Procurement Buyer

It’s a great time to join the City of Boulder!

Application Deadline:

April 2, 2026

Compensation Details:

Full Pay Range

69,118.40 - 100,297.60

Generally, the hiring range is from the minimum up to 80% of the range.This is a full-time salaried position.

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Benefit Eligibility Group:

Non Union (30+ Hours)

Locate the Benefit Eligibility Group value on the Employee Benefit Eligibility document to identify the benefits offered for this job.

Job Description Summary:

Under general direction, the Procurement Buyer is responsible for performing timely, comprehensive, ethical, and professional procurement functions while guiding the procurement activities of project managers across the organization. This position has a direct impact to promote transparency, equity, cost savings and reduce the time to contract with the city. This position performs complex purchasing functions with considerable independence and initiative. This position engages and collaborates with the City Attorney’s Office, Project Managers, Department Managers, Directors, and the City Manager’s Office.

Job Description:

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES  

• Collaborates with attorneys, project managers, department leadership, and vendor representatives to review, recommend, guide, and finalize business and solicitation processes to ensure compliance with procurement procedures and promotes best-value procurement that meets project goals and objectives.
• Manages complex contracting processes involving project managers and the City Attorney’s Office to ensure projects awarded meet legal requirements of the City of Boulder.
• Leads and provides guidance on vendor management strategies to all levels of the organization to ensure a high level of vendor performance that ensures projects are completed on time and in alignment with organizational objectives.
• Assesses needs, develops, and uses various data-based tools to aid in strategic management of procurement activities. Applies continuous improvement methodologies, including research, analysis, reporting and customer feedback to ensure improvements are effectively applied to contracting procedures.
• Provides appropriate stewardship over public funds related to procurement by developing various operating procedures, standards, and guidelines and assuring procurements conform to City policies, ordinances, and the city charter, as well as state and federal statutes.
• Utilizes financial software systems to create, review, and approve purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and payment requests.  Provides recommendations for software configuration, use, and setting and leads staff training in use of software tools.
• Researches and applies cooperative contracting methodologies to leverage and adopt existing tools to reduce time to award and achieve cost savings.   
• Provides timely response to procurement related records requests from private industry, government agencies, public organizations and individuals relating to procurement activities.  Collaborates with the City Attorney’s Office to ensure responses satisfy record requests while being compliant with the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA).
• Researches contracting, costing, market trends, and supply-chain impacts for assigned goods and services.

          

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• Ability to consistently demonstrate a high degree of personal and professional integrity and build trust through credibility, reliability, commitment, loyalty, and ethical behavior.
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of customer service, encourage others to focus on the customer and foster an environment where customer service is a priority.
• Ability to demonstrate attention to detail.
• Ability to demonstrate effective verbal and written communication skills. 
• Ability to demonstrate independent research skills.
• Ability to demonstrate knowledge of financial principles and practices by bringing a financial lens to the procurement process to ensure fiscal accountability throughout the project lifecycle (solicitation thru contracting and project closeout).
• Ability to demonstrate leadership and courage by making or supporting decisions that reflect the organizational mission and goals even when the decisions relating to solicitation processes, award recommendations, compliance, or contracting methods can be unpopular to some.
• Ability to maintain current knowledge of contracting, costing, market trends, and supply-chain impacts.
• Knowledge of and experience in using the suite of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and Adobe Acrobat software platforms.
• Valid Driver’s License and ability to maintain an acceptable motor vehicle record.
• Have and maintain acceptable background information, including criminal conviction history.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of and demonstrated use in the development, implementation, and use of data-based systems to drive strategic procurement decisions.
• Knowledge of and experience with solicitation and contracting methodologies for construction projects.
• Knowledge of and procurement experience with a government agency is preferred but not required.
• Certified Purchasing Manager (CPM) Certification.
• Certified Public Procurement Analyst (CPPO) Certification.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Associate’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance or related field from an accredited college or university; or four (4) years purchasing or supply chain experience may substitute for the education requirement only.
• Two (2) years of increasingly responsible purchasing, supply chain, or related experience in either government or private industry with knowledge of contracting processes and contract law.

SUPERVISION

Supervision Received: Purchasing Manager

Supervision Exercised:  None

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS 

• Physical and Mental Effort: Must demonstrate the ability to meet the physical demands of the job, including the ability to retrieve information from various locations.  Exposure to periods of high activity and stress under demanding conditions. Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing or other communication capabilities that permits the employee to communicate effectively on the telephone and in person.  Sufficient vision or other powers of observation that permits the employee to review, evaluate and prepare a variety of written documents and materials.  Sufficient manual dexterity that permits the employee to operate computer equipment and other office equipment.  Sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes, which permits the employee to work in an office setting.  Work may include extended periods of time viewing a monitor and operating a keyboard.  Ability to work under stress from demanding deadlines, public contact, and changing priorities and conditions.
• Work Environment: Work is constantly performed indoors. This is primarily sedentary office work. The position requires a great deal of communication with City employees, the public, and outside agencies. Core work hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm with regular telework allowed up to three (3) days per week.
• Machines and Equipment Used: Frequently uses standard office equipment including computers, telephones, and multi-function printers.

Additional Job Description:

Last updated: December 2025

The City of Boulder is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected statute. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please send a request to riskmanagement@bouldercolorado.gov.