Senior Buyer - City of Birmingham

Target close date: 08/07/2026. Full-time position.

Job Summary

The City of Birmingham is seeking to hire a well-qualified Senior Buyer to purchase materials, supplies, equipment, and services for a large municipality, county, or agency. They review requisitions, prepare invitations to bid, analyze bids, and verify purchase orders in accordance with applicable state and local guidelines. Employees in this job class also approve invoice payments to vendors and assist in preparing the department budget by compiling information. Incumbents perform administrative duties to support the buying process such as communicating with vendors and maintaining documentation and records. Senior Buyers assist Buyers with large and complex purchases to ensure compliance with state and local guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Assesses bid proposals, negotiates and awards contracts to appropriate vendor and/or submits bid award contract to appropriate authority.
• Performs administrative duties including maintaining records, producing documentation and responding to inquiries about purchasing policies and procedures in order to complete daily tasks.
• Purchases materials, supplies, equipment, and professional services by preparing product specifications and processing requests for a wide range of products and commodities via quotes and bids and contracts.
• Researches information on potential bidders, product costs, and vendors in order to obtain needed items and/or services from the most appropriate and responsible vendor.
• Reviews invoices to ensure accurate pricing, quantity and items that have been received, resolve discrepancies, and forward invoices to end users and Accounts Payable.

Requirements

The following are job-related qualifications that are required for employment consideration for this position:

• Option A
  • Experience working in a purchasing environment performing various tasks (e.g., specification preparation, requesting and analyzing quotes, preparing and analyzing invitations to bid or requests for proposals, receiving and evaluating bids and proposals, preparing purchase orders).
  • Experience drafting and preparing procurement documents (e.g., invitations to bid, requests for quotes/proposals, bid tabulations) using Microsoft Word and Excel and comparable software.
  • Experience using an automated purchasing system to purchase supplies, equipment, materials, and/or services.
  • Experience analyzing and evaluating product specifications and price variables on requested commodities and/or services and making recommendations to award.
• Option B
  • Associate’s degree or higher in Business Administration, Public Administration, Procurement or a related degree.
  • Experience using an automated purchasing system to purchase supplies, equipment, materials, and/or services.
  • Experience analyzing and evaluating product specifications and price variables on requested commodities and/or services and making recommendations to award.

Physical Demands

Job is primarily sedentary involving sitting for long periods of time, but may involve occasional walking or standing for brief periods.

Work Environment

Work is conducted almost exclusively indoors in an office setting. Work involves use of standard office equipment, such as computer, phone, copier, etc.

Pay

$47,382 - $73,507

Benefits

• Medical and dental insurance
• Employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension)
• Generous paid holidays
• Sick and vacation leave