Purchasing Agent (1.0 FTE)

Purchasing Agent

You'll want to join Billings Clinic for our outstanding quality of care, exciting environment, interesting cases from a vast geography, advanced technology and educational opportunities. We are in the top 1% of hospitals internationally for receiving Magnet Recognition consecutively since 2006. And you'll want to stay at Billings Clinic for the amazing teamwork, caring atmosphere, and a culture that values kindness, safety and courage. This is an incredible place to learn and grow. Billings, Montana, is a friendly, college community in the Rocky Mountains with great schools and abundant family activities. Amazing outdoor recreation is just minutes from home. Four seasons of sunshine! You can make a difference here.

Billings Clinic is a community-owned, not-for-profit, physician-led health system based in Billings with more than 4,700 employees, including over 550 physicians and non-physician providers. Our integrated organization consists of a multi-specialty group practice and a 304-bed hospital.

Your Benefits

We provide a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to all full- and part-time employees (minimum of 20 hours/week), including medical, dental, vision, 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching, defined contribution pension plan, paid time off, employee wellness program, and much more.

Billings Clinic is proud to be recognized for nursing excellence as a Magnet-designated organization, joining only 97 other organizations worldwide that have achieved this honor four times. The re-designation process happens every four years.

Supply Chain Operations Purchasing Agents are responsible for representing all departments of Billings Clinic in a dynamic fast paced environment where change is the norm, not the exception. They take pride and ownership in providing exceptional customer service. The Purchasing Agent is responsible for placing orders for materials, equipment, products or services and inventory control for Billings Clinic, branch sites and/or managed/affiliate facilities. The purchasing agent makes recommendations for effective and efficient inventory management based on trending and historical practices to include, but not limited to; par levels, substitute recommendations, purchasing processes, and census capacity.

This position will rotate through the entire job functions listed below and will perform clerical and administrative tasks as needed for support of the department and the organization.

Essential Job Functions

• Supports and models behaviors consistent with the mission and philosophy of Billings Clinic and department/service.
• Creates and submits purchase orders for supplies, equipment and services. Ensures orders do not become delinquent. Assists departments in completing purchase requests.
• Reviews GPO contracts and verifies required purchase order information to include price and terms.
• Reviews capital requests for accurate content and adherence to policies. Obtains quotes and performs quote review and analysis. Tracks financial accruals to avoid over expenditures per capital. Reviews MD Buyline reports and is able to accurately discuss results with customers and SCO Leadership.
• Designs and implements product standardization and inventory control strategies to enhance distribution, minimize supply utilization, reduce inventory and obsolescence.
• Ensures availability of quality product and equipment and avoidance of shortages. Plans and organizes the special order supplies.
• Recommends development, revisions and implementation of standards for purchasing of supplies and equipment. Coordinates approved changes.
• Participates in department and hospital committees to ensure that value, quality and cost containment goals are met.
• Compiles statistical reports on purchasing activities.
• Generates reports on product consumption, par level compliance, etc; documents supply cost savings and/or cost expenses with appropriate justifications.
• Reads and reviews purchase requests and assigns proper general ledger codes to purchases.
• Resolves invoice discrepancies. Expedites and arranges for credit, return or replacement of defective or damaged items.
• Creates and maintains Supply Chain Operations information system master files in direct coordination with Supply Chain Operations Informatics Analyst.
• Identifies needs and sets goals for own growth and development; meets all mandatory organizational and departmental requirements.
• Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agency environmental, employee or patient safety standards relevant to job performance.
• Performs other duties as assigned or needed to meet the needs of the department/organization.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: High school graduate. Two (2) years of college in related field, preferred.

Experience: Two (2) years purchasing experience, preferred. Prior purchasing, warehousing, distribution, shipping and receiving or data entry experience is preferable. Data Entry 75-100 SPM, testing documentation required. Basic Excel proficiency. Or an equivalent combination of education and experience relating to the above tasks, knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered.

Billings Clinic is Montana's largest health system serving Montana, Wyoming and the western Dakotas. A not-for-profit organization led by a physician CEO, the health system is governed by a board of community members, nurses and physicians. Billings Clinic includes an integrated multi-specialty group practice, tertiary care hospital and trauma center, based in Billings, Montana.

Billings Clinic is committed to being an inclusive and welcoming employer, that strives to be kind, safe, and courageous in all we do. As an equal opportunity employer, our policies and processes are designed to achieve fair and equitable treatment of all employees and job applicants. All employees and job applicants will be provided the same treatment in all aspects of the employment relationship, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, age, genetic information, military status, and/or disability. To ensure we provide an accessible candidate experience for prospective employees, please let us know if you need any accommodations during the recruitment process.