Instructional Resources Specialist - Instructional Materials, Gwinnett County Public Schools, Suwanee, GA

Gwinnett Daily Post

License and Certification Qualifications: None required.

Education Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent required. Bachelor's degree in related field preferred.

Experience Qualifications: Three years in an office/clerical environment required. Experience with buying and purchasing preferred.

Skills Qualifications: Strong time management and organizational skills with ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and with limited supervision; knowledge of purchasing/buying/procurement processes; ability to use computer-based, enterprise-level purchasing and distribution systems including item definition and creation, item maintenance, and item procurement; excellent communication and public relations skills; ability to be customer service oriented to internal and external customers, particularly in vendor relationships; strong editing and proofreading skills; knowledge of inventory control methods, warehouse operations, and distribution concepts; and excellent computer skills with word-processing, spreadsheets, and databases. Knowledge of the district?s productivity, purchasing/inventory, textbook management, and student information software and applications strongly preferred.

Primary Responsibilities: Assist with all aspects related to the acquisition, price, quality, quantity, distribution, requester expectations, and customer and supplier product or service issues of instructional resources for the district.

1. Perform the function ofprocuring instructional resources in compliance with the Board of Educationpurchasing policies and procedures.
a. Understand and ensure all Board of Education instructionalresources and purchasing policies and procedures are met and followed.
b. Identify needed purchase order amendments and coordinatediscrepancies with suppliers, local schools/program managers, and the AccountsPayable, Environmental and Supply Services, and Purchasing Departments.
c. Use procurement software to facilitate and manage tasksrelated to purchase orders and requisitions.
d. Prepare appropriate communication forms necessary to modifyor adjust purchase orders.
e. For appropriate items, issue and evaluate product quotesbased on lowest cost and availability by obtaining minimum of three competitivequotes and selecting based on lowest cost, availability, and vendor historyprior to purchasing instructional resources not covered by an approvedcontract.
f. Inform the Purchasing Department of changes tomaintain supplier and vendor databases used for Board-adopted instructionalresources.
g. Provide cross-functional support to the Accounts Payable,Purchasing, and Warehouse/ Distribution Center.
h. Support effective stewardship of financial resources allocatedto the instructional resource budget through the execution of the expendituresof set budgets and other departmental accounts as directed.

2. Create, maintain, and inactivate instructional resourceswithin the district’s purchasing/inventory and textbook management systems.
a. Obtain pertinent information concerning item requirements,sources, specifications, features, availability, delivery, and cost.
b. Assist with the preparation, maintenance, provision, andreview of instructional resources within various systems.
c. Ensure the timely entry and update of item specific informationin the district’s purchasing/inventory system and other databases.
d. Inactivate or otherwise change item status informationfrom appropriate inventory control records and systems when no longer required.
e. Ensure that all adopted instructional resources are specifiedand packaged to meet the needs of local schools.
f. Assist with determining which and how to barcodeinstructional resources for the local schools to maintain their local inventory.

3. Serve as the key procurement point of contact and communicationwith distributors, manufacturers, and other vendors for instructional resources.
a. Facilitate the correction of errors in daily or routineorder placement, scheduling, fulfillment, or receipt of instructional resources.
b. Resolve vendor shipment discrepancies for the InstructionalResource and Support office.
c. Ensure that error corrections are documented and communicatedto Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Supply Services, and other departmentsas appropriate.
d. Prepare and provide guidelines for order handling, shipment,discrepancy resolution, and other process or project issues to distributors,manufacturers, or other vendors as directed.
e. Coordinate placement and handling of orders associatedwith the opening of newly constructed or renovated schools and other facilities.
f. Oversee the timing and quantities of inventoriedinstructional resources purchases.
g. Provide advance notice to supervisor of pending instructionalresource purchases that will exceed spending limits or will require specialhandling or distribution.

4. Support the completion and reconciliation of the annualDistribution Center physical inventory for instructional resources withthe district’s purchasing/ inventory and textbook management systems.
a. Oversee the preparation, creation, and recording of thecounting events and provide to the Distribution Center manager.
b. Assign and support cycle count data entry into the district’spurchasing/inventory system.
c. Identify, confirm, and correct discrepancies betweeninventory records and physical counts as required.

5. Assist in the development of contract documents for adoptedinstructional resources as directed.
a. Assist in reviewing and making recommendations to termsand conditions in contracts.
b. Execute purchases according to approved contracts andquotes.
c. Assist with all communications and documents regardingadoption contract negotiations.
d. Review vendor service history, as applicable, and reportand make improvement recommendations to supervisor.
e. Update item information in the district’s purchasing/inventoryand textbook management systems according to approved contracts by effectivecontract date.

6. Review and approve school submissions for adoptedinstructional resources for accuracy while considering the adopted resourceallocation and enrollment needs of the school.
a. Obtain student and course enrollment informationfrom various information sources using multiple databases and/or computerprograms.
b. Communicate effectively with local schools, administrators,principals, and district personnel to resolve issues.

7. Analyze needs and procure instructional resources neededfor growth and replacement.
a. Retrieve, analyze, and provide data on instructional resourcesinventory levels and requisition volumes as necessary.
b. Project, establish, and provision growth and replacementneeds of adopted instructional resources.
c. Collaborate with supervisor, program office director,and vendor representatives on expiring digital licenses to determine potentialextension and/or need.

8. Maintain a responsive and customer-centered climate utilizingstrong communication skills.
a. Cooperate with and maintain positive relationships withdivision, department, and program office teams and with other school systememployees and vendor representatives.
b. Support supervisor by being knowledgeable of departmentprograms, processes, and information needed to assist in program officefunctions.
c. Represent the district, division, department, and programoffice professionally in all aspects of communication with all internaland external stakeholders.
d. Handle internal and external contacts, include the public,graciously, effectively, and in a timely manner.
e. Establish professional reputation as professional, courteous,responsive to customer needs, efficient, and effective.

9. Perform other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit for extended periods of time. The employee is also required to talk, hear, stand, and walk. The employee may be required to use hands to finger, handle, feel, and/or reach. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.