Buyer

Buyer

Salary

$48,040.00 - $63,800.00 Annually

Location

110 SE Watula Ave, 3rd Floor, Ocala, FL 34471, FL

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

09031

Department

Procurement and Contracting

Opening Date

09/04/2026

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

This specialized position is responsible for the procurement of commodities and services for the City in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations. Performs duties with a degree of independence while working under the direction of the Procurement Manager and/or the guidance of Senior Buyers.

Examples of Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Consults with department personnel on procurement needs and advises of the best methods for purchasing goods and services.
• Seeks continuous improvement in efficiency and reduction of procurement costs through the use of procurement analysis, industry-specific techniques, and procurement best practices.
• Processes purchase requisitions and issues purchase orders in compliance with the City's procurement policies and procedures.
• Assists in the preparation of technical specifications and scopes of work (including related research and value analyses) and prepares solicitation documents.
• Prepares informal and competitively sealed requests for quotations, invitations to bid, requests for proposals, invitations to negotiate, and requests for qualifications and manages assigned solicitations from project inception through bid award. Escalates more complex solicitations as needed.
• Conducts pre-bid meetings, bid openings, and other procurement related meetings in accordance with Florida's Sunshine Act.
• Coordinate and supervise activities of evaluation committees.
• Recommend highest ranked or lowest responsive and responsible bidders/proposers on solicitations.
• Identify and notify potential sources. Research market sources and suppliers to locate and ensure most cost effective and competitive pricing for the purchase of supplies and services.
• Confer with consultants, contractors, and suppliers in order to acquaint them with the City's procurement policies and procedures and to obtain information regarding required products and services.
• Facilitate negotiations between City departments and consultants/contractors regarding specifications, scopes of work, prices, terms, and conditions.
• Maintain the integrity of the public procurement process in all activities.
• Analyze current procurement activities and recommend improvements through more efficient procurement methods, e-procurement, quantity discounts, standardization, value analysis or cooperative purchasing.
• Engage in procurement planning activities with client departments. Routinely meet and communicate with client departments in order to identify and provide high quality service to meet client service delivery requirements on a timely basis. Provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information in a courteous, efficient, and timely manner.
• Effectively communicate purchasing policies and procedures to all personnel and interpret said policies and procedures as necessary.
• Maintain individual workload statistics.
• Prepare and maintain accurate records and documentation on all solicitations, responses, purchases, contracts, correspondence, and related follow-up.
• Attends trade shows and purchasing related seminars/training courses.
• Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor's Degree in business Administration, Marketing, Economics, or related area.
• Must have a minimum of two (2) years of professional purchasing experience, preferably in a public environment, where awards are made through a competitive bid process.
• Equivalent combination of training, education, and experience may be acceptable.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida Operators Driver's License with an acceptable driving record.

PREFERRED CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Certified Public Purchasing Buyer certification preferred, but not required.
• NIGP-CPP certification preferred, but not required.

Supplemental Information

RESPONSIBILITY FOR FUNDS, PROPERTY and EQUIPMENT

None.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Directly supervises 0 subordinate supervisor(s) who supervise(s) a total of employee(s). Supervises 0 non-supervisory employee(s).

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and understand the most complex documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints. Ability to effectively communicate information and respond to questions in person-to-person and small group situations with customers, clients, general public and other employees of the organization. Ability to read, analyze, and understand common and technical journals, reports, and documents; Ability to respond to complex or difficult inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to prepare and interpret bar graphs.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to a wide range of intellectual and practical problems. Ability to deal with nonverbal, logical or scientific symbolism such as formulas, scientific equations, and graphs. Ability to deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Under direction where a definite objective is set up and the employee plans and arranges own work, referring only unusual cases to supervisor.

PLANNING

Considerable responsibility with regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner, and/or sequence of performance of own work; may also occasionally assist in the planning of work assignments performed by others within a limited area of operation.

DECISION MAKING

Performs work operations which permit frequent opportunity for decision-making of major importance which would have considerable effect on the organizations projects and organizations clientele.

MENTAL DEMAND

Intense mental demand. Operations requiring sustained directed thinking to analyze, solve, or plan highly variable, administrative, professional, or technical tasks involving complex problems or mechanisms.

ANALYTICAL ABILITY/PROBLEM SOLVING

Moderately directed. Activities covered by wide-ranging policies and courses of action and generally directed as to execution and review. High order of analytical, interpretative, and/or constructive thinking in varied situations.

USE OF MACHINES, EQUIPMENT AND/OR COMPUTERS

Regular use of complex machines and equipment; specialized or advanced software programs.

ACCURACY

Probable errors would normally not be detected in succeeding operations and may have serious effects in relationships with patrons and/or with the operations of other segments of the organization. Frequent possibilities of error would exist at all times, since the above-mentioned areas are inherent in the job.

PUBLIC CONTACT

Extensive contacts with various diversified sectors of the public environment; wherein, the contacts are of major importance and failure to exercise proper judgment can lead to substantial losses to the organization.

EMPLOYEE CONTACT

Contacts with other departments or offices and also frequently with individuals in middle level positions; consulting on problems which necessitate judgment and tact in presentation to obtain cooperation or approval of action to be taken.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to sit; regularly required to talk or hear; frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and color vision.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

There are no harmful environmental conditions that are present for this position.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change (e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, or technological developments).

The City of Ocala provides a competitive, comprehensive benefit package for all full-time employees.

Health Insurance

We offer both single and family coverage, for employees working 30 or more hours per week.

Dental Insurance

For full time employees, we offer both single and family dental coverage.

Vision Insurance

For full time employees, we offer both single and family vision coverage.

Life Insurance

For full time employees, the City of Ocala provides Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberments policies as an employer paid benefit. Employees can opt for additional coverage such as supplemental voluntary life, spouse life, dependent life, and child life. For full time employees, the City of Ocala provides Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberments policies as an employer paid benefit. Employees can opt for additional coverage such as supplemental voluntary life, spouse life, dependent life, and child life.

Short Term and Long Term Disability

Offered to full time employees, STD and LTD coverages are income replacement benefits that assist policyholders who are unable to work for an extended period of time due to sickness or accidental injury.

Medical FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and Dependent Care FSA

Flexible spending accounts allow employees to pay out-of-pocket medical, dental, vision, and dependent care expenses using pre-tax dollars.

Pet Insurance

We also offer special pet insurance for your pets in the case of illness or accidents, as well as preventative care.

Employee Health & Wellness Center

The City of Ocala offers the use of the City Clinic for those employees, and covered dependents over the age of 8, which have elected one of our health insurance plans. Services offered by the City Clinic include primary care, chronic disease management, labs, x-rays, and wellness coaching.

Voluntary Cancer Insurance

For full time employees, the cancer insurance policy can help provide security if you, or a covered dependent, suddenly become diagnosed with cancer.

Supplemental Critical Care Insurance

Our full time employees have the option of electing critical care insurance that is available to help with medical expenses that could arise from things such as a heart attack or stroke.

Supplemental Accident Insurance

Also available to full time employees, is our Accident Coverage. This supplemental plan can be used to help with expenses like MRIs, physical therapy, and hospital admission.

Legal Plan Insurance

Full time employees can have access to local attorneys for a monthly fee and receive discounts on services such as legal consultation, wills, traffic violations and the purchase or sale of your home. The carrier also has a separate policy assisting with the matter of identity theft and social media monitoring.

Deferred Compensation Plan

Deferred compensation is available to all full-time employees at the time of employment. This benefit allows the employee to defer income without paying taxes until money is withdrawn. Current plan is administered through MissionSquare.

Direct Deposit

Direct deposit automatically deposits your net pay each pay period to your checking or savings account at your own financial institution. Direct deposit is a condition of employment for a person hired by the City.

Each pay period the employee receives an earnings statement showing gross pay, taxes, other deductions, accruals and net pay. Enrollment forms are available at Human Resources or Payroll.

Discounts - Theme Park

Discounts are available to all non-temporary employees at the time of employment.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The Employee Assistance Program is available to all full-time employees and members of your household as an employer paid benefit. The EAP offers emotional wellbeing support in the form as counseling sessions and all sessions are confidential. The EAP also provides daily life assistance, legal services, and financial services.

Holidays and Paid Time off

The City provides paid holidays and paid time off for full-time employees. Refer to the Employee Handbook for details.

Retirement Plan

All full-time employees hired after 10/01/2013, apart from Sworn Police Officers and Firefighters, are enrolled in the 401a Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with MissionSquare. All contributions to the 401a Defined contribution plan are pre-tax and earnings grow tax-deferred. The City contributes 8% and employees contribute 3%. City contributions are 100% vested after one year of employment. You will be enrolled automatically and should take time to review your investment options at your earliest convenience.

Training Programs

The City is committed to provide training programs for all departments and all positions. Risk Management conducts classes in Defensive Driving, Safety, and Insurance. With rare exceptions, classes are offered during working hours, and are open to all eligible employees.

Tuition Reimbursement

All regular, full-time employees are eligible to participate in the tuition reimbursement program.

01

Do you possess a valid State of Florida Operator Drivers License with an acceptable driving record OR If you possess a valid out of state license, do you have the ability to obtain a Florida Drivers License prior to employment?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have a high school diploma or GED?

• Yes
• No

03

What level of degree do you possess from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Marketing or Economics or related area?

• None
• Associates
• Bachelors
• Masters

04

Please select which best describes your level of professional purchasing experience, preferably in a public environment where awards are made through a competitive bid process?

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year
• 2 years
• 3 years
• 4 years
• 5 years
• 6 years
• 7+ years

05

Do you possess a Certificate as a CPPB (Certified Public Purchasing Buyer)?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you possess the following Certificate- NIGP-CPP?

• Yes
• No

07

If you feel you qualify for this position due to an equivalent combination of training, education and experience, please explain below:

08

I understand that all information I provide regarding my background, education, certifications, licenses, and work history is subject to verification once an offer of employment has been extended and accepted. I further understand that any false, misleading, or incomplete information, or the omission of relevant information, may be grounds for disqualification from consideration, withdrawal of an employment offer, or dismissal from employment if discovered after I begin work.

• Yes
• No

09

I understand that, as a condition of employment with the City of Ocala, I will be required to review and electronically sign a Policy and Consent form related to the Lytx in-vehicle safety system. I understand that this consent includes acknowledgment of the collection and use of video, audio, location, and, where applicable, biometric data for safety, compliance, and operational purposes. I further understand that on my first day of employment, an email from noreply@lytx.com will be sent to my City of Ocala employee email address with instructions, and that the form must be completed within twenty-four (24) hours of my official start date.

• Yes
• No

10

Have you provided a complete employment and education history covering the past ten (10) years, or dating back to high school graduation, whichever period is shorter, within your NeoGov application and/or master profile? Please note: Resumes are welcome; however, they do not substitute for a completed application. Applications that do not include the required employment and education history, or that are otherwise incomplete, will be rejected and will not be considered for further review.

• Yes, I have provided a complete employment and education history and understand that incomplete applications will be rejected.
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Ocala

Address 110 SE Watula Ave

City Hall, 3rd Floor

Ocala, Florida, 34471

Phone 352-629-8359

Website https://www.ocalafl.gov/