Summary The Purchasing Agent position is located within the Engineering Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System in Brockton, MA. The incumbent performs a wide variety of administrative tasks associated with maintaining and supporting the work performed within the Engineering organization. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION The major duties include but are not limited to: Performs a wide variety of administrative tasks associated with maintaining and supporting the work performed within the Engineering service; Tracks equipment, supplies, and services; Types and submits reports and documents, transcribes and compiles reports, documents, and statistical data; Reviews work requests and assigns them as appropriate; Answers both routine and trouble calls and takes appropriate action such as directs calls to proper staff, responds to questions or takes messages; Searches, assembles, and summarizes information from files and documents for reports, briefing, and conferences; Utilizes computer software (e.g., Microsoft Office, including Excel and Word); Maintains key control records and distributes office and car keys; Manages the government vehicle reservations for the Fleet and submits the monthly reports of use to the Fleet Coordinator; Coordinates procurement activity for the Engineering Service; Generates any purchasing related reports needed by Engineering Manager for budgetary or other reasons using applicable software; Serves as the focal point for arranging and coordinating training activities; Works with staff to develop procedures to maximize efficiency of procurement within Logistics and Fiscal guidelines; Creates and modifies forms for use by non-carding holding individuals to record information to process procurement requests; Develops procedures for issuing purchase orders to vendors; Creates documentation systems; and establishes procedures for prompt reconciliation and approval of credit card statements and transactions; and Performs all other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Other, to be discussed during interview. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes performing duties to procure/purchase supplies and services to meet the needs of an organization; utilizing a variety of automated systems to enter, update, revise, sort, and track data; performing a variety of clerical/administrative duties by providing telephone support, organizing files/invoices, timekeeping, record keeping, etc.; and communicating detailed information to staff and supervisors of various levels. 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Accountability Clerical Technical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work. However, there may be some walking; standing; bending; carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts; or driving an automobile, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work. The incumbent may be required to travel to another division if needed. 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. 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.