JOB DESCRIPTION – PURCHASING ASSISTANT

Skills:

1. Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. 

2. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the reader. 

3. Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. 

4. Talking to others to convey information effectively. 

5. Managing one's own time and the time of others. 

6. Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. 

7. Monitoring/Assessing the performance of oneself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. 

8. Using mathematics to solve problems. 

9. Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work. 

10. Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. 

11. Typing skill of at least 40 wpm.

12. Detail-orientation.

13. Good at spelling, grammar, punctuation, and oral communication.

14. Good customer service and interpersonal skills.

Knowledge:

1. Purchasing and ordering procedures and systems such as purchase orders, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, shipping and freight, and other policies and terminology. 

2. Business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. 

3. Computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

4. Purchasing laws/contractual obligations.

5. Commodity codes, vendors, contracts, etc.

6. Telephone etiquette.

Abilities:

1. Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. 

2. See details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). 

3. Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations). 

4. Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. 

5. Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. 

6. Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. 

7. Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. 

8. Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). 

9. Generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. 

10. Make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists. 

11. Work under pressure.

12. Perform multiple tasks at once.

13. Interact professionally with the public.

Tasks:

1. Compile, transcribe, and distribute purchasing-related notes. 

2. Coordinate and direct office services, such as records and budget preparation, and personnel in order to aid executives. 

3. Greet visitors and determine whether they should be given access to specific individuals and assist as needed. 

4. Prepare Purchase orders, reports, memos, letters, contracts and other documents, using word processing, spreadsheet, database, and/or presentation software. 

5. Prepare responses to correspondence containing routine inquiries.

6. Review purchase orders for shipping information, attachments, etc.  Distribute purchase orders to appropriate parties with the facility manager.

7. Receive/route phone calls; answer general inquiries about purchasing matters; take/route messages.

8. Enter requisitions into QuickBooks and process them into purchase orders; verify accuracy of codes; research vendor/contract number; calculate discount amounts.

9. Keep time-sensitive work moving; assemble paperwork for processing purchase orders; serve as back-up for Purchasers as needed.

10. Process vendor applications to include checking systems, mailing applications, providing information on how to complete applications.

11. Receive, log, and time stamp bids; place in correct project group.