| Location | Houston, TX |
Buyer- Harris County Office of Purchasing Agent
Salary
$70,387.20 Annually
Location
Houston, TX
Job Type
Regular Full-time
Job Number
17089
Department
Purchasing Department
Opening Date
08/11/2026
Closing Date
9/11/2026 11:59 PM Central
Max Number of Applicants
100
Position Description
The Buyer I performs professional-level procurement functions involving the acquisition of goods and services for Harris County. This position supports county-wide operations serving approximately 5 million residents, 20,000 employees in 80 departments, roughly $5.5B annual expenditures, and 18,500 purchase orders. The Buyer I exercises discretion and independent judgment in applying procurement laws, policies, and procedures to assigned purchasing activities of moderate complexity primarily below formal threshold and above threshold when applicable. The role supports County operations through compliant, timely, and best-value purchasing decisions.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Independently manages assigned procurements from requisition through award within delegated authority, determining the appropriate procurement method and developing solicitation documents.
Conducts price, cost, and market analysis and evaluates vendor responses.
Prepares award recommendations and maintains complete procurement files suitable for audit review.
Administers contracts post-award, including renewals and amendments.
Ensures compliance with Texas Local Government Code Chapter 262, County policies and provides guidance to departments regarding procurement requirements.
Participates in process improvement and training initiatives.
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx
If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.
This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.
Requirements
Education:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and standard office technology required.
Knowledge of public procurement principles and practices for the acquisition of goods and services, including competitive and non-competitive methods and best-value concepts.
Knowledge of applicable procurement laws, policies, and procedures, including Texas Local Government Code Chapter 262 and County requirements.
Skill in analyzing specifications, pricing, and market conditions, including price, cost, and market analysis to support purchasing decisions.
Skill in developing solicitation documents and evaluating vendor responses, including documenting findings and preparing award recommendations.
Skill in professional communication, including written correspondence and verbal coordination with vendors, departments, and internal stakeholders regarding procurement requirements.
Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment within delegated authority, manage multiple assignments, maintain complete procurement files suitable for audit review, and support timely, compliant procurement outcomes.
NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented in your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.
Preferences
Experience supporting department relations, high-frequency activity volumes, or general procurement functions preferred.
Prior purchasing/procurement experience is preferred.
General Information
Hours:
This is a full-time position with the typical work hours of Monday - Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
Occasional weekends, holidays, and overtime may be required based on the specific needs and demands of the department.
Location:
Compensation:
Reporting Relationships:
Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.
Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.
HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.
The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:
Health & Wellness Benefits
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Retirement Savings Benefit
The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the Countys behalf as needed.
For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:
www.benefitsathctx.com
01
Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position? Qualifying information must be documented in the Education section of your application.
02
If you selected a college degree in response to the previous question, which of the following best describes your major?
03
Please describe your educational background including level of education completed, area of study and completed major and minor programs.
04
Do you have experience supporting department relations, high-frequency activity volumes, or general procurement functions?
05
Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions:
Advanced:
A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.
Intermediate:
A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons.
Basic:
A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it.
Entry Level:
A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check.
Required Question
Employer Harris County
Address 1111 Fannin St
Ste. 600
Houston, Texas, 77002
Phone 713-274-5445
Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx