Clarification from the agency

Open to Current Permanent Employees of the West Palm Beach VAHCS (Facility Only).

Videos

The Lead Purchasing Agent leads three or more Purchasing Agents performing work at the GS-6 level. The Lead serves as first respondent to any staff concerns related to procurement, purchase orders or and is expected to work independently to resolve those issues, only escalating unresolvable issues to the supervisor or the Inventory Management Specialist. As the leader of a team of Purchasing Agents, the position facilitates, coordinates, coaches, and problem solves with team members. The work of the position enables the Purchasing Agent team to deliver improved quality, quantity, and timely services to customers.

Additional Duties Include But Not Limited To:

• Explains assignments, projects, problems to be solved, etc.as well as deadlines.
• Distributes and balances the workload among employees in accordance with established workflow, skill level or job specialization and assures timely accomplishment of assignments.
• Coaches Purchasing Agents on the selection and application of problem-solving methods and techniques, provides advice on work methods, practices and procedures.
• Maintains awareness of the status and progress of work, makes day-to-day adjustments to align with established priorities and goals.
• Assists the supervisor on problems that may arise, such as backlogs.
• Estimates and reports on expected time of completion of work.
• Instructs Purchasing Agents in specific tasks and job techniques and make available written instructions, and reference materials.
• Identifies training needs and gives on the job training to new Purchasing Agents in accordance with established procedures and practices.
• Maintains current knowledge and answers questions of Purchasing Agents on procedures, policies, directives, or other guidelines as necessary and obtains needed information, resources, use of overtime, or decisions from supervisor on problems that come up.
• Reviews completed work to see that supervisor instructions on work sequence, procedures, methods and deadlines have been met.
• Checks on work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review.
• Monitors working conditions to ensure work environment is safe.
• Facilitates team building and consensus decision-making.
• Resolves simple, and informal complaints within section.
• Approves leave for a few hours or for emergencies.
• Reports to supervisor on performance, progress and training needs of Purchasing Agents, and on behavior problems or issues. Recommends team members for projects.
• Provides information to supervisor as requested concerning tour of duty changes, promotions, reassignments, recognition of outstanding performance, and personnel needs.
• Conducts purchasing for the VA HCS and supported catchment area under the micro purchase threshold and must have knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), VA Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) and other federal procurement laws.
• Purchases various equipment, supplies, and services through the use of the government purchase card for micro purchases.
• Reviews and edits purchase requests to ensure the item or service is adequately described based on the requester's need.
• Ensures all information has been provided and the request is consistent with legal requirements.
• Obtains necessary product information, price information and procedures for written or verbal purchase orders.
• Utilizes different ordering, reporting procedures, and purchasing methods depending on the type quantity, dollar value, and urgency of the requirement.
• Creating 2237s, completing Purchase Orders, eCMS (FORCE) entries and verify vendors in the VHA system of record prior to placing an order.
• Will provide general guidance to potential vendors on requirements and information needed to be entered into the VHA's local vendor file.
• Provides administration and oversight on orders and services.
• Represents the VA in discussions with vendors/contractors to obtain agreement on micro purchases and vendor/contractor compliance.
• Performs work in support of general management and/or program analysis function in which knowledge of the purpose, operation, methodology and techniques characteristic of specific management/program analysis functions is required.
• Obligations/commitments and monitors expenditures to support recurring budget forecasts and identify potential fraud, waste and abuse based on procurement history and purchase trends.
• Researches, reviews, develops spreadsheets, and prepares reports for procurement under the micro-threshold to address departmental needs from the Supervisor.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm., Tour of Duty subject to change due to agency needs.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Lead Purchasing Agent/PD99879S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI):Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/30/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to:

• Procuring supplies and services to meet the purchase, rental, or lease needs of an organization;
• Assisting in training new employees and answering questions on purchasing/procurement procedures, policies, etc.;
• Purchasing various equipment, supplies, and services through the use of a purchase card;
• Working with medical staff to determine procurement needs and priorities;
• Resolving a variety of shipment, payment, or other discrepancies in support of procurement programs and operations;
• Assembling and/or summarizing information from files and documents as required to create reports utilizing automated computerized supply/inventory management systems and Microsoft Office software programs such as MS Word and Excel.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Customer Service: Works and communicates with clients and customers (e.g., any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit provides, including individuals who work in your agency or in other agencies or organizations outside the Government) to satisfy their expectations. Committed to quality services.
• Technical Competence: Knowledge of how to perform one's job. Refers to specialized knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience.
• Reasoning: Discovers or selects rules, principles, or relationships between facts and other information.
• Manages Resources: Selects, acquires, stores, and distributes resources such as materials, equipment, or money.
• Manages and Organizes Information: Identifies a need; gathers, organizes, and maintains information; determines its importance and accuracy, and communicates it by a variety of methods.
• Decision Making: Specifies goals and obstacles to achieving those goals, generates alternatives, considers risks, and evaluates and chooses the best alternative in order to make a determination, draw conclusions or solve a problem.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: Requires some physical effort such as standing, sitting, walking, or bending. There are no special physical demands.

Work Environment: The work is performed in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts. Normal safety precautions are adequate.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.