Buyer, Procurement and Contract Services

Buyer Position The Buyer is responsible for general buyer responsibilities and vendor recruitment for the Office of Procurement and Contract Services. Responsibilities General buyer duties include: Assisting campus departments with purchase requisitions Reviewing requisitions to determine if they are completed correctly with proper specifications and returning to departments for corrections if necessary Making awards on assigned requisitions by generating purchase orders (PO's) Placing PO's with vendors via telephone, fax, or electronically Soliciting and analyzing bids and proposals, including preparing requests for quotes (RFQ's) and requests for proposals (RFP's) in the University ERP system Conducting pre-bid meetings, conducting bid openings, answering bidder inquiries, and issuing addendums to RFQ's/RFP's when necessary Preparing bid tabulations in Excel or other electronic formats, preparing award memos to departments, and generating PO's or contract documents from approved awards Working with vendors to resolve any issues related to PO's Routing all PO's to campus departments with tracking orders Administering assigned departmental purchase agreements and resolving any issues raised by departments or vendors by reviewing correspondence and taking appropriate action Processing change orders to PO's in accordance with current policies Interacting with purchasing personnel at other UT campuses, TBR schools, and Tennessee State Government entities concerning contract purchases and technical purchasing issues as required Reviewing and processing PO's and presenting PO's to the next approver in workflow as needed Ensuring that department records are maintained and that purchases are followed and expedited as when required Overseeing and following up with suppliers concerning order status and communicating delivery information to impacted departments, faculty, and staff Utilizing the University online sourcing system to input and manage bids Sending registration invites to potential bidders who are not already registered in the system Creating listings reflecting groups of potential vendors based on certain commodities and creating contact lists in the University sourcing system Vendor recruitment includes: Participating with and assisting the Assistant Director with vendor recruitment efforts between UTC and vendors which include external outreach to the community regarding conducting business with UTC and sharing information about bid opportunities Additional defined duties include: Assisting with mailing or faxing RFQ/RFP notifications, addendums, change orders, and PO's as needed Answering incoming calls to the main Procurement and Contract Services phone line in the absence of the Purchasing Specialist Assisting campus departments with resolving questions related to requisition and NCJ submission Providing assistance as needed to the Director by contacting campus departments for information, requesting information from vendors, or assisting with PO's or statements of work to be attached to PO's Carrying out other purchasing or administrative/supervisory duties as assigned by the Director The ideal candidate will possess the following: Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and other Microsoft Office products Strong ERP system(s) skills Strong organizational skills Strong customer service skills Critical thinking and problem-solving skills Ability to maintain strong working knowledge of University policies and procedures Ability to multitask, often with frequent interruptions Ability to work with little to no direct supervision Ability to exhibit strong attention to detail Ability to work well with others utilizing both a team focused and forward-thinking approach Review of applications will begin December 29, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. Applications received by this date will receive priority consideration. Qualifications Minimum: Typically requires a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, and one year of experience in a procurement buyer related role, supply chain logistics, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. Preferred: 2+ years of experience as a procurement buyer; strong knowledge of state purchasing requirements and fiscal policy in a higher education environment; and experience in an operation involving quick and accurate completion of assigned tasks in accordance with specific legal requirements is preferred. Job Info Job Identification 5970 Job Category Procurement Posting Date 12/17/2025, 11:02 PM Job Schedule Full time Locations 613 Oak Street, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, US

Created: 2026-03-04