Remote Purchasing Agent Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Summary
This position performs direct medical supply Purchasing and Inventory Management support to the administrative and clinical services of the Veterans Affairs to initiate the obligation for all related requirements necessary to provide prosthetic and sensory aids services, to include durable medical equipment and supplies directly to Veterans.
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Duties
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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***
This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-06. At the GS-05 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-06. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds.
Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Performs complex purchasing that requires irregular research, analysis, collaboration and many other steps to ensure both best value and the most appropriate devices are purchased for the Veterans, and occupies the majority of the duty time in this position
• Performs routine purchasing that includes routine purchase orders on established contracts or through established vendor resources using regular significant research, analysis or collaboration
• Performs the process of vetting and vendorizing following VHA Prosthetics guidelines to complete to complete purchases for items that aren't available through established vendor networks
• Reviews for discrepancies or loopholes in lengthy specifications or statements of work that are very detailed, or otherwise difficult to understand
• Evaluates many different specifications or statements of work and work with the vendor on corrections to ensure the proper piece of medical equipment is purchased
• Coordinates with appropriate vendor for device retrieval and reconciliation of acquisition days to ensure daily fund rental fiscal accountability
• Researches the use of different solicitation methods, ordering or reporting procedures in both the purchase card menu and the prosthetics program for both complex and simplified purchases
• Performs purchases of specialized/customized equipment or services that have an unstable price or product characteristic, hard-to-locate sources, have critical characteristics, or similar complicating factors and resolves a variety of purchasing problems, such as inadequate or restrictive specifications, lack of multiple suppliers, urgent need, or insufficient price history, or with continual requirement changes and updated products; to include life threating or life sustaining supplies and equipment, Veterans requiring hospice care in need of immediate supplies and equipment, emergent services and surgical implants with short suspense, and rehabilitation equipment to allow the Veterans to leave the facility
• Manages data collection used in preparing and submitting numerous reports
• Conducts thorough market research by obtaining competitive bids/ Request for Quotation (RFQ) to determine fair and reasonable pricing
• Monitors, receives, tracks, interprets, and analyzes Prosthetic Consults, and prescriptions for items, services and home medical equipment from physicians, therapists, medical center personnel, Veterans, or their representatives
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Telework: This position may be authorized for AD HOC telework. AD HOC telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position at the GS-5 level, you must meet one of the following:
Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Purchasing Agent - Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience includes performing administrative duties in a healthcare setting or in support of purchasing and procurement; reviewing and working with patients' medical records; completing training or assisting in routine and complex specialized purchases for clinics including medical equipment and prosthetic appliances; utilizing computer software programs; and communicating with internal and external customers via various methods. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates, AND hours worked per week. ~OR~
Education: Successfully completed four (4) years of education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~
Combination: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
To qualify for this position at the GS-6 level, you must meet the following:
Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Purchasing Agent - Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience includes interpreting prescriptions and requests for medical equipment and services; maintaining regular contact with vendors, contractors, medical professionals and staff; utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems; purchasing equipment, supplies, and services using an organization purchase card; and reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates, AND hours worked per week.
Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary when conducting purchasing functions for PSAS. However, while conducting inventory management functions, the incumbent may work comfortably in a warehouse environment, sitting, standing, walking, bending, lifting, carrying, retrieving and managing inventory. Prolonged periods of working at a computer terminal is required. Ability to retrieve equipment from a storage room is required. Climbing associated with stocking of equipment and other items in storage areas is necessary. Incumbent may carry/lift items weighing up to twenty-five (25) pounds. Normal safety precautions are adequate. The work involves moderate discomfort when visiting sites away from the office. At times, the employee may be required to wear protective clothing when visiting the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Fabrication Laboratory. There may be frequent walks between the main medical center and other parts of Prosthetics to conduct professional duties.
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
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
There is no educational substitution at the GS-6 grade level.
NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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