Specialist I - Purchasing & Auxiliary Services in Carterville, Illinois at John A Logan College
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Job Description
This position assists Purchasing & Auxiliary Services in performing campus-wide administrative and purchasing support by processing purchase orders, requisitions, vendor payments, and procurement card transactions within established timelines and compliance requirements. Serving as a liaison between campus departments and external vendors, the position verifies financial documentation, maintains purchasing and vendor records, monitors approval workflows, and supports accurate, timely procurement operations under general supervision with periodic review.
Minimum Qualifications
- Education required: High school diploma or equivalent.
- Experience required: At least two years of administrative experience in purchasing, accounts payable, or financial operations, including experience processing purchase orders and maintaining vendor records.
- Technology required: Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, including Excel, Word, and Outlook, and experience using an enterprise resource planning system or comparable financial or purchasing software.
- Other requirements: Demonstrated attention to detail; ability to manage high-volume, time-sensitive transactions; ability to interpret and consistently apply purchasing procedures; and effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Preferred: Associate degree or higher in business administration, accounting, finance, or a related field; three or more years of purchasing or procurement experience in higher education or the public sector; advanced Excel skills; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) J1 or JICS experience; familiarity with procurement card administration, governmental purchasing requirements, or asset inventory systems; purchasing or procurement certification; and bilingual communication skills.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Purchase Order and Payment Processing
- Processes purchase orders for campus departments by comparing supporting documentation to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) entries, correcting routine discrepancies, and forwarding accurate documentation for timely payment.
- Enters requisitions for departmental orders and invoice payments in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), attaches required supporting documentation, and submits transactions through established approval workflows.
Procurement Card Administration
- Processes procurement card purchase orders by tracking submissions, date-stamping backup copies, verifying receipts and expense logs, and forwarding completed records to the Business Office for monthly reporting and payment.
- Maintains procurement card tracking records, organizes supporting documentation, and monitors submissions for completeness.
Requisition and Workflow Management
- Monitors requisitions from entry through approval and follows up as needed to support timely conversion to purchase orders.
- Reviews purchase orders and requisitions for accurate vendor information, account codes, descriptions, quantities, receipts, expense logs, statements, and other required documentation.
- Notifies departments of missing information or required corrections and supports the resolution of routine purchasing issues.
Vendor Setup and Record Maintenance
- Creates and maintains vendor records in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system by reviewing submitted vendor applications and W-9 forms, entering accurate information, saving records in designated purchasing folders, and communicating new vendor identification numbers to requestors.
- Verifies vendor setup status in the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and identifies incomplete or missing documentation for follow-up by the appropriate staff member.
Department and Vendor Communication
- Communicates with campus departments regarding requisition status, vendor setup, documentation requirements, and procurement card processing timelines.
- Coordinates with external vendors and contractors by email and telephone to support purchasing activities and resolve routine inquiries.
Non-Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Other duties as assigned. Demonstrates servant leadership by supporting colleagues, responding to campus needs, and contributing to a collaborative, service-focused work environment. Duties must be performed on the John A. Logan College campus or designated location.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge
- Established purchasing procedures, approval workflows, and documentation requirements.
- Basic accounts payable processes, vendor record setup, payment workflows, and financial documentation requirements.
- Procurement card documentation, tracking, and reconciliation requirements.
- Administrative recordkeeping, electronic filing, and document-retention practices.
Skills
- Accurate entry and verification of purchasing and vendor data in enterprise resource planning systems.
- Organization and prioritization of high-volume administrative workflows with competing deadlines.
- Review of purchasing records and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, and required approvals.
- Maintenance of tracking systems, spreadsheets, databases, and electronic filing systems.
- Professional written and verbal communication with campus departments and external vendors or contractors.
- Identification and correction of routine data discrepancies, with appropriate referral of non-routine issues.
Abilities
- Process high volumes of administrative transactions accurately within established timelines while maintaining attention to detail.
- Follow and consistently apply established purchasing procedures and documentation requirements.
- Work independently under general supervision, prioritize daily responsibilities, and meet competing deadlines.
- Maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion with financial, vendor, and departmental information.
- Learn and adapt to changing technology, procedures, and institutional purchasing requirements.
Job Attributes
Personal characteristics and traits essential for success in this role
- Accuracy Orientation: Maintains meticulous attention to detail when processing transactions, verifying vendor information, and reconciling documentation.
- Volume Management: Organizes campus-wide transaction volume and time-sensitive deadlines while sustaining quality and workflow continuity.
- Systems Proficiency: Uses Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Microsoft Office applications and collaboration tools effectively and adapts to system updates and new software.
- Service Responsiveness: Provides professional, timely support to campus departments and external vendors and facilitates the resolution of routine procurement needs.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions
Physical Environment
Primarily sedentary office work with frequent computer use and occasional standing, walking, bending, reaching, and lifting or carrying items weighing up to 20 pounds.
Work Environment
Work is performed in a professional office using standard office equipment, with occasional in-person interaction with campus employees, visitors, vendors, or contractors.
John A. Logan College offers a variety of benefits to employees. These benefits include, but are not limited to:
Interested? Click the blue "Apply" button. The following documents must be submitted with the application:
If you have questions, please contact the Office of Human Resources at 618-985-2828, extension 8912, or by emailing jill.elliott@jalc.edu.
JALC Mission: “To enrich lives through learning and community engagement.”John A. Logan College is an equal-opportunity employer. John A. Logan does not discriminate in employment with regard to race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, or unfavorable discharge from military service or any other characteristic protected by law.
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