Buyer I/II

Salary : $68,167.84 - $81,373.76 Annually
Location : Santa Barbara, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 26-1389-01 (O)
Department: General Services
Opening Date: 08/19/2026
Closing Date: 9/11/2026 5:00 PM Pacific


Description
Buyer I Salary: $32.77- $39.12 Hourly

Buyer II Salary: $38.08 - $45.60 Hourly

We are accepting applications to fill one (1) full-time Buyer I/II position located in Santa Barbara for the General Services Department.


We are also accepting applications to establish one employment list to fill current and future Buyer I/II vacancies. Please be sure to select all of the locations you are willing to accept employment for current and future vacancies.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Buyer I/II is a flexibly staffed series. Buyer I is distinguished from Buyer II in that the latter prepares and analyzes more complex and higher profile contracts, and works with relative independence within established guidelines.


Candidate may be appointed at the I or II level, depending on the candidate's qualifications and the needs of the department.


BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. For information about the benefits for the position, click


In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

THE POSITION : Under direction of the Chief Procurement Officer or designee, solicits bids and negotiates for the purchase of supplies, equipment, and services for County departments and other public agencies; and performs related duties as required.

The IDEAL CANDIDATE will have :

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited university or college with major coursework in purchasing, materials management, supply chain management, business administration, public administration or another closely-related field;
• Two or more years of professional experience in quantity buying for a public agency and/or large private organization;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to convey information in a clear, concise, organized and relevant manner to help others understand objectives and priorities;
• Analytical skills and the ability to assess problems, secure relevant policy information, identify possible causes, develop options for solutions, and make logical recommendations;
• Strong project management skills;
• Ability to work well in a team environment, making positive contributions and assisting others as necessary;
• Ability to develop and maintain productive working relationships with diverse people;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work professionally with managers, executives, operations staff, other agencies, vendors, and regulators;
• Strong customer service skills and experience working with the public;
• Knowledge of the basic principles of supply chain, procurement materials, best value procurement, and/or environmental green building;
• Ability to work independently, prioritize work, keep records organized accordingly and meet critical deadlines;
• Professional experience using Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Access;
• Experience using numerous computerized data software management systems.

Examples of Duties

• Analyzes market conditions; keeps abreast of trends; explores sources of supply; studies new products; and researches departments' requests for all products and commodities.
• Confers with departmental representatives to determine specific needs, arranges for demonstrations, and distributes literature and samples.
• Processes requisitions; groups purchases to secure price advantages of quantity buying; composes and edits specifications; solicits formal bids in accordance with standard procedures and solicits informal bids by telephone, FAX, or personal contact; and compares and analyzes price quotations.
• Studies quality of products; determines vendor from whom purchases will be made; places orders; negotiates and renews contracts; investigates complaints and secures adjustments; follows up on deliveries.
• Maintains data and prepares reports using office automation software.

Employment Standards

• One year of experience in the field of quantity buying, for a public agency or large private company, of end items such as services, supplies, and equipment; OR ,
• One year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Buyer's Assistant with Santa Barbara County; OR ,
• A combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.

Knowledge of: standard business English; principles and practices of purchasing, including ethics, Internet research, standards, bid preparation and evaluation, competitive bidding procedures, quality control, inventory standards and control; data collection techniques for establishing sources of supply, product, and vendor information; market research techniques; general law of contracts; office procedures and office automation software (word processing, database management).


Ability to: conduct studies, analyze and evaluate data, and make recommendations and decisions; prepare and present written or oral reports; reproduce established bids; learn to prepare and evaluate new bids; learn practices and principles of government contracting; perform arithmetic calculations, such as calculating interest, discounts, and shipping charges; use common units of measure; maintain an effective liaison with vendors, management, staff, and co-workers; use personal computer.


Additional Requirements: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License may be required.

Supplemental Information

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS :

• Review application and supplemental questionnaires to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.
• Application Ranking: Applications that meet the employment standards will be evaluated and scored. Candidates' final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by the information provided on their application. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than eleven (11) qualified candidates.

Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Application Ranking assessment to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive written notice of their score on the exam(s) and exact duration of the employment list.


Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.


Conditional Offer: Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.


REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS : The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting. We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.


Disaster Service Worker: Pursuant to Governmental Code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.


Live Scan: Electronic fingerprint scanning may be required for some positions.


Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization


APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: Friday, September 11, 2026 at 4:59 pm PST; Postmarks not accepted. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at
Collin Graham, Recruiter: View email address on click.appcast.io
Retirement Plans

• Generous County Defined Benefit Plan
• Eligible to participate in 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan
• Retirement Reciprocity with CalPERS, CalSTRS, and 1937 Act plans
• For more information on our retirement plans, please visit: and

Health Benefits

• Choice of dental, vision and medical plans. In addition to the Benefit Allowance noted above, the County contributes toward medical premiums and dental premiums
• On-Site Employee Health Clinics in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria which provide ongoing and episodic services to eligible employees and their eligible dependents
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers free, confidential assistance with personal and workplace problems to employees and their immediate family members
• Healthcare Advocacy Program to help employees navigate the complexities of health plan benefits
• Available Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Account (HSA), Supplemental Term or Whole Life Insurance, Personal Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Accident Insurance and more!
• For more information on our health benefits, please visit:

Paid Time Off

• Vacation Leave 12 to 25 days per year depending on length of public employment
• Sick Leave 12 days annually with unlimited accumulation, one year of which can be converted to service credit upon retirement
• Paid Holidays based on bargaining unit (view the compensation summary for this bargaining unit, link below)
• Alternative Transportation Benefit (TDM) up to 2 days of additional vacation for using alternative methods of commuting
• For more information on Paid Time Off please view the Compensation Summary for this bargaining unit (available below)

Miscellaneous Benefits

• County Paid Term Life Insurance
• County Paid Long Term Disability Insurance
• Childcare and Employee Discounts
• Relocation Assistance may apply
• Flexible work schedule may apply
• For more information on all of these benefits, please visit:

Compensation Summary

• To view the Compensation Summary specific to the bargaining unit for this position (link to full Memorandum of Understanding also available at bottom of the summary), please visit:

*This benefits list is for convenience only; please refer to the Memorandum of Understanding for complete details of terms and conditions. Amounts are generally prorated for part-time employment.
01


To be considered for this position your application must CLEARLY demonstrate how you meet the requirements under EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS on the Job Bulletin or you will not be considered for this position. If you are unsure, go back and review your application before continuing. Which Employment Standard did you clearly demonstrate meeting on your application?

• One year of experience in the field of quantity buying, for a public agency or large private concern, of end items such as services, supplies, and equipment.
• One year of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Buyer's Assistant with Santa Barbara County.
• A combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities. A combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to one of the employment standards listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.
• None of the above - I do not meet the minimum qualifications for this position.

02


If you selected the third option in the preceding question, "a combination of training, education, and experience...", describe in detail how your training, education, and experience is equivalent to the employment standard on the job bulletin. If you did not select this option, type 'N/A."
03


Describe in detail your experience in the field of quantity buying, for a public agency or large private concern (organization), of end items such as services, supplies, and equipment. Include your employer's name(s), duration of employment, title, and overall responsibilities. (Full details should be listed on your application in the Work History section). If you do not have this experience, type "N/A."
04


I understand that an Application Ranking will be used as a scored examination. This will determine your ranking on the employment list for this position. Therefore, before you submit your application, please review the Ideal Candidate Statement and the Examples of Duties in the job bulletin. If you possess any of the qualifications in these areas, please make sure that information is provided in detail on your application. This information will be used to score your application. For information on protest procedures, please see Civil Service Rules 612 and 613:

• I understand it is my responsibility to provide ALL information that qualifies me for the position, including the requested information above, on my application.

Required Question