PURCHASING SPECIALIST - 64001673

Requisition No: 869109 

Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: PURCHASING SPECIALIST - 64001673

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 64001673 

Salary:  $42,371.42 ANNUALLY / $1,629.67 BIWEEKLY 

Posting Closing Date: 02/08/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

OPEN COMPETITIVE JOB POSTING

ADVERTISED AS PENDING VACANCY

Your Specific Responsibilities:

This position involves highly responsible purchasing and administrative work for the Finance & Accounting Section (F&A) in the Okaloosa County Health Department (OCHD). Position requires initiative and sound judgement and the ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with Central Office and OCHD staff in the performance of duties.

Serves as Purchasing Champion for OCHD and liaison between the CHD and Central Purchasing Office. Provides and disseminates information provided by Central Purchasing to local purchasing staff and leadership. Maintains comprehensive knowledge of State and County purchasing requirements to ensure compliance. Participates in developing, reviewing and maintaining local purchasing procedures, ensuring alignment with current Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and Central Purchasing policies and procedures. 

Serves as final local approver of all purchasing activities, including the acquisition of standard and specialized commodities, services and equipment. Performs high level purchasing activities including but not limited to contract exceptions, Sole Source designations and formal solicitations.

Assists local purchasing staff navigate through State Term Contracts and other purchasing sources, determine the appropriate method of procurement, obtain quotes, resolve issues with vendors and otherwise assist with purchasing activities as needed. Provides training and guidance to local purchasing staff and ensures staff involved in purchasing activities complete and maintain all state and locally required training. Maintains all purchasing-related files, guidance and training documents, and other resources utilized by F&A and local purchasing staff.

Coordinates local user access needs and serves as the local subject matter expert for state procurement systems. Tracks and maintains all local purchasing approval flows/thresholds.

Administrative and Clerical:

• Extracts and compiles data from various sources, verifies amounts, and resolves discrepancies.
• Participates in Quality Improvement initiatives, including development and implementation of data collection methods.
• Process incoming mail and deliveries.

Serves as local Purchasing Card (P-Card) Champion and liaison between the CHD and Central Office Purchasing Card Administration. Maintains comprehensive knowledge of State P-Card requirements. Participates in developing, reviewing and maintaining local purchasing procedures, ensuring alignment with current FDOH and Central Office P-Card Administration policies and procedures.

Provides training and guidance to local P-Card holders and ensures staff involved in purchasing activities complete and maintain all state and locally required training. 

Processes requests to establish new P-Card holders and cardholder profile updates for commodity and limit changes as needed.  Maintains database of all active P-Cardholders including limits, commodity type and training completion dates. Monitors aging reports daily and follows up with local cardholders to assist with resolving vendor disputes and other issues that would detrimentally affect timely approval. Serves as local point of contact for filing charge disputes and intervenes with vendors on behalf of cardholders to ensure all options for resolution have been exhausted before disputes are filed. Notifies Central Office P-Card Administration and the local FLAIR custodian separating employees in a timely manner and follows established procedures to secure and destroy P-Cards.

Provides support and coverage for all other F&A functions as needed.

Performs all other duties as assigned in support of the Agency’s mission and vision.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Knowledge of best practices in working with confidential and/or sensitive information
• Ability to interpret and/or disseminate policies, procedures, or other official communication to a variety of audiences
• Work experience utilizing Microsoft Office applications required (i.e., Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams)
• Knowledge of purchasing practices, policies and systems preferred
• Experience working in an administrative, clerical or fiscal role

Qualifications:

Florida Department of Health Mission, Vision, and Values:

Mission:

To protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county & community efforts.

Vision:

To be the Healthiest State in the Nation.

Values:

I nnovation: We search for creative solutions and manage resources wisely.

C ollaboration: We use teamwork to achieve common goals & solve problems.

A ccountability: We perform with integrity & respect.

R esponsiveness: We achieve our mission by serving our customers & engaging our partners.

E xcellence: We promote quality outcomes through learning & continuous performance improvement.

Where You Will Work:

Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County

221 Hospital Drive NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions

(For more information, please click www.myfrs.com);

• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

Please be advised:

Your responses to qualifying questions for this position must be verifiable by documentation provided through the electronic application process.  

This position requires a security background check and/or drug screening and participation in direct deposit. Any misrepresentations or omissions will disqualify you from employment consideration. Note: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment for safety-sensitive positions.

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov 

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement. 

The successful candidate will be required to complete the Form I-9 and that information will be verified using the E-Verify system. E-Verify is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility.   

Incumbents may be required to perform emergency duty before, during, and/or beyond normal work hours or days.

All Florida Department of Health positions require the incumbent to be able to learn and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be considered.  

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. 

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-877-562-7287). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation. 

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act. 

Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the nation with more than 1.5 million service men and women. The Florida Department of Health (department) is committed to serving members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans and their families by encouraging them to apply for vacancies that fit their area of knowledge and/or expertise. Through the Department's VALOR program, which expedites licensing for military veterans, the Department also waives initial licensing and application fees for military veterans who apply for a health care professional license within 60 months of an honorable discharge. These initiatives help ensure that the transition from military service into the workforce is as smooth as possible and reflects our appreciation for the dedication devoted to protecting our country.    

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.