Purchasing Specialist
Portage Public Schools District
2025-26 School Year
Job Summary: Consolidate and coordinate purchasing for the district in order to obtain the best value available while following the purchasing policies and regulations of the PPS Board of Education and the State of Michigan. Oversee the Central Warehouse inventory.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Review and approve general fund, internal fund, Building and Site, and bond construction purchase orders for appropriate accounting expenditure, adherence to board purchasing policy, state and federal regulations, and vendor specific requirements.
- Obtain competitive price quotes to assure best expenditure of district funds.
- Verify bids and RFPs before they are released for adherence to board policies and state/federal legal requirements for forms; post/advertise requirements to local and/or state required sites and other locations as required.
- Maintain file of bids and RFPs for orders placed from General fund, Internal fund, Building and Site sinking fund, and Construction funds.
- Monitor changes in state, federal, and District bidding and purchasing requirements and communicate these changes to all staff.
- Provide customer service to district buildings and departments for on-line purchasing as well as on-line district ordering sites.
- Update financial system vendor lists.
- Seek and review bids for contracted services and purchasing contracts, monitor and evaluate these contracts.
- Contact vendors regarding orders, new products, prices, returns, and complaints.
- Schedule, oversee, maintain, and assist with yearly physical inventory of Central Receiving warehouse and make necessary adjustments. Perform data entry of adjustments. Assist auditors with yearly audit of general fund inventory transactions.
- Back up support for warehouse delivery receipts and mailroom services.
- Arrange sale and disposal of used equipment/material/vehicles throughout the district.
- Monitor expenditure of district capital outlay funds for accuracy and verify bid documentation for purchases.
- Process and post internal fund deposits weekly. Verify account accuracy and building adherence to district deposit requirements. Monitor and file internal account fundraiser forms.
- Process and file vendor debarred reports quarterly for audit reviews, cross checking the general fund, internal fund and lunch fund with the Federal data base.
- Assist with process and pay monthly sales tax and withholding to State of Michigan.
- Monitor and order office supplies for the Business Office and warehouse areas.
- Reconcile Business Office credit card activity weekly and provide backup support for District credit card issues.
- Maintain copies of contracts in the financial accounting system.
- Obtain certificate of insurance for district events at offsite locations.
- Maintain file of certificate of insurance from contractors.
- Work with the Curriculum Department on purchasing curriculum consumables at the beginning and during the school year.
- Work with vendors to coordinate deliveries when needed. Meet with delivery crew when needed as well.
- Meet with vendors to discuss projects, problems, pricing, policies, and needs as needed.
- Attends MSBO and other related conferences and maintains active membership.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Regular and consistent attendance.
- Must have knowledge of and comply with the policies and procedures contained in the Portage Public Schools Handbook.
The above duties and responsibilities are intended to be representative of the nature of the work by this position. The listing is not all-inclusive.
Qualifications:
- High school diploma and post high school coursework in accounting. Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred
- Strong math, organizational, verbal, writing, and computer skills.
- Three (3) years of purchasing experience covering all aspects of the position.
- Knowledge and experience with Google Suite
- A working knowledge of Michigan School financial guidelines and practices, particularly in the areas of accounting, purchasing, auditing, and internal control.
- A working knowledge of Department of Education reporting.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
PPS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Apply online at: https://www.portageps.org/page/employment-at-pps
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