Buyer II

Buyer II

As a contributor in the Office of Procurement, the Buyer II supports the County, Schools, and partner agencies to acquire best value goods, services, and construction, through maximizing competition, in compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act and local laws. The Buyer II is responsible for managing and administering the procurement needs of internal customers as assigned. This position maintains contract files and assists with contract admin, assisting in evaluation of supplier performance and determining the appropriate procurement requirements to be followed in the selection of successful vendor, and conducts procurement research and recommends solutions for customer needs.

Essential Functions:

• Oversees the purchasing of goods, services and supplies and equipment, ensuring the policies and procedures comply with Virginia Procurement Act including authorizing the issuance of purchase orders for County, School district & partner entities.
• Provides customer service to decentralized buyers within departments, vendors, and co-workers.
• Assists vendors and various departments researching and providing information on the status of purchase orders, bids/proposals, and contract renewals.
• Maintains contract files and assists with contract administration.
• Assists the Program administrator in a variety of activities such as providing training, maintaining databases and master data, and supports the administration of procurement programming.
• Assistsin development of officeprocedures.
• Handle security issues, such as fraud, compromised accounts and lost/stolen accounts, by working with the cardholder and the P-Card provider; Reconcile P-Card activity for ghost card activity; Develop communications andmaintainvendor system (currently Works) information to help cardholders manage their accountseffectively.
• Partner with Accounting, Budget, and other internal departments toidentifytop Vendors/Suppliers to maximize service while minimizing risk and administrativeoverhead.

Competency: Knowledge/ Skills/Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of the laws, practices and applicable procedures used in public sector purchasing; considerable knowledge of sources of supplies and of services required by a public sector jurisdiction(Local Government and Schools).
• Skilled with leveraging technology and systems.
• Ability toestablishand maintain effective working relationships withgeneral publicandstaff.
• Ability to work underpressure.
• Ability tomaintainprocurement records and prepare reports from such records; ability to make decisionsin accordance withregulations andestablishedpolicies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Working skill with software systems (e.g.workflows, office tools, spreadsheets, productivity).
• Ability to effectively negotiate price of goods or services with potentialvendors.

Required Education and Experience:

• Any combination of education and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university and two years of experience in customer service

Preferred Qualifications/Certifications:

• Coursework in Business Management, Marketing, Purchasing, or related areas preferred.
• Certification as Virginia Contracting Associate (VCA) preferred, must complete within 1 year in position.
• Certification as Virginia Contracting Officer (VCO) preferred, must complete within 2 years in position.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Work is typically performed in an office setting.
• Work is primarily through computers and meetings with heavy interaction with people physically and virtually.
• Conducts work in a sitting position; however, job requires frequent standing, walking, bending, stooping and light lifting. Requires frequent operation of a variety of office machines.
• Employees must possess a valid driver's license and meet the qualifications of the County's driver eligibility program. Occasional travel between County facilities or to off-site meetings may be required.

Salary Range: The salary range for this position is $30.61- $33.83 (approx. $63,664.25-$70,365.75 per year). Starting offer is based on applicable education beyond minimum, experience and internal equity. The position also provides excellent benefits including 12 paid holidays, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, VRS retirement, and continuing education/training opportunities. This is a full time, FLSA Non-exempt position. Internal candidates will receive pay adjustments in accordance with Local Government Personnel Policy, §P-60.

Deadline for Applications: Position open until July 23rd, 2026.

Remote Work: This role is designated as hybrid-eligible, allowing employees to perform a portion of their work remotely, in accordance with organization a l policy and operational requirements. On-site presence may be required for meetings, collaboration, or business needs as determined by management. All County staff must maintain residence within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Albemarle County Core Values:

Albemarle County holds its employees to the highest standards in fulfilling the County's Vision and Mission. We believe in excellence in public service through:

Community: We expect diversity, equity, and inclusion to be integrated into how we live our mission.

Integrity: We value our customers and co-workers by always providing honest and fair treatment.

Innovation: We embrace creativity and positive change.

Stewardship: We honor our role as stewards of the public trust by managing our natural, human, and financial resources respectfully and responsibly.

Learning: We encourage and support lifelong learning and personal and professional growth.