Purchasing Specialist L3, ONPS - 23702

Position Summary: The Office of Nonpublic Schools (ONPS) is responsible for more than 800 nonpublic schools and 250,000 students throughout all five boroughs of NYC. ONPS works collaboratively with City Hall, New York State Department of Education, various religious leaders, school leaders, elected representatives, the standing committee members as well as community members from diverse religious and cultural and linguistic backgrounds. ONPS is responsible for more than $100 Million dollars in federal funding in support of ESSA across various Title funding sources, $46 Million dollars in allocations for the Smart Schools Bond Act (SSBA), and additional funding allocations. Our office is tasked with ensuring all eligible students receive services in alignment with state and federal guidelines and with timely and meaningful collaboration with the Standing Committee.

The Purchasing Specialist is a key member of the DOE ONPS Finance and Human Resources team. The team is responsible for the oversight of approximately 800 schools. The Purchasing Specialist serves as the point of contact for school principals, assistant principals, superintendents, school secretaries and contracted vendors, demonstrating a high level of expertise and customer service in assisting school procurement needs. Perform administrative duties in the Office of Non-Public Schools related to providing support services to non-public schools participating in various federal and state funding sources. A focus is placed on providing excellent customer service in assisting schools in obtaining needed items to meet their instructional needs. Performs related work

Reports to: Director of Operations & Procurement

Direct Reports: N/A

Key Relationships: The Purchasing Specialist will work closely with the team’s Budget Director, Director of Procurement and Operations, Team Leads, the Division of Financial Operations, Division of Contracts and Procurement, Auditor General’s Office, vendors, and Nonpublic Schools.

Responsibilities

• Receives and certifies invoices and comparing them to encumbrances to determine if adequate funds are encumbered to pay them. Identifies billing problems and works with vendors to resolve them.
• Liquidates encumbrances in FAMIS after review of vendor invoices and related supporting documentation.
• Creates, updates, and monitors various databases that the office generates, using Microsoft Office 365.
• Maintains files with supporting documentation for expenditures. Tracks and manages response to requests for purchasing and procurement services.
• Provides and/or direct the provision of services for a variety of procurement activities, including interpretation of rules and regulations, policies and procedures affecting contracts, purchasing and procurement.
• Provides critical, technical operational information, as available from DFO, including central policy and process updates and changes.
• Communicates and enforces budget policies and guidelines.
• Identifies shared operational challenges and advise accordingly regarding policy updates or changes.
• Serves as a resource to other staff members regarding business-related questions.
• Purchases goods and services for the Office of Nonpublic Schools and prepare and monitor the progress of orders through the Financial Accounting Management Information System (FAMIS).
• Completes procurement transactions in FAMIS. Encumber and pre-encumber funds. Assists with modification requests and certification of delivery.
• Manages and supports all customer operational activities, including budgeting, procurement, contracts, purchasing and general office support activities. Ensure that all fiscal year deadlines are met.
• Provides transactional oversight and support related to OTPS areas.
• Executes large-scale purchases. Coordinate the purchasing of supplies and equipment in accordance with DOE Standard Operating Procedures.
• Researches and responds to inquiries about the status of purchase orders, encumbrances, and spending.
• Performs specialized administrative and professional tasks as assigned in the areas of procurement and procurement-related monitoring.
• Serves as a liaison to DCP, when necessary, to ensure that operational transactions are executed to meet compliance mandates.
• Responds to nonpublic school stakeholders’ complaints and concerns.
  
  

Qualification Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full‐time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience, one year of which must have been in an administrative capacity or supervising staff performing clerical/administrative work of more than moderate difficulty; or
• An associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full‐time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience described in ʺ1ʺ above; or
• A four‐year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a Stateʹs department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and five years of satisfactory full‐time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience as described in ʺ1ʺ above;
• Education and/or experience equivalent to ʺ1ʺ, ʺ2ʺ, or ʺ3ʺ above. However, all candidates must possess the one year of administrative or supervisory experience as described in ʺ1ʺ above. Education above the high school level may be substituted for the general clerical/administrative experience (but not for the one year of administrative or supervisory experience described in ʺ1ʺ above) at a rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for 6 months of experience up to a maximum of 3½ years.
  
  

Plus

In addition to meeting the minimum requirements, individuals must have two additional years of the experience described in "1" above

Preferred

• Excellent verbal, listening, problem-solving and coaching skills.
• Attention to detail and follow-through.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: budgeting, grants management, contracts and procurement.
• Experience working with, analyzing, and reporting on complex data.
• Proactively and strategically works to meet short- and long-term goals.
• Highly motivated, self-directed team player with a history of success.
• Ability to assess, manage and take corrective action toward independent contracted individuals and firms, as well as internal DOE staff and offices.
• Background in operations, contract management or compliance for education programs.
• Experience with DOE systems used in contract management, budgeting, and procurement.
  
  

Salary: $88,000 - $91,000

(Internal candidates who are selected for this position and who currently hold comparable or less senior positions within the DOE will not earn less than their current salary.)

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application.

NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability and/or grant funding.

• New York City Residency is NOT Required *
  
  

We encourage all applicants from the New York City tri-state area to apply.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

DOE Non- Discrimination Policy

The Department of Education of the City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's actual or perceived sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or pregnancy. For more information, please refer to the DOE Non-Discrimination Policy.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.