major duties include but are not limited to: Leads a team of at least three Purchasing Agents, providing guidance and direction on procurement issues. Resolves procurement and purchase order concerns independently, only escalating complex issues to supervisors when needed. Distributes and balances workloads among Purchasing Agents to ensure timely completion of assignments. Coaches and trains new and current team members in problem-solving methods and procurement procedures. Monitors the status and progress of team assignments, making adjustments to meet organizational priorities. Reviews, edits, and processes purchase requests, ensuring completeness, compliance, and accuracy. Utilizes government purchase cards to procure equipment, supplies, and services under the micro-purchase threshold. Maintains current knowledge of and applies Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR), and other procurement laws. Conducts open market research for routine and specialized equipment, supplies, and services. Administers orders and service agreements, representing the VA in negotiations with vendors and contractors. Prepares and maintains procurement records, reports, contract modifications, and documentation for audit and compliance purposes. Advises staff and cardholders on procurement policies, procedures, and use of automated purchasing systems. Reconciles purchase card billing statements, validates transaction accuracy, and monitors for potential fraud or misuse. Provides clerical and administrative support, including managing records, answering phones, and generating reports for management. Communicates tactfully with medical staff, customers, vendors, and various stakeholders to resolve procurement-related issues and facilitate service delivery. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Lead Purchasing Agent/ PD99879S. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/05/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-06) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience includes: procuring supplies, equipment, and services using small purchase methods such as purchase cards and delivery orders; reviewing and processing purchase requests working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities; resolving a variety of shipment, payment, or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations; utilizing automated procurement and inventory systems and common office software to complete transactions, create reports, and maintain accurate records; and assisting in training new employees and answering questions on purchasing/procurement procedures, policies, etc. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Physical Demands - Requires some physical effort such as standing, sitting, walking, or bending. There are no special physical demands. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Work Environment - The work is performed in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts. Normal safety precautions are adequate. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at