Inventory Specialist - Water

Summary

WORKING FOR THE CITY OF MCKINNEY

Working for the City of McKinney is more than a job. It is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. It is also an opportunity to have a hand in the development of one of the fastest growing communities in the nation. Proudly recognized on the Top Workplaces USA list by USA TODAY, our team is dedicated to making McKinney one of the best places to work, live, and raise a family. That’s why we exist. Join us and start making a difference today.

OUR CORE VALUES

City of McKinney employees work hard and at a very fast pace. However, we also look after and support one another. All of us are guided by four employee-inspired values – Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (RISE). We are also supported by servant-based leaders who foster and support a healthy, family-oriented culture. All new employees are expected to embrace and live by our core values and commit to helping us sustain our exceptional work environment as a high performance organization.

Summary Of Position

Under general supervision, this position ensures the accuracy, integrity, and security of Public Works inventory operations. This position manages and maintains multiple computerized inventory systems, overseeing the ordering, stocking, distribution, and documentation of parts, supplies, and equipment needed to support all Public Works divisions, including Fleet, Water and Wastewater, Streets, and Drainage. The role involves monitoring inventory levels, identifying process improvements, and recommending system enhancements to improve efficiency. The Inventory Specialist prepares, and reviews purchase requisitions, verifies deliveries, processes payments, and generates precise inventory reports. Additional responsibilities include securing warehouse facilities, controlling access, and maintaining compliance with inventory control procedures. Performs other related duties as assigned to support departmental operations.

Essential Functions/Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

GENERAL EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES

In order for us to continue to achieve our primary function of making McKinney a better place to live, work, and raise a family, we hold these expectations for all employees.

• Learn and demonstrate an understanding of how team, department, and City goals are interconnected.
• Contribute to a positive work culture.
• Maintain regular and reliable attendance.
• Ability to assess his/her work performance or the work performance of the team.
• Contribute to the development of others and/or the working unit or overall organization.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team, to demonstrate team skills, and to perform a fair share of team responsibilities.
• Ability to continuously learn and develop through a mix of internal and external training opportunities, and if applicable, encourage subordinates to do the same.
  
  

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Complies with all City policies, procedures, safety standards, and ethical requirements, including those outlined in the City of McKinney Employee Handbook, and adheres to assigned work schedules and attendance policies.
• Maintains accountability for the accuracy, availability, and integrity of inventory supporting assigned divisions, including water, wastewater, streets, drainage and fleet operations, and independently manages day to day inventory activities to ensure uninterrupted field operations.
• Exercises independent judgment in maintaining appropriate inventory levels of parts, equipment, tools, supplies, and required safety gear, balancing operational needs, budget constraints, storage limitations, and lead times.
• Receives, inspects, and audits all inventory deliveries to verify quantities, quality, pricing, contract compliance, and documentation against purchase orders, invoices, and packing slips; identifies discrepancies and independently initiates corrective action with vendors for missing, damaged, delayed, or incomplete shipments.
• Stocks, labels, numbers, organizes, and stores inventory in warehouses, parts rooms, and yard locations, maintaining clean, safe, and efficient work environments and ensuring inventory is readily accessible and properly controlled.
• Performs inventory control functions including cycle counts, spot checks, reconciliations, discrepancy research, and corrective actions, and is accountable for resolving variances to maintain accurate system and physical inventory records.
• Utilizes inventory management systems such as Naviline or equivalent, and work order systems such as Cityworks, to receive, issue, reconcile, and document inventory transactions; ensures that online records accurately reflect physical stock and that all parts issued to field crews are properly recorded.
• Reviews work orders to confirm proper documentation of parts usage, verifies correct part numbers and quantities, and exercises judgment in resolving discrepancies with field staff and supervisors to maintain data accuracy and audit compliance.
• Identifies, analyzes, and resolves inventory issues including low stock levels, damaged materials, obsolete items, and backordered products, and recommends alternative materials, suppliers, or stocking strategies to minimize operational impacts.
• Analyzes historical repair data, usage trends, and expenditures to forecast inventory needs, develop cost projections, and make recommendations for bulk purchases, stocking strategies, and annual parts contracts.
• Initiates purchase requisitions, orders, payments, and authorized procurement transactions, including use of a City purchase card, and is accountable for ensuring all purchasing activities comply with City purchasing, financial, and audit requirements.
• Assists Purchasing with development of bid specifications, vendor quotes, annual parts contracts, group or bulk purchasing initiatives, and verification of vendor submissions; provides technical input and usage data to support cost effective and compliant procurement decisions.
• Coordinates delivery, distribution, and issuance of inventory and materials to field crews and between departments; prioritizes requests based on operational urgency and project schedules, and ensures timely fulfillment of phone, email, and walk up requests.
• Works closely with supervisors, superintendents, and operational staff to anticipate material needs for upcoming work, identify improved tools, parts, or products, and support operational efficiency and safety through informed inventory decisions.
• Collaborates with clerical and supervisory staff to ensure expenses are charged to correct accounts, budgets are accurately tracked, and inventory related costs are properly allocated; identifies and resolves billing or coding discrepancies.
• Reviews budget and expenditure reports regularly to verify account balances, ensure spending remains within approved limits, and proactively identifies potential budget issues related to inventory procurement.
• Maintains professional and accountable relationships with vendors; monitors contract compliance, ensures fair and equitable treatment of vendors, resolves purchasing or invoicing issues, and escalates unresolved issues when appropriate.
• Maintains complete, accurate, and auditable records of all inventory, purchasing, and financial transactions, and is accountable for compliance with internal controls and external audit requirements.
• Promotes safe work practices at all times, exercises sound judgment in identifying safety concerns, and promptly reports accidents, hazards, or unsafe conditions to supervisors.
  
  

When assigned to Water/Wastewater

• Familiarizes self with Water and Wastewater operations to understand the necessary parts for all types of repairs and capital improvements.
  
  

When assigned to Fleet

• Maintains and updates the Fleet Management System (RTA or equivalent) to ensure accurate tracking of parts, fuel, and inventory.
• Maintains comprehensive records of City vehicles and equipment, including maintenance history, parts usage, mileage, and repair descriptions.
• Coordinates the collection, storage, and proper disposal of shop-generated waste materials such as oil, antifreeze, tires, and batteries in compliance with environmental regulations.
• Participates in job-related workshops, training sessions, and conferences to maintain current knowledge of fleet maintenance and inventory best practices.
  
  

When assigned to Streets/Drainage

• Maintains small engines and makes repairs as needed.
• Works with the Engineering department on Traffic Control and Protection and building out the necessary signs and barricades for city events.
• Maintains barricades, cones, and the call-out trailer for city staff.
• Works with Streets, Drainage, Traffic, and Parks regarding shipments to the yard when offloading materials.
• Responds to Emergency call-outs and weather-related issues.
• Runs Loader on the yard when needed.
• Supervises on-call to blow and sweep downtown streets twice a week.
• Works with Supervisors to winterize equipment and ramp up sanders during winter events.
• Conducts safety tailgates with Streets and Drainage staff.
  
  

Other Job Functions

• Performs other duties as assigned or directed.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, And Behaviors

• Ability to embrace and embody the City’s core values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence (R.I.S.E.).
• Ability to communicate effectively with peers, supervisors, subordinates, and people to whom service is provided.
• Ability to produce desired work outcomes, including quality, quantity, and timeliness.
• Ability to plan and organize work, time, and resources, and if applicable, that of subordinates.
• Knowledge of inventory, record keeping, purchases and payments of goods and services.
• Knowledge of various computer applications to work with spreadsheets, word processing, emails and inventory control systems.
• Knowledge of water and wastewater, streets and drainage, and/or fleet parts and supplies as applicable for corresponding assignment.
• Ability to operate, maneuver and/or control the actions of equipment such as forklift, machinery, tools and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data and/or information. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification.
• Ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; ability to calculate decimals and percentages; ability to utilize principles of fractions; ability to interpret graphs.
• Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagrammatic form. Involves semi-routine standardized work with some latitude for independent judgment concerning choices of action.
• Ability to exercise the judgment required in situations characterized by repetitive or short cycle operations covered by set procedures or sequences.
• Ability to perform coordinated movements involving stocking and inventory control.
• Ability to work in a team environment; contribute as a team member and treat co-workers and customers with respect.
  
  

Required Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any work related experience resulting in acceptable proficiency levels in the below Minimum Qualifications may be an acceptable substitute.

High school diploma or GED supplemented by three (3) years previous experience and/or training involving purchasing/buying, warehousing/inventory, office administration, or personal computer operations. Must possess computer skills with emphasis in Microsoft Office.

Preferred Qualifications

• Some college preferred
  
  

When assigned to Fleet

• Familiar with RTA fleet management software
  
  

When assigned to Streets

• Must have Class A Commercial Driver’s License
  
  

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Must pass a drug screen and background check.
• Must have Class C Texas Driver’s License.
• Pass a medical physical examination.
• Meet the City's driving standards.
  
  

Physical Demands/Supplemental

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

There are specific physical demands that may be required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job, including talking, sitting, standing, walking, using hands to touch, handle or feel objects, reaching with hands and arms, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, and tasting/smelling. The ability to lift and/or exert force up to one-hundred and fifty (150) pounds Special vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

There may be exposure to environmental conditions while performing the essential functions of this job, including exposure to outdoor weather conditions on a frequent basis, exposure to wet or humid conditions (non-weather) and working near moving mechanical parts between one and two thirds of the time. Under one-third of the time may require working in high, precarious places, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock and vibration.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed as of the date of preparation and approval. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by management. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and all requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

The City of McKinney is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) committed to an alcohol / drug free workplace and to providing equal opportunities regardless of age, race, color, gender, religion, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.