Purchasing Agent

About the role

This Purchasing Agent position is in the Prosthetics department at the White River Junction VA Healthcare System in White River Junction, Vermont. The position is full time, at 40 hours per week.

Responsibilities

• Purchasing Support - Conducts purchasing under the micro purchase threshold; reviews and edits purchase requests; resolves issues to ensure requests and bills are processed accurately and in a timely manner; identifies needs or problems and determines corrective action; utilizes federal and agency acquisition regulations to identify possible sources and other pertinent information related to purchases; tracks obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud, waste and abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends;
• Procurement Support - Procures supplies and services to meet the purchase, rental, or lease needs of the organization; develops unique selection criteria for each purchase; prepares and issues contract modifications for changes in delivery schedule and sends formal correspondence to a variety of customers such as inventory management specialists, other service line contacts, and contracting officers as appropriate for the purposes of auditing documents, processing receiving reports, and payments;
• Administrative Support - Serves as the first line of contact for medical staff and customers in regard to procured items; develops reports and spreadsheets, obtains, organizes, files and retrieves reports for briefing and presentation purposes; performs a variety of receptionist, timekeeping, record keeping and miscellaneous duties in medical facility;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/20/2026.

Qualifications

• GS-5: Specialized Experience - One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-4 in the normal line of progression for the occupation series in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include but are not limited to: performing administrative duties in a healthcare setting; reviewing and working with patients' medical records; completing training or assisting in routine and complex specialized purchases for clinics including medical equipment, prosthetic and orthotic appliances; utilizing computer software programs; and communicating with internal and external customers via various methods. (This must be documented in resume) OR Education - 4 years above high school. Degree must be relevant to the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be provided) OR Combination - Combinations of the defined education and experience to qualify for a GS-5 level. I have a combination of specialized experience and education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. The education and experience must be directly related to the work of the position to be filled.
• GS-6: Specialized Experience - One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: interpreting prescriptions and requests for medical equipment and services; maintaining regular contact with vendors, contractors, medical center professionals and staff; utilizing a variety of databases and computer systems; purchasing equipment, supplies and services using an agency/organization purchase card; and reconciling charges and preparing and submitting reports. (This must be documented in resume)

Competencies

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Financial Management
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Manages Resources
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence