Purchasing Agent

Duties include but may not be limited to the following:

• Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates; sets and adjusts short term priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work based on priorities;
• Advises counsels and instructs employees on work and administrative manners such as complaints grievances etc.;
• Finds and implements ways to eliminate or reduce significant bottlenecks and barriers to production;
• Provides guidance and evaluates work involving new complex or unusual situations and those without clear precedence;
• Oversees management and distribution of all supplies and material in the medical center through subordinates who maintain stock monitor expiration dates and rotating stock ensure critical supplies are monitored perform daily inventory resolve differences in records distribute items deliver supplies in a timely manner and complete specialty cart preparation;
• Oversees the receipt of supplies and material into the medical center;
• Ensures supplies are unpacked and properly stored in inventory areas;
• Analyzes and resolves difficult issues and problems in order to plan effectively and render equitable and reliable decisions;
• Conducts market research on all new products and ensures they are recorded in the automated inventory system;
• Ensures availability of recurring supply items which are managed and distributed through the computerized inventory management system;
• Analyzes management reports in order to manage and control the fund control point limitations and identify trends correct errors and resolve problems;
• Works with members of the vendor and/or contract community managers supervisors and other staff throughout the medical center on Logistics issues; and
• Communicates with subordinate staff and other administrative and clinical staff to coordinate and persuade logistics activities on the implementation of policy or procedural changes.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification 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)

• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 02/09/2026.

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 6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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 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 5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: Qualifying specialized experience includes Knowledge of solicitation and purchasing methods to make competitive or sole source small purchases that involve collecting data to determine price reasonableness for new items preparing detailed written solicitations tailoring special terms and conditions or other matters of similar complexity. Skills in analyzing descriptions that have unique aspects or critical characteristics to identity problem areas in specifications or work statements determine if quotations are responsive or decide if substitutions are acceptable or should be referred to other personnel for further review. Knowledge of price analysis techniques to evaluate prices or costs for requirements with inadequate price history or evaluate allowable charges for requirements involving special cost features. Knowledge of various acquisition clauses such as those pertaining to inspection acceptance packaging or testing to select or tailor clauses for purchases that involve special handling. Knowledge of post award procedures to discuss equitable price adjustments for modifications to a purchase order determine whether to recommend termination of an accepted purchase order for convenience or perform similar actions. Ability to analyze descriptions that have unique aspects in order to identify problem area in specifications or work statements to determine if quotations are responsive and to decide if substitutions are acceptable. Ability to work and negotiate with requestors technical representatives and vendors in analyzing these descriptions and administering the order.

• Acquisition Strategy
• Contracting/Procurement
• Financial Analysis