Purchasing Assistant
A 9.5% general salary increase will be applied effective July 14, 2024.
An additional 9.5% general salary increase will be applied effective July 2025.
The City of Ontario has an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated individual with a passion for public service, a positive attitude, and a commitment to providing the highest level of customer service to join the Purchasing Division of the Financial Services Agency. The Purchasing Division is responsible for supply management activities required for the procurement of a wide variety of materials, supplies, equipment, and services. The Purchasing Division's goal is to obtain maximum value by fair and open competitive bidding, while providing efficient and reliable services to the departments within the City. The Purchasing Assistant position will provide purchasing-related assistance to City staff including the processing of complex purchase requisitions, purchase orders, contract reviews, credit card purchases, and other related work as assigned.
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate for this position will possess an innovative mindset, an eagerness to learn, excellent interpersonal skills, and knowledge of the principles and practices of municipal government procurement. In addition, the ideal candidate will possess excellent oral and written communication skills and be customer service oriented. Additionally, the successful candidate will be a model for the City's Approach to Public Service - Commitment to the Community, Achieving Excellence Through Teamwork, and Doing the Right Thing the Right Way – and emulate the qualities of a 5 Tool Player – Leader, Thinker, Operator, Communicator, and Public Servant.
Due to the high volume of applications anticipated for this recruitment, the following procedures will apply:
The City reserves the right to limit the number of applications accepted to the first one hundred (100) qualified applications.-
Separate Promotional and Open (external) Eligibility Lists will be established.
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The Promotional Eligibility List will be comprised of current City employees who best meet or exceed the qualifications and successfully complete any required selection processes.
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The Open Eligibility List will consist of external applicants who best meet or exceed the qualifications and successfully complete any required selection processes.
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The hiring department will consider the Promotional Eligibility List prior to considering candidates on the Open Eligibility List.
The Financial Services Agency
The Financial Services Agency provides support services to the citizens and businesses of Ontario, as well as to City Departments, with financial, budget development, procurement, accounting, payroll, and revenue services. The Agency's service objective is to direct the financial affairs of the City of Ontario, under the direction provided by the Mayor and City Council through their goals and objectives, in a timely, accurate, cost effective, and efficient manner. Financial Services Agency includes the following divisions: Accounting, Accounts Payable, Business License/Central Cashiering, Budget/Revenue/Grant Management, Accounts Receivable, Investments, Debt Management, Payroll, Purchasing, and Special Districts/ Development Impact Fee (DIF) Administration.
The City of Ontario
The City of Ontario is a dynamic leading community in the Inland Empire with a variety of full-time and part-time employment and volunteer opportunities. Ontario enjoys the reputation of being a progressive City which provides solid leadership to its citizens and to the business community. The City provides a full range of services to the community including: Police, Fire, Management Services, Community Life & Culture, Community Development, Economic Development, Public Works and the Ontario Municipal Utilities Company. The City's team is staffed with approximately 1,500 full-time and 300 part-time diverse and talented employees who work to support a common goal of providing excellent service to the community.
The City‘s vision for the future is very exciting and we foresee tremendous growth within the year(s) to come. We welcome you to view the City of Ontario’s 2024 State of the City video by clicking on the link below as well as other links to learn more about the City.
State of the City The Ontario Plan
Smart Ontario Downtown Ontario
The essential functions typically performed by the Purchasing Assistant include the following:
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Assists City personnel with purchasing needs and ensures standard legal and on-going contract requirements are met.
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Processes complex requisitions and purchase orders.
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Works with various City departments; prepares, tabulates, and makes recommendations on formal bid requests; and ensures legal postings are prepared for both informal and formal bids.
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Makes recommendations and assists with implementation of procedural changes.
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Oversees the City's credit card accounts and procurements.
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Assists in the management of the City's surplus program.
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Responds to complex questions regarding purchasing procedures and instructs departments in the application process.
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Conducts year end processing to determine disposition of requisitions.
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Coordinates with the Accounts Payable Division in the resolution of purchasing issues impacting accounts payable.
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Meets with vendor representatives and staff to answer questions regarding department procedures.
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Serves as support to internal and external customers; may train new and temporary office personnel on work procedures.
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Uses automated financial database in processing requisitions.
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Completes on-going special projects of moderate complexity.
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Performs related duties as required.
Education
High School diploma or recognized equivalent and purchasing related coursework.
Experience
Three (3) years of administrative support experience in purchasing, accounting, or a closely related field. Two (2) years of college education (60 semester/90 quarter units) may be substituted for one (1) year of experience up to a total of two (2) years of experience.
Proof of successful completion of the required education must be provided by way of attachment to your online application or as an email attachment sent to the Hiring Agency Representative at, or before, time of the reference check process. Acceptable forms of proof include Unofficial Transcripts, Official Transcripts, Photos and/or Photocopies of Institutional Degree/Certifications.
NOTE: Failure to provide the required documentation at, or before, time of the reference check process will result in disqualification.
Licenses
Valid California Class C driver's license and an acceptable driving record at the time of appointment and throughout employment.
Desirable
Experience providing purchasing support such as processing purchasing requisitions, purchase orders, contract reviews, and credit card purchases, in a public sector environment.
How to Apply
. If this is the first time applying for a position using governmentjobs.com, you will be prompted to create a new user account, otherwise log in with your user name and password. Your application and responses to any supplemental questions will be used to evaluate your qualifications for this position. It is suggested that your application include the following:
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List any relevant experience and education that demonstrates that you qualify for the position.
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List all periods of employment for at least the past 10 years, beginning with your most recent or present employer (including, if applicable, all employment with the City of Ontario).
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Separately list each position held, including different positions with the same employer.
A resume may be attached to your application but will not substitute for the proper completion of your application. Applications that are not properly completed may be rejected.
NOTE: Transcripts from colleges, universities or technical schools outside of the United States must be assessed for U.S. equivalency by a NACES educational credential evaluation service. Failure to provide a transcript or credential evaluation report will result in your application being rejected and you will not be able to continue in the selection process for this position.
All appointments to this position are required to provide proof of completion of the listed education requirements. Acceptable forms of proof include Unofficial Transcripts, Official Transcripts, Photos and/or Photocopies of Institutional Degrees/Certifications. This must be provided by way of attachment to your online application or as an email attachment sent to the Hiring Agency Representative conducting the reference check. Failure to provide the required documentation at, or before, time of the reference check process will result in disqualification
If you require clarification on this requirement, please call the City of Ontario Recruitment Team at (909) 395-2035.
Application Process
Applicants are required to submit required certification(s) or other required documentation as outlined in the Qualifications Guideline section of this bulletin. Please use the attachment function found on the City's online application to attach copies of the requested certification(s) or other documentation. Failure to attach required certifications may result in the rejection of your application. Please contact the Human Resources Agency if you have any questions regarding the application process.
Your application is the primary tool used to evaluate your job qualifications. It is important that your application show all the relevant education and experience you possess. List all periods of employment, beginning with your most recent or present employer (including, if applicable, all employment with the City of Ontario). List any experience that may help you to qualify for the position. List separately each position held, including different positions with the same employer. Resumes may be included but will not substitute for the employment history section. Failure to complete these sections may result in the rejection of your application.
Supplemental Questions
To complete your application for this position, you will be prompted to respond to supplemental questions. This information will be used as part of the application screening and selection process and is designed to help you present your qualifications for this position. This may include a selection step in which your application and supplemental questions are reviewed.
Incomplete responses, false statements, omission, or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Your responses should be consistent with the information provided on your application.
Please provide succinct, concise, descriptive, and detailed information for each question. If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question.
Email Notices
Email is the primary way that Human Resources or the hiring agency/department will communicate with you. Please check your email account (including the SPAM folder) on a regular basis for any emails related to the application or selection process. Emails from the City of Ontario will come from "@ontarioca.gov" or "governmentjobs.com." If you change your email address after submitting your application, please visit governmentjobs.com and update your profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any additional questions regarding the application process, please refer to our Frequently asked questions page.
Completed applications will be reviewed and only qualified applicants whose qualifications best meet or exceed the requirements of the position and needs of the City, will be invited to participate further in the selection process.