Job Details

San Mateo County Community College District

Buyer

Position Number: 6063345
Location: San Mateo, CA
Position Type: Other Administrative Positions

Buyer

San Mateo County Community College District

Posting Number: 1C0403
Location: District Office
Department:
Position Number: 1C0403
Percentage of Full Time: 100%
FLSA: Non-Exempt (accrues overtime)
Months per Year: 12
If other, please specify:
Min Salary: $85,596 (annual)
Max Salary: $109,236 (annual)
Position Type: Classified Positions

Who We Are:

The San Mateo County Community College District is committed to achieving educational equity for all students. As outlined in the Districts Strategic Plan, "success, equity, and social justice for our students are longstanding goals." The Districts "Students First" Strategic Plan is focused on "Student Success, Equity and Social Justice." We provide students with a rich and dynamic learning experience that embraces our commitment to provide quality education and promote life-long learning - emphasizing collaboration and engaging students in and out of the classroom, encouraging them to realize their goals, and to become global citizens and socially responsible leaders. When you join our San Mateo County Community College District team, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice. We achieve this through broad collaboration among faculty and classified staff, administration, students and community partners.

The College and the District:

The San Mateo County Community College District is home to Caada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College. All three of our colleges are designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) enrolling approximately 32,000 students each academic year. San Mateo County Community College District has a diverse student population that is a reflection of the communities that it serves. Detailed information about the student population, including data related to student success, can be found on the San Mateo County Community College Districts Educational Services & Planning website.

Who We Want:

We value the ability to serve students from a broad range of academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, racial and ethnic backgrounds. We prioritize applicants who demonstrate an understanding of the benefits that diversity brings to a professional educational community. The successful candidate will be an equity-minded individual who is committed to collaborating with faculty, classified staff, administration, students and community partners in strengthening the culture of equity and antiracism throughout the District. The San Mateo County Community District seeks employees who value mentorship and working in a collegial, collaborative environment, guided by a commitment to helping students achieve their educational goals.

The Position:

This is complex clerical work involved in central District processes related to the procurement of goods and services, including selection of vendors, volume buying, implementation of bid procedures, scheduling and coordinating deliveries, inventory, assessing availability and quality of goods and services, administering under direction district-wide procurement related tools, such as procurement and gasoline cards, creation of purchase orders, creating and archiving documentation, and assisting the Senior Buyer as needed. Under general direction, the employee provides technical buyer information and facilitates purchasing of both goods and services to all District units. Public contact is extensive, primarily involving District and College staff at all levels and outside vendors for the purpose of exchanging product, procedural, timeline and workflow information. A moderate to high degree of independent judgment and creativity are required to select and apply appropriate policies and procedures to the resolution of frequent minor and occasional major problems that arise. Consequences of errors in judgment can be costly in terms of District resources, employee time, and in public relations; however, supervisory controls limit the risk of serious errors. This position can direct the work of other staff and student assistants as assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties below are representative of the duties of the classification and are not intended to cover all of the duties performed by the incumbent(s) of any particular position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the scope of work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to this classification.

Exchanges information with District and College staff, vendors, contractors, businesses and community organizations, as well as educational and government institutions regarding purchasing policies and procedures, assistance with vendor selections, pricing, shipping, returns, invoicing, bid timelines, and item specifications
Serves as a liaison between the Colleges and District Office relative to purchasing procedures and policies
Attends professional development related meetings, workshops, and other events to stay current on public procurement code and District policies and procedures. Occasional mandatory participation in select professional development conferences requiring travel outside the Bay Area. Willingness to pursue professional certifications in the procurement field
Assists with presentations to College and District staff regarding purchasing policies, processes, and timelines and confers with supervisor and co-workers to improve customer service to the colleges
Uses a variety of computer software to produce and archive documents created by the purchasing process and to perform administrative tasks, such as scheduling meetings and arranging meeting logistics
Under direction, may administer district-wide procurement related tools, such as procurement cards, gasoline cards, contract management software
Research and document vendor information
Compose or review a variety of correspondence, memoranda, announcements, reports, and other written materials as assigned
Reviews requisitions for accurate item description, quantity, tax, vendor, and compliance with purchasing policies
Confers with College and District Office staff to correct missing or inadequate information
Assists Senior Buyer with day-to-day purchasing functions as needed
Obtains competitive quotes, receives, checks and tabulates results of quotes; interviews, confers, and corresponds with vendors and contractors regarding goods and services in conjunction with management and other staff; assists with planning timelines, staffing needs, procedures, and materials for bidding and other projects
Establishes and maintains an online and manual library of vendor resources and information
Performs other related duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Associates degree in marketing, business administration, or a closely related field OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
Successful work experience of increasing responsibility that has included demonstrated skills in volume buying, specification development, securing and evaluation of bids, commodity pricing methods and discounts, and selection of various supply sources
Demonstrated cultural competence, sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, ethnic, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ backgrounds of community college students, faculty and staff
Excellent oral and written communication, including demonstrated skill in giving clear and concise instructions
Demonstrated advanced skills in composing business correspondence and other documents using Microsoft Office Suite

Physical Requirements:

This classification requires visual comparison and acuity; attention to details; multi-tasking and work under deadline pressure; analysis and interpretation of data; tact, patience and sensitivity; possession of a valid California Drivers License and the ability to drive a motor vehicle to off-site locations in order to perform the essential functions, flexibility and adaptability to change; use of keyboard for extended periods of time, pushing, pulling, reaching, moving objects of moderate weight.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of the procedures used in procurement and volume purchasing, bidding procedures, vendor selection, pricing, invoicing, shipping and quality control, and documentation
Knowledge of resources available to research and select vendors
Skill in use of the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, web-based content management systems software and internet tools to compose business correspondence and documents, develop spreadsheets, research, enter, modify, format and present statistical, financial, and other data for reports
Skill in exercising patience and persistence to obtain best value, competitive pricing
Skill in problem analysis and solving methods
Skill in effective written and oral communication (including correct English usage: grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation)
Skill in planning, project coordination, and evaluation
Skill in respectful, sensitive communication with people who are diverse in their academic, socioeconomic, ethnic, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ backgrounds
Skill in providing training to employees
Skill in working efficiently and accurately under deadline pressure
Ability to work effectively as part of a dynamic customer service team that maintains a standard of excellent customer service to internal and external customers in a variety of business situations

Preferred Qualifications:
Benefits:

Benefits include paid holidays, vacation and sick leave. The District pays all or a portion of monthly medical plan premiums (depending on the coverage) and pays all of the monthly dental and vision plan premiums for employees and eligible dependents. Additional paid benefits include life insurance, salary continuance insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program. Classified employees participate in the Public Employees Retirement System, a defined-benefit retirement plan through the State of California. Optional tax-deferred 403(b) and 457 retirement plans are also available.

Open Date: 03/07/2025
First Review Date: 03/28/2025
Close Date:
Open Until Filled: Yes

Special Instructions Summary:

Required Application Materials All applicants are required to submit:

1. A completed online District application form (go to https://jobs.smccd.edu to complete the application and to apply for this position).

2. A resume that details all relevant education, training, and other work experience.

3. A cover letter of no more than 3 pages that addresses the applicants cultural competence, sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, ethnic, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+ backgrounds of community college students, faculty and staff as well as the applicants qualifications as they relate to the requirements, knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in this announcement.

Candidates for interview will be selected from among those who most closely meet the requirements and knowledge, skills and abilities. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an interview. As part of the interview process, candidates may be asked to demonstrate job-related knowledge and skills.

For questions related to this posting, please contact:
SMCCCD Office of Human Resources
3401 CSM Drive
San Mateo, CA 94402
Tel.: (650) 574-6555
Fax: (650) 574-6574
Email: smccdjobs@smccd.edu
Web Page: https://smccd.edu/humanresources/

Conditions of Employment:

Prior to employment, the selected candidate will be required to complete the following:

1. Submit official transcripts (applies to all faculty or educational administrative positions)

2. Submit verifications of prior employment

3. Satisfactory references

4. Successfully being cleared for employment through the background checking process
In addition to background checks, the District may review publicly available information about a candidate on the Internet. If a candidate is aware of incorrect or inaccurate information that is available on the Internet, the candidate is welcome to address such an issue with the Office of Human Resources.

5. Present original documents for proof of eligibility to work in the United States

6. Approval of your employment by the SMCCCD Board of Trustees

7. Provide a certificate of Tuberculosis exam for initial employment.

8. Have fingerprints taken by a Live Scan computer (Clearance must be received prior to first day of employment). Please note that the California Education Code requires, in part, that community college districts shall not employ or retain in employment persons in public school service who have been convicted of certain felonies, a misdemeanor drug charge (including alcohol offenses) or misdemeanor moral turpitude (sexual offense) crime. However, consideration may be given to those whose drug convictions occurred more than five years ago. A conviction for other crimes may not necessarily disqualify you from the job for which you may be applying.

EEO Statement:

The San Mateo County Community College District is an Equal Opportunity Employer that seeks to employ individuals who represent the rich diversity of cultures, language groups, and abilities of its surrounding communities.

Accommodations:

Applicants who have disabilities may request that special accommodations be made in order to complete the selection process. Accommodation requests and a copy of the Americans with Disabilities Act applicant procedures can be made by completing our: Applicant Reasonable Accommodation Request Form

Annual Security Report:

San Mateo County Community College Districts (SMCCCD) 2024 Annual Security Report (ASR), required by the Clery Act, includes statistics for the previous three years (2021-2023) concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings owned or controlled by SMCCCD; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from SMCCCD. The 2024 Annual Security Report also outlines various campus safety and security policies concerning crime reporting, prevention and response to sexual and gender violence, alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, emergency response and evacuation procedures, and other matters. The Annual Security Report also includes important tips to help every community member remain safe and avoid becoming a victim of crime. The 2024 Annual Security Report is now available on the Public Safety website. You can also obtain a copy of this report by contacting the Department of Public Safety at the District Office or any of the three Campuses (650) 738-7000. The report includes information about criminal activity on our campuses, emergency procedures, and resources.

To apply, visit: https://jobs.smccd.edu/