Buyer III - Procurement

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) • Webster, TX

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

Buyer III is a senior-level procurement professional responsible for ensuring that requisitions for complex goods and services are compliant with institutional contracts, applicable policies, and regulatory requirements. This role reviews and vets incoming requisitions to confirm alignment with existing agreements, pricing, scopes of work, and terms before approving and routing them for processing. Buyer III serves as a critical compliance checkpoint in the procurement process, helping to ensure purchasing activity is consistent, auditable, and within institutional and State of Texas guidelines. This position also acts as a subject matter expert on policy interpretation and may provide guidance to junior buyers, assist with process improvement initiatives, and participate in operational oversight activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Health Care Administration, Supply Chain, or a relevant field and two (2) years of work experience in an office environment, preferably in procurement, finance, or administrative support.
• Must obtain C.P.S.M., C.P.P.B, C.P.P.O, C.T.C.M., or an equivalent nationally recognized certification of professional credentials as deemed acceptable to UTMB within 18 months of appointment in title.
• Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of purchasing processes, policies, and best practices to efficiently acquire goods and services.
• Skilled in managing multiple purchase requests, tracking orders, and maintaining thorough documentation to meet deadlines and customer expectations.
• Demonstrates good negotiation skills and understanding of negotiation strategies and tactics.
• Capable of accurately interpreting and communicating product specifications and purchase requirements to ensure proper order fulfillment.
• Good technical writing skills and ability to read and communicate specifications.
• Anticipate and address immediate and future needs of internal customers, providing responsive and consultative procurement assistance.
• Basic accounting and data analysis skills.
• Working knowledge of procurement systems (e.g., Oracle, PeopleSoft) and electronic purchasing workflows.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook), with the ability to work with databases and spreadsheets.
• Maintain high accuracy in data entry, record keeping, and purchase order preparation.
• Identify and resolve purchasing discrepancies and operational issues promptly.
• Good verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to plan, organize, and lead meetings or conduct presentations.
• Ability to work in a team-based environment, contributing ideas, participating in team decisions, and achieving team outcomes.

Nice To Haves

• An equivalent combination of education and experience relevant to the role may be considered for this position.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve complex and high-value purchase requisitions, ensuring alignment with institutional contracts, pricing agreements, scopes of work, and all required supporting documentation.
• Verify that requisitions are complete, accurate, and compliant with UTMB, State of Texas, and Federal procurement regulations and internal policies.
• Serve as a key liaison between departments, vendors, and Supply Chain to clarify procurement needs, resolve discrepancies, and guide customers through policy-compliant requisition submissions.
• Identify and escalate procurement issues, risks, or exceptions that may delay processing or impact compliance, including incomplete justifications, contract misalignment, or unsupported purchases.
• Provide clarification on purchase order terms, institutional policies, and vendor obligations to both internal stakeholders and vendors.
• Ensure that requisitions linked to existing contracts or cooperative agreements reflect correct terms, pricing, quantities, and contract identifiers.
• Monitor and manage 2-way/3-way match exceptions and coordinate necessary corrective actions with stakeholders and vendors.
• Maintain organized and auditable records of requisition and purchase order documentation in accordance with retention and audit guidelines.
• Support HUB and Federal Small Business initiatives by confirming appropriate supplier use and compliance with related procurement goals.
• Participate in internal reviews and process audits to evaluate purchasing activity and ensure continuous adherence to procurement standards.
• Assist with mentoring and providing subject matter guidance to less experienced buyers or requisitioners as needed.
• Collaborate with process owners to recommend improvements that streamline requisition approval and promote policy compliance.
• Monitor vendor performance related to fulfillment timelines, pricing accuracy, and contract adherence, escalating issues where necessary.
• Coordinate with departments and contract teams to ensure requisition activity supports broader procurement strategies and institutional goals.
• Adhere to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Coordinate and prioritize daily work assignments for the team to ensure timely completion.
• Adhere to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Performs related duties as required.

Benefits

• Actual salary commensurate with experience.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior