Procurement Assistant

UW-Madison's Housing Dining and Culinary Services is seeking a detail-oriented, service-driven Procurement Assistant to support our vibrant, high-volume dining operations. In this pivotal role, you'll serve as the key liaison between dining units and vendors, ensuring timely and accurate purchasing of food and supplies. From resolving invoice issues to maintaining our menu management system, your work will directly impact the quality and efficiency of our student dining experience. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, value collaboration, and are passionate about exceptional service, we'd love to have you on our team. As a Procurement Assistant in University Housing you will:

• Acts as a liaison and primary contact between dining units and vendors
• Coordinates purchases of special items as requested
• Demonstrates and role models exceptional customer service
• Resolves questions and issues with vendor invoices
• Evaluates vendor product shorts and finds replacement products as needed
• Maintains the purchasing data within Dining's Menu Management System for all food and supplies purchased
• Performs duties in a high-volume, dynamic, student residential dining environment
• Provides support and assists as needed in the implementation of plans and procedures in the event of an emergency

Work Schedule:

• The primary schedule for this position is Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
• Operational and work schedules will be closely aligned with the services and customer needs of the unit. As a result, work schedules may be adjusted during specific times of the year, including summer and winter break hours

Work schedule will be set with selected finalist(s) at time of offer. Schedule alterations as operations and position expectations demand. Be part of the Dining and Culinary Services team that serves the residents of the University Residence Halls, as well as UW-Madison students, faculty, staff, and the general public. Apply today!

• Manages requisition-to-purchase order process including dissemination to suppliers and changes resulting in changes to financial encumbrances

• Creates and maintains library of purchasing-related forms and templates

• Assists purchasing agents, buyers, and procurement specialists with editing and preparation of service agreements and one-time purchasing agreements using established forms and templates

• Enters purchase orders and supplier information into financial system of record in compliance with established standards and with appropriate segregation of duties

• Maintains and files records in compliance with regulatory requirements

• Provides response to questions from internal and external stakeholders

• Prepares and monitors release of and responses to all types of solicitations

Division of University Housing, Dining & Culinary Services

University Housing Dining and Culinary Services provides affordable meals made from locally sourced ingredients and innovative dining options to residents, guests, and staff. We have market-place style locations in six buildings throughout campus. These marketplaces offer a new variety of selections each day, as well as made-to-order stations. Additionally, there are convenience stores, coffeehouses, and two franchises throughout campus, as well as a Catering, and Central Production and Bakery operation.

Within the Eagle Heights Community Garden, Dining and Culinary Services has a 1-acre Campus Farm producing vegetables that are used in menus in marketplaces, as well as in Grab & Go items in convenience stores and on the Electric Eats Food Truck.

The starting hourly wage is $25.00 or higher based on qualifications and includes a competitive retirement and benefits package, and a free meal for every shift! This is a full-time position.

This position includes significant night and weekend shift differentials, paid time off, a free meal for every shift, state employee benefits, and a $1,000 referral bonus for each person hired. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. Benefits information can be found at (https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/).

• 3 years of purchasing experience in food service or related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• 6+ months experience using software applications Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel)

• Experience acting as a liaison between an organization and vendors
• Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills
• Experience using or maintaining a large database

High School diploma preferred

Please submit your resume within the online application system. We are only able to consider completed application materials submitted by the deadline date.

Additional Information

Candidates who apply for this position may be considered for other or future vacancies within this title, including those which may have a different work schedule and/or requirements from this vacancy.

This position has been identified as a position of trust. The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial criminal background check to be eligible for employment and then every four years thereafter.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

University Housing Human Resources, hr@housing.wisc.edu, 608-262-2766

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.