Purchasing Supervisor

The Finance Department of New Hanover County is currently seeking an experienced Purchasing Supervisor. This role oversees purchasing operations, property disposal activities, and the County's Minority/Women-Owned Business Program. Duties involve supervising accounts payable and purchasing staff, recommending, reviewing, and monitoring contracts, and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures and applicable County and state laws.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES INCLUDE:

• Supervises staff, prioritizes and assigns work; conducts performance evaluations; ensures staff is trained; and makes hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations.
• Oversees the timely processing of invoices, ensuring vendors are paid and taxes are being applied correctly in order to file the sales tax reimbursement at year end.
• Determines if vendors are required to receive 1099s by the IRS and ensures they are properly set up.
• Completes credit applications, determines which vendors to use, negotiates terms and conditions, establishes lines of credit, resolves issues, and maintains and balances County accounts.
• Provides conflict resolution for department heads and project managers concerning contract noncompliance issues and disputes.
• Oversees the County formal bid process to include writing specifications, advertising and opening bids, preparing contracts, preparing the agenda for award of contracts, setting up and attending pre-bid meetings, obtaining Board approval, ensuring compliance with contracts, and resolving conflicts and non-compliance issues with contracts.
• Oversees the disposal of confiscated, surplus, and abandoned property which includes managing the annual County auction.
• Develops, recommends, and implements approved County policies and procedures concerning purchasing, construction, and contracted services for the County.
• Analyzes and renders decisions regarding outstanding purchase orders at the end of the fiscal year.
• Oversees the County's Minority/Women-Owned Business Program to include setting program goals, administering the bidding process for participants, recommending the awards of contracts, participating in project meetings, ensuring contract compliance, monitoring projects, mediating concerns and complaints, participating in denial hearings, and recommending and updating policies, and preparing required project reports.
• Prepares journal entries to record the distribution of revenue and/or correct the improper posting of expenditures.
• Processes requisitions and prepares and/or approves purchase orders to encumber funds to cover outstanding obligations of the County.
• Analyzes and renders decisions regarding outstanding purchase orders at the end of the fiscal year.
• Compiles and analyzes financial information and prepares reports for the annual audit.
• Responds to inquiries from internal and external customers regarding purchasing procedures, how to do business with the County, outstanding invoices, and numerous other situations, and provides information, direction and/or referral for addressing the inquiries.
• Trains and advises County departments regarding County purchasing and contract compliance procedures.
• Performs work with regular and predictable attendance consistently meeting the scheduling needs as required by the county.
• Performs work during emergency/disaster situations.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Knowledge of state and county statutes governing purchasing and disposal activities; North Carolina General Statutes; accounting and financial principles; Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) federal and state single audit requirements; banking services and systems; governmental purchasing procedures; cost analysis; and supervisory principles.

Skilled in using computers and applicable software; analyzing contracts; preparing various financial reports; administering and evaluating bond projects; applying and interpreting accounting and financial principles; analyzing and interpreting financial data; analyzing and preparing contracts; managing and supervising various projects; supervising and evaluating employees; communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field, and five (5) years of progressively responsible government procurement, contract management and related experience that includes one (1) year of supervising staff; or an equivalent combination of training and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the specific position as listed above.

LICENSING/CERTIFICATION

Certified Local Government Purchasing Officer, Certified Public Purchasing Officer, or equivalent. Must be able to obtain certification from the NC Institute of Government (IOG) as a Local Government Purchasing Manager within two (2) years of employment.

Applicant Information:
This position is open until filled. All applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants referred to the department will receive an email requesting important information pertinent to the position applied for. All updates regarding an application can be viewed through your applicant portal.

In compliance with G.S. 153A-94.2(b), if this position requires an applicant for employment to work with children in any capacity, the county must require the applicant to undergo a criminal history record check conducted by the SBI for all offers of employment made after October 1, 2025. These checks must be performed in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.26, which authorizes the SBI to provide fingerprint-based state and national criminal record checks to cities and counties. Additional information on how to complete this required check will be provided to the selected candidate after an offer of employment is accepted.

New Hanover County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.