Buyer

DUTIES:

- Implement purchasing strategy and policy by procuring materials and services to meet internal customer requirements.
- Develop and utilize automated techniques for processing orders, in order to minimize labor requirements.
- Responsible for assuring the lowest total cost supply base and sourcing competitiveness through the procurement process.
- Select or participate in selection of vendors, create specifications, evaluate proposals and options, negotiate and issue contracts/purchase orders, resolve contract/purchase order disputes.
- Develop long term material and service alliances to reduce overall costs and improve efficiencies.
- Develop and implement an integrated operating plan to achieve desired performance levels.
- Participate in the formation of purchasing policies and practices.
- Automate the procurement process to the extent possible.
- Recommend steps to increase the utilization of auto sourcing and to minimize manual intervention.
- Develop in-depth product, market, and supplier expertise in the assigned categories of materials.
- Collaborate closely with internal customers to understand their material needs, along with budget targets.
- Develop and implement an integrated operating plan to achieve desired performance results. Assure lowest total cost supply base and sourcing competitiveness through the procurement process.
- Investigate potential purchase and supply base management leverage opportunities.
- Develop supply base performance targets and metrics.
- Coordinate purchasing activities between suppliers and customers to assure customer satisfaction and the attainment of specified service levels.
- Work with internal customers in the development of category specifications and statements of work including proper supplier metrics.
- Identify potential suppliers, issue requests for information (RFI) and requests for proposal (RFP), direct the evaluation of RFI's and RFP's, negotiate final agreements, award agreements.
- Coordinate the most cost effective and economical freight program.
- Negotiate price, delivery, and payment terms.
- Resolve purchasing issues with suppliers. Solicit legal assistance/advice in negotiations as deemed necessary.

SKILLS:

REQUIRED MINIMAL EXPERIENCE:
3 years + Procurement or supply chain work responsibilities.
3 years + Negotiation of materials, services and equipment at the lowest total cost while meeting or exceeding quality and specification requirements
3 years + Financial forecasting and analysis - preparing sourcing strategies, procurement plans, performing analysis of proposals and supplier capabilities
Microsoft Office applications with strong emphasis on Excel.

PREFERRED BUT NOT REQUIRED:
PeopleSoft systems (version 9.0) for procurement
A solid background would be in the Utility, Power Generation or recently MRO experience.

EDUCATION:
Bachelors degree