Purchasing Specialist I

Job Title

Purchasing Clerk

Job Summary

Reporting directly to a Purchasing Manager, responsible for performing routine transactional purchasing and compliance oversight functions that support the daily operations of the Williamson County Purchasing Department. Carries fiduciary responsibility for ensuring that each purchasing transaction complies with internal control requirements, applicable procurement laws, and County policy. Serves as a primary compliance and customer service resource for County departments, providing hands-on guidance, coaching, and corrective support to end users to ensure purchasing activities are executed accurately, legally, and efficiently. Errors or omissions at this level may result in audit findings, financial loss, or noncompliance, requiring a high degree of attention to detail, judgment, and independent decision-making.

Examples Of Work Performed

• Performs front desk duties such as answering/routing telephone calls and assisting walk-in visitors
• Independently reviews, validates, and enforces internal control requirements for each purchasing transaction, including authorization, funding, documentation, and statutory compliance
• Performs detailed risk analysis of requisitions and purchase orders to ensure transactions are legal, properly authorized, and defensible under audit
• Serves as a front-line risk resource for routine purchases, protecting the County from audit findings, financial exposure, and reputational risk
• Reviews supporting documentation to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance prior to approval and agenda placement
• Analyzes high volume materials and services to determine the best sourcing strategy between competitive bid and cooperative purchasing methods
• Works with vendors/contractors to aid their understanding of the purchasing requirements for local governmental entities
• Assists with preparation and administration of the county solicitation process
• Creates, approves, audits and files purchase orders and requisitions up to $25,000
• Serves as primary point of contact and daily subject matter expert for internal and external customers on routine purchasing concerns
• Balances high-volume transactional workload, often resolving issues that impact departmental operations and timelines
• Maintains complete and audit-ready electronic and physical purchasing records
• Assists departments in navigating purchasing processes, reducing delays, rework, and compliance risks
• Reviews and collects supporting documentation for requisition approval processing and prepares items for agenda placement
• Collaborates with county Budget and Auditor offices to ensure expenditures are properly authorized and legal
• Coordinates and schedules procurement card distribution appointments
• Performs quality control of various documents to ensure they meet purchasing policies and compliance implemented by federal, state, and local laws
• Preforms follow-up training for requisitioners
• Maintains all electronic and physical purchasing files
• Attends all meetings and trainings, as required
• Performs special duties as assigned

Organization Relationships

• Reports directly to Purchasing Manager
• Direct Reports No

Physical Demands

• Position involves prolonged sitting at a workstation, visual examination of documents, reaching, walking, twisting, bending, standing and occasional lifting/carrying
• Position involves safely operating a motor vehicle

Environmental Factors

• Work is primarily indoors in an air-conditioned environment
• Travel between work sites, as required

Irregular Hours

• Work outside of the normal office hours (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) may be required
• May be deemed essential personnel in the event of an emergency

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and three (3) years of purchasing related experience (i.e., finance, accounting, etc.) OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal government finance practices
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

Licenses And Certifications

Required within thirty (30) days of employment

• Valid Texas driver's license

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate degree in a related field
• One (1) year of public purchasing experience in a government capacity
• Knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning purchasing software (ERP) including Oracle
• Proficient data entry skills with the ability to type up to 55 words per minute
• National Purchasing Association Certification

Employment Testing

Employment is contingent on passing any post-offer pre-employment screening as listed below:

• Criminal background check: Yes
• Motor Vehicle Record check: Yes
• Drug screening: No
• Physical exam: No
• Psychological exam: No
• Additional: N/A

Supplemental Information

A Williamson County online application (resumes alone are not sufficient) must be received before the position is closed. Positions are open until filled, subject to close at any time after five (5) calendar days. The Human Resources Department is located at 100 Wilco Way, Georgetown, TX 78626.

Williamson County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERA). If you require an accommodation in order to apply for a position, please request assistance from the Human Resources Department.

Williamson County is a tobacco free workplace. The use of tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, snuff, chew, etc.) and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) (e.g., vapor, e-cigarettes, etc.) prohibited on all Williamson County premises. Employees who violate this policy are subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.