Associate Buyer, Technology, Purchasing Services, Administration & Finance
University of CincinnatiJobsCloseBy Editorial Insights
University of Cincinnati seeks an Associate Buyer in Technology within Purchasing Services, a full-time onsite role. This role provides mid level purchasing support in a shared services environment, handling requisitions, purchase orders, supplier data, and issue resolution. Key qualifications include a bachelor’s in business, finance, or a related field and at least two years in purchasing or procurement, with ownership of two defined processes and the ability to maintain reference materials and coordinate supplier onboarding. Emphasize documentation, bid thresholds, and service to internal customers. To apply, create a profile in the UC applicant portal; Current UC employees must apply via SuccessFactors. Highlight relevant tech goods or services exposure and system proficiency.
Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors
Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati
Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation’s best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called “the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $94 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at uc.edu.
UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service. We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC’s success.
Job Overview
The Associate Buyer provides mid-level professional purchasing support for goods and services within the University’s centralized purchasing shared services function. This role supports day‑to‑day purchasing operations by preparing requisitions and purchase orders, maintaining required documentation, and assisting with issue resolution in accordance with University policies and procedures.
Essential Functions
- Support routine operational purchasing activities for goods and services under the direction of both the Buyer and Shared Services Manager.
- Prepare and update requisitions and related purchasing documentation in support of purchase order creation.
- Prepare requisitions for conversion into purchase orders, including ensuring appropriate documentation of sourcing rationale, supplier selection, pricing, and vendor instructions for purchases under established bid thresholds.
- Support the routing of contracts and purchasing documents for review, including identifying business terms or conditions that may require clarification, challenge, or escalation by decentralized departments.
- Operate within a shared services environment where purchasing work is assigned based on workload and capacity and provide backup support across transaction types as needed.
- Assume ownership of at least two defined purchasing work processes, including: responsibility for maintaining current job aids, step-by-step instructions, and reference materials; updating documentation to reflect policy, process, or system changes; and serving as a point of contact for questions related to assigned processes.
- Serve as a designated backup for other Associate Buyers assigned work processes to ensure continuity of operations.
- Support supplier onboarding and maintenance activities assigned, which may include entry and validation of supplier data within University systems in coordination with established procurement and accounts payable processes.
- Assist with coordination of vendors and internal customers to address routine ordering, invoicing, and payment issues.
- Maintain organized purchasing records to support audit readiness, compliance review, and operational reporting.
- Participate in training and professional development activities to build procurement knowledge, policy awareness, and system proficiency.
- Support a customer‑focused shared services model by responding professionally and timely to internal stakeholder inquiries.
- Perform related duties based on departmental need; this job description may change at any time.
Required Education
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, supply chain, information technology, or a related field.
- Six (6) years of relevant education, experience and/or other specialized training can fulfill minimum education and experience requirements
Required Experience
- Two (2) years of experience in purchasing, procurement, or a related operational role.
- Demonstrated administrative or operational experience in a professional office environment.
- Experience following defined procedures and maintaining accurate documentation.
- Experience providing customer service or operational support to internal stakeholders.
Additional Qualifications Considered
- Experience in purchasing, procurement, finance, or administrative support functions.
- Familiarity with technology‑related goods or services (e.g., hardware, software, subscriptions).
- Experience working in a shared services or centralized support environment.
- Experience using financial, administrative, or eProcurement systems.
- Experience documenting processes or creating job aids or reference materials.
- Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and willingness to learn.
- Effective communication and collaboration skills.
Physical Requirements/Work Environment
- Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.
Compensation and Benefits
UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. (UC Benefits) Eligibility may vary by position and FTE status. Highlights include:
Salary/Hourly Pay Rate Information:
Comprehensive Tuition Remission
UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.
Robust Retirement Plans
As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.
Real Work-Life Balance
UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:
Vacation and sick time
11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)
6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents
Additional Benefits Include:
- Competitive salary based on experience
- Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
- Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
- Professional development & mentorship opportunities
To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our Careers Page.
UC is an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. Click here for a list of acceptable documents.
Important: To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the UC applicant portal. We are unable to consider “easy apply” applications submitted via other websites. For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact UC HR at [email protected].
Equal Opportunity Employer. Building a workplace where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, including Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans.
REQ: 103060