PRINCIPAL PURCHASING ASSISTANT
Principal Purchasing Assistant is a competitive local-government title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
What it takes is 3 years of relevant experience.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Examination announcements for this title
Promotional announcements
A promotional announcement for this title is accepting applications as of October 13, 2026. A promotional examination produces its own eligible list and is open only to people who already hold permanent status in a qualifying title within the department named on the row, not across that employer generally; filing without eligibility means an ineligible determination and no refund of the fee.
| Title | Symbol | Employer and unit who may file | Closes | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRINCIPAL PURCHASING ASSISTANT$71,736 to $102,881 a yearPromoted from: Senior Purchasing Assistant, Purchasing Assistant | PC4005H | ESSEX COUNTYSHERIFF | October 21, 2026 | Open | Announcement |
Previously announced, and no longer listed by the Commission
The Commission removes an announcement once it has closed and republishes nothing, so this examination is no longer on any of its own lists. We keep what we have read, here covering 2026. It cannot be filed for now; a title announced once is often announced again, so this is the record of whether that has happened.
| Title | Symbol | Employer or unit | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Purchasing AssistantOpen competitive | C0991H | Bergen County | September 21, 2026 |
Every row is CSC's own; see the full announcement calendar.
Promotion paths the Commission has published
Titles the Commission accepted as feeders for this one
Holders of the titles below were eligible to compete in a promotional examination for PRINCIPAL PURCHASING ASSISTANT.
- PURCHASING ASSISTANTstated by 1 employer
- SENIOR PURCHASING ASSISTANTstated by 1 employer
Each line comes from a promotional examination announcement, which sets its own eligibility for that employer and that examination — so this records what the Commission has accepted before, not a rule about who qualifies now. Most of these paths have been stated by a single employer, and the count beside each says how many. A promotional examination is also closed to anyone without permanent status in the unit the announcement names. How promotional eligibility works.
Salaries stated in examination announcements
One Civil Service Commission examination announcement has stated a salary for this title. Local pay is set by each employer under its own ordinance or contract, so this is one employer's figure for one position rather than a rate for the title.
| Employer | Salary as published | Basis | Announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essex CountySheriff | $71,736.00 ~ $102,881.00 | A year | October 2026 |
Each figure is quoted as the Civil Service Commission printed it in that employer's announcement on the date shown. It is evidence of what was advertised then, not a statement of what the position pays now, and an announcement does not say whether a post is full or part time. No average, range or comparison is given across employers, because each sets its own pay and nothing here establishes that two of these positions are alike. Where an employer has announced the title more than once for the same department, only its most recent figure is shown. How this data is sourced.
Where this title is used
Principal Purchasing Assistant is a local service title. It is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, not by State departments. Those employers set pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule, which is why most local titles carry no salary range here.
Check whether an employer is a civil service jurisdiction · How local civil service works
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under direction, has charge of, supervises, and participates in the work of a unit engaged in the requisitioning or purchasing of materials, supplies, and services; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Receives, reviews, and approves vendors 'claims prior to submission to the purchasing agent, and, after purchase orders have been prepared, supervises the posting of purchase order information into purchase ledgers.
- Receives, reviews, and approves vendors' claims and forwards them to the purchasing agent.
- Supervises the checking and posting of vendors' claims.
- Oversees the receiving and storage of materials and supplies.
- Maintains liaison with vendors and the purchasing agent on prices, errors, and complaints on delivery.
- Maintains liaison with unit heads and confers with them regarding their needs for materials and supplies.
- Suggests the use of substitutes or alternative products.
- Arranges for the direct purchase of items which do not require the advertising of bids by the purchasing agent.
- May be responsible for preparing routine purchase specifications.
- Interviews sales representatives who have been authorized by the purchasing agent and makes recommendations for purchases.
- Receives budgetary estimates for purchases requested by unit heads, and consults with the department head as to what purchases should be approved or reduced based on past performance.
- Compiles data required for the preparation of the budget.
- Attends budgetary hearings.
- Reviews budgetary appropriations for materials and supplies and advises the department head as to over expenditures or the need for additional appropriations.
- Supervises the maintenance of a perpetual inventory.
- Schedules work to be accomplished and gives suitable assignments
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording information systems used by the agency, office or related unit.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience in the preparation and processing of requisitions and/or in the purchase of equipment, materials, and/or supplies.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of methods and procedures involved in the requisitioning and/or purchasing of equipment, materials, and supplies.
- Ability to supervise assigned employees.
- Ability to comprehend and analyze complex supply problems and the particular needs of the various units.
- Ability to deal effectively with sales representatives and vendors.
- Ability to supervise the preparation and/or prepare suitable reports.
- Ability to establish and maintain appropriate records and files.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.