Purchasing Assistant Jobs in Oregon (NOW HIRING)

Overview OUR PURPOSE At the City of Tigard, our talented, industrious, and innovative municipal government professionals have been providing essential services and recreational spaces to Tigard's growing community for over 60 years. City of Tigard team members enjoy meaningful work, a diverse and inclusive culture of belonging, job specific flexibilities and opportunities for growth and advancement. Incorporated in 1961, Tigard is Oregon's 12th largest city and is part of the Portland metropolitan area.

OUR VALUES At Team Tigard, we are the ambassadors of our municipal services to the members of our community. We aspire to treat all people with dignity, respect, and care; to demonstrate the equitable and sustainable practices that are environmentally and fiscally sound, and to engage with each other as trusted colleagues to achieve excellence in all we do. We do the right things, and we get things done.

Examples of Duties This is a working manager role with about 70% hands-on procurement and contracting and 30% policy and program development, with high visibility across the organization. You'll oversee a small, skilled team and directly manage complex procurements that support major initiatives across the City. Key areas of focus include: Lead Procurement Operations and Citywide Grant Management: Manage the City's core procurement functions, from solicitations and contracts to purchasing tools and staff support.

This role oversees key programs like the City's PCard system with opportunities to expand scope as City needs grow. You'll ensure processes are compliant, efficient, and easy to use across all departments. You'll also support the development of a centralized grant management program by supervising a new Grants Administrator.

Lead Complex, High-Impact Procurements: Manage the full lifecycle of public procurements for a wide range of goods, services, and capital projects - from professional services contracts and technology acquisitions to major infrastructure projects like supporting the City's planned Police and Public Works Facility. You'll ensure compliance with public contracting rules while delivering timely, cost effective, and transparent results. Contract Administration: Conducts selection and contract negotiations with suppliers.

Consults with legal counsel as needed. Presents contract recommendations to City Council as required. Reviews, creates, maintains, administers, and executes purchase orders, contracts, change orders, and other documents and provides a link between department managers, leadership, and legal counsel.

Reviews and authorizes requests to waive or exempt competitive procurements for transactions that may not require government body authorization. Supports emergency preparedness and incident procurement. Ensures post-award administration of contracts, including monitoring performance, scope, and end dates and renewals.

Modernize and Strengthen Purchasing Policies: Drive updates to the City's Public Contracting Rules and purchasing procedures. You'll shape how departments engage with procurement, bringing clarity, consistency, and best practices across the organization. Collaborate at All Levels: Serve as a trusted resource for department business managers, directors and city senior leadership, and regularly present contracts and updates to City Council.

You'll also support front-line staff and respond to public and vendor inquiries, building trust and ensuring transparency at all levels throughout the City. Mentor and Build a High-Performing Team: Supervise a Purchasing Specialist in supporting procurement functions and administering the PCard program and a new Grants Administrator in building a centralized grant program. You'll guide their work, support professional development, and help integrate procurement and grants into a coordinated citywide function.

Train and serve as primary point of responsibility for support on understanding procurement processes involving external vendors, including technical procurement processes within the city's enterprise resource planning software (ERP). Develop training content and job aids to support city staff who are assigned roles within the procurement process. Please review the Principal Management Analyst for additional details about this job.

Minimum Qualifications Any combination of training and experience, which would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business or public administration, finance, accounting, economics, or a field related to the specific assignment AND Five (5) years increasingly responsible professional administrative and analytical experience in government, including experience in finance, budget, strategic planning, policy analysis, organizational development, and/or personnel management, AND Two (2) years of experience providing direct supervision, lead work, or team leadership. Preferred Qualifications: Two years' experience working in a purchasing, procurement, contracting, or related function within a municipal, county, state, or federal government agency.

Professional purchasing certification(s) through a nationally recognized association, such as Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO), or Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), or an equivalent certification. Demonstrated proficiency with Enterprise Resource Planning Software (ERP) and Contract Management Systems. Tyler Technologies.

Supplemental Information Union: not applicable for this position Schedule: Monday-Thursday general working hours are 7:30-6:00 pm but with some flexibility. This position can work remote up to 1 day per week after successful onboarding. The schedule will be determined prior to start date.

How to apply: Please apply online. We do not accept applications via email. Applications must be received by Human Resources by the closing time/date.

IMPORTANT: In lieu of resumes and cover letters, the City of Tigard evaluates each applicant's work history and responses to supplemental questions. Please complete the application and answer the supplemental questions thoroughly to ensure our subject matter experts can appropriately evaluate your experience. ATTENTION VETERANS: To receive veterans' preference, please upload your DD214/Separation documentation.