The Riverside County Department of Child Support Services is seeking a Buyer I to join the Admin Fiscal Team for the Riverside location.

The Buyer I will be responsible for purchasing materials, supplies, equipment, and services for the department. The incumbent will be tasked with negotiating contracts and/or agreements for products and services and will conduct and/or participate in formal bid solicitation processes. Additionally, the incumbent will work closely with end-users to gather statements of work for Request for Proposals (RFP) and Requests for Quotes (RFQ), manage contracts, handle requisitions for purchase orders, monitor encumbrances, and work closely with fiscal and accounts payable teams for invoice management.

The most competitive candidates will possess experience with PeopleSoft Financials, SimpliGov, and the full Microsoft Suite, as well as have previous experience with and knowledge of government/public sector purchasing regulations, policies, and procedures.

At this time, part time teleworking options (up to 50%) are available based on business needs after successfully passing the probationary period but are not guaranteed. Telework may change at any time and you will be expected to report to the office.

The Buyer I is the journey level and allocated class in the Buyer series. Incumbents report to a first level supervisory or management class and, within established procedure and policy, are given a variety of assignments to perform independently.

The Buyer I is distinguished from the advanced journey level class of Buyer II by the latter's assignment for complex value analysis, purchase forecasting, and negotiation of major contracts involving the purchasing of the full range product line of commodities and services. Buyer II's may serve in a lead capacity over support personnel. All Buyer position allocations and incumbent assignments must be approved in advance by Purchasing Department management. Advancement to the next level is obtained by competitive selection through an open recruitment.

Meet the Team!

The Riverside County Department of Child Support Services works with parents and guardians to ensure children and families receive court-ordered financial and medical support. Services include: locating, establishing parentage; establishing, modifying and enforcing a court order for child support; and establishing, modifying and enforcing an order for health coverage. My staff is available to assist you at our offices located in Riverside, Indio and Blythe. On our website, you can find answers to your child support questions, and access many of the forms and services that you may need to process your case.• Research and conduct comparisons on products, services and vendors; compare availability, quality and cost factors for departmental needs.

• Review requisitions for completeness, accuracy, cost effectiveness, and adherence to standards, codes, County policies, and procedures.

• Research, develop, and maintain vendor product information lists, which includes ongoing review of product information and current prices of commodities and services.

• Perform routine market, total life cycle cost, value, price, and limited cost analysis.

• Prepare departmental requests for proposal and/or bid; obtain bids by telephone, letter, personal contact, or formal bid procedures; compare and analyze quotations in order to determine qualified low bid.

• Determine vendors from which purchases will be made and issue purchase orders; review standing purchase orders for renewal; review departmental blanket orders to ensure low-cost emergency vendor service.

• Investigate complaints by departments and resolve delivery or other problems; may supervise support staff.Experience: One year of satisfactory performance as a Buyer Trainee with the County of Riverside or equivalent experience to the County of Riverside Buyer Trainee classification. (Major coursework in purchasing, business administration, economics, or a related field may be substituted for up to one year of buying experience on the basis of 30 semester or 45 quarter units of education equaling one year of full-time buying experience.)

Knowledge of: The methods, principles, and practices of purchasing/material management and of governmental purchasing; County purchasing policies and practices; product standards of operating departments; products, commodities, and services used within one or more commodity groupings; methods and resources used in researching and analyzing commodities and services; competitive bid practices and procedures; business accounting practices; methods used in evaluating vendor capability and performance.

Ability to: Work independently; read and interpret rules and regulations; collect, organize, and evaluate product or service information, identify alternative solutions, and project consequences of decisions and recommendations; compose clear and concise reports, recommendations, and correspondence; compare and analyze quotations; prepare fundamental purchasing specifications (RFP's) for assigned products or services or for an assigned department; communicate in a clear and persuasive manner; establish and maintain effective relationships with department officials, company/vendor representatives, and staff members. What's Next?

Open to All Applicants

This recruitment is open to all applicants. Qualified applicants may be considered for future vacancies throughout the department.

Applicants who are current County of Riverside employees and/or current employees of the Department of Child Support Services may be considered before other applicants depending on the volume of applications received.

Qualified applicants may be considered for future vacancies throughout the County.

For questions regarding this recruitment

Contact Lital Slobodsky at lslobodsky@rivco.org