The Lead Purchasing Agent is responsible for the timely acquisition of a wide variety of medical, scientific, technical, and specialized supplies, services, and equipment for patients at the San Juan, VA Caribbean Healthcare System & Outpatient Clinics. Independently counsels veterans, family members, caregivers, stakeholders and other relatives to the items/services provided.

Duties

Lead Purchasing Agent is responsible for issuing, reviewing and or procuring prescribed items to Veterans in compliance with VHA guidelines and directives and leading a team of Purchasing Agents. Requires knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases. Requires knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales, prices, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments. This position will become a purchase card holder who fulfills acquisition requests under the federal micro purchase threshold, ensuring these purchases are procured in accordance with Federal and VA regulations, policy and procedures. Maintains responsibility for work leading to the purchase of a wide variety of complex and highly specialized services, supplies, equipment, and systems that support the full range of programs and activities at a VA Health Care System and supported catchment area. Leads three or more Purchasing Agents performing work at the GS-6 level. Serves as first respondent to any staff concerns related to procurement, purchase orders or and is expected to work independently to resolve those issues, only escalating unresolvable issues to the supervisor or the Inventory Management Specialist. Serves as the leader of a team of Purchasing Agents, the position facilitates, coordinates, coaches, and problem solves with team members. The work of the position enables the Purchasing Agent team to deliver improved quality, quantity, and timely services to customers. Coaches Purchasing Agents on the selection and application of problem-solving methods and techniques, provides advice on work methods, practices and procedures. Maintains awareness of the status and progress of work, makes day-to-day adjustments to align with established priorities and goals. Assistances the supervisor on problems that may arise, such as backlogs. Instructs Purchasing Agents in specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instructions, and reference materials. Identifies training needs and gives on the job training to new Purchasing Agents in accordance with established procedures and practices Maintains current knowledge and answers questions of Purchasing Agents on procedures, policies, directives, or other guidelines as necessary and obtains needed information, resources, use of overtime, or decisions from supervisor on problems that come up. Reviews completed work to see that supervisor instructions on work sequence, procedures, methods and deadlines have been met. Checks on work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review. Monitors working conditions to ensure work environment is safe. Facilitates team building and consensus decision-making. Resolves simple, and informal complaints within section. Approves leave for a few hours or for emergencies. Reports to supervisor on performance, progress and training needs of Purchasing Agents, and on behavior problems or issues. Recommends team members for projects. Provides information to supervisor as requested concerning tour of duty changes, promotions, reassignments, recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 07:30 A.M.-4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. May be required to work overtime, and work during emergencies such as Hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and other disasters. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Lead Purchasing Agent/PD99879-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/07/2023. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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 announcement. In 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 as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Do you possess one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in the Federal service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this Lead Purchasing Agent position? Specialized experience includes: Lead Purchasing Agent is responsible for issuing, reviewing and or procuring prescribed items to Veterans in compliance with VHA guidelines and directives and leading a team of Purchasing Agents. Requires knowledge of policies and procedures for delivery orders and small purchases. Requires knowledge of commercial supply sources and common business practices related to sales, prices, discounts, units of measurement, deliveries, stocks, and shipments. This position will become a purchase card holder who fulfills acquisition requests under the federal micro purchase threshold, ensuring these purchases are procured in accordance with Federal and VA regulations, policy and procedures. Maintains responsibility for work leading to the purchase of a wide variety of complex and highly specialized services, supplies, equipment, and systems that support the full range of programs and activities at a VA Health Care System and supported catchment area. Leads three or more Purchasing Agents performing work at the GS-6 level. Serves as first respondent to any staff concerns related to procurement, purchase orders or and is expected to work independently to resolve those issues, only escalating unresolvable issues to the supervisor or the Inventory Management Specialist. Serves as the leader of a team of Purchasing Agents, the position facilitates, coordinates, coaches, and problem solves with team members. The work of the position enables the Purchasing Agent team to deliver improved quality, quantity, and timely services to customers. Coaches Purchasing Agents on the selection and application of problem-solving methods and techniques, provides advice on work methods, practices and procedures. Maintains awareness of the status and progress of work, makes day-to-day adjustments to align with established priorities and goals. Assistances the supervisor on problems that may arise, such as backlogs. Instructs Purchasing Agents in specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instructions, and reference materials. Identifies training needs and gives on the job training to new Purchasing Agents in accordance with established procedures and practices Maintains current knowledge and answers questions of Purchasing Agents on procedures, policies, directives, or other guidelines as necessary and obtains needed information, resources, use of overtime, or decisions from supervisor on problems that come up. Reviews completed work to see that supervisor instructions on work sequence, procedures, methods and deadlines have been met. Checks on work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review. Monitors working conditions to ensure work environment is safe. Facilitates team building and consensus decision-making. Resolves simple, and informal complaints within section. Approves leave for a few hours or for emergencies. Reports to supervisor on performance, progress and training needs of Purchasing Agents, and on behavior problems or issues. Recommends team members for projects. Provides information to supervisor as requested concerning tour of duty changes, promotions, reassignments, recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)Decision MakingManages and Organizes InformationManages ResourcesReasoning (Clerical/Technical)Technical Competence Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary requiring some walking, climbing, and carrying light to medium-heave stock items up to 50 pound and make adjustments to equipment to properly fit the patients. The employee may be required to receive and store stock appliances. In the course of doing this, the employee may need to remove large or bulky items from packing boxes and push or carry them to storage facilities. Items may weight up to 50 pounds. Climbing associated with stocking of equipment in storage areas may be necessary. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address San Juan VA Medical Center 10 Calle Casia San Juan, PR 00921 US
• Name: Miguel Viera-Rodriguez
• Phone: 787-641-7582
• Email: [email protected]