Purchasing Agent

• Position Type:
  Office of Business and Finance/ Finance
• Date Posted: 2/18/2026
• Location:
  
  School Board Office

Job Title:

Purchasing Agent

Salary Range: $82,383 - $135,272 (Commensurate with experience)

Job Classification:
Exempt

Under general supervision, the Purchasing Agent performs work of considerable difficulty in leading, reviewing and managing the competitive process for goods and services for Petersburg City Public Schools. This role ensures that all purchasing and contracting needs are fulfilled efficiently, ethically, and in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The position serves as a liaison between schools, departments, and vendors, providing expertise in public procurement practices to support the educational mission of the school division.

• Ability to develop and manage IFB's, RFP's, Sole source and emergency procurements in compliance with the Virginia Public Procurement Act (VPPA).
• Manager the procurement process for goods, services, and construction projects.
• Develop specifications, terms and conditions for solicitations in coordination with legal as required.
• Analyze requisitions, determine appropriate method of procurement, and prepare recommendation of award documentation and contracts for approval by the Board and execution by the Superintendent or designee.
• Evaluate cooperative purchasing agreements for compliance and utilization.
• Analyze spend and determine the need to develop term contracts through a competitive process.
• Administer contracts, ensuring adherence to terms and conditions.
• Address vendor compliance/non-compliance with the ability to resolve disputes and issue corrective actions.
• Conduct compliance reviews and performance evaluations of suppliers and contractors.
• Assist internal stakeholders with procurement needs, providing guidance and training.
• Facilitate communication between departments, schools, and external vendors/stakeholders.
• Represent the school division in procurement-related meetings, including pre-bid/pre-proposal conferences, bid openings, and other procurement related functions as required.
• Serve on the Leadership Team tasked with developing best practices for the operation of the procurement department.
• Ensure adherence to the Virginia Public Procurement Act, Federal laws, and School Board policies.
• Maintain current knowledge of procurement legislation and trends.
• Recommend and implement updates to procurement policies and procedures.
• Prepare detailed procurement and contract reports.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of all purchasing activities.
• Support ERP system initiatives and implement electronic commerce solutions.

• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of centralized purchasing and contract administration; of the Virginia Public Procurement Act, the Code of Virginia, federal regulations and the Petersburg City Public Schools procurement policies and procedures; of large scale purchasing methods and procedures; of specifications, supply sources and market factors of commodities and services required by Petersburg City Public Schools; of applicable laws, rules, regulations, and ordinances effective in governing the purchase of commodities and services.
• Ability to perform analyses of conditions affecting large scale purchasing operations; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with vendors, School Board personnel, and other internal and external customers
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; to utilize a personal computer and other standard office equipment; to train end users on the appropriate procurement process.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Experience in creating customer service orientation in the procurement process with the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience creating technical or general specifications in coordination with the end users for the acquisition of a variety of goods/services/construction.
• Experience in negotiating terms and conditions and contracts with a variety of…