The UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCLA JCCC) is one of just 53 cancer centers in the United States to hold a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation as a comprehensive cancer center. This designation is reserved for cancer centers with the highest achievements in cancer research, clinical care, education, and community-focused activities. As such, it ranks the UCLA JCCC among the top centers in the nation. The UCLA JCCC's mission is to accelerate discoveries that prevent and cure cancer and to transform cancer care in Los Angeles County and beyond by driving scientific discovery, innovations in care, by training and mentoring the next generation of cancer researchers and physicians, and by working with and supporting our community partners to improve the health of the people the Center serves. Under supervision of the JCCC Director of Finance, the Purchasing Specialist will support purchasing/financial functions of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The incumbent will ensure appropriateness of purchases according to UCLA and other governing (Federal, State, local) policies. S/he will be responsible for the department’s purchasing and accounts payable activities including purchase orders, reimbursements, and requisitions, utilizing the online UCLA systems. The incumbent will be responsible for processing the JCCC’s travel and entertainment, utilizing UCLA’s Travel systems. S/he will continuously improve the purchasing workflow to ensure timely and accurate completion of all purchasing requests to achieve best efficiency. In addition, s/he will process check requests, resolve open encumbrances over 90 days old, and various ad hoc and recurring financial reports. S/he will be responsible for maintaining tracking logs for all transactions. Candidate will interact with departmental staff, as well as Central Resource Unit (CRU), Travel, Accounts Payable, Purchasing, other campus units and outside vendors as required. The Purchasing Specialist will work closely with the Finance Analyst reconciling complex account issues in close collaboration with campus central finance departments like Accounts Payable and Central Purchasing. S/he will serve as the backup to the Analyst. The Purchasing Specialist will work under moderate supervision exercising a moderate amount of independent judgment, problem-solving, and initiative in completing job duties in order to meet goals and objectives. The Purchasing Specialist will meet with the supervisor on a bi-weekly basis although the meetings times may change occasionally.

* Ability to communicate professionally and effectively with Campus departments, department staff and leadership, and 3rd party suppliers to resolve problems as quickly as possible. * Demonstrated ability to design, modify, create formulas, modify formats and run various reports in Excel * Working knowledge to investigate and quickly resolve problems. * Ability to work independently and as part of a financial management team. * Excellent communication skills and command of language to obtain and convey information with diplomacy and clarity; to speak on the telephone or in person to individuals or groups using appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and the ability to maintain a congenial, helpful attitude when faced with difficult situations and to respond with tact and sensitivity. * Ability to learn new systems and adapt to new management perspectives * Demonstrated ability to maintain the strictest confidentiality at all times * Ability to work with frequent interruptions or to shift from one task to another without loss of efficiency and to maintain excellent recall of detail. * English writing skills to prepare grammatically correct reports, correspondence and memos with speed and accuracy * Demonstrated ability to complete assignments independently. Excellent organizational and planning skills. Preferred * Knowledge of University and Federal purchasing of equipment policies and procedures. * Fluency in UCLA BruinBuy, Concur, systems or similar campus purchasing programs. Experience to create complex requisitions and perform terms and rates review and negotiation with suppliers per UCLA compliance standards through a centralized University purchasing department. * Working knowledge of university material management procedures, accounting reports, and procedures * Demonstrated ability to organize financial data into meaningful reports to be utilized as management tools. * Working knowledge of the various kinds of restrictions that may apply to different University funds.