Procurement Specialist

Instant Systems•Norfolk, VA

About The Position

The Procurement Specialist (PS) secures a reliable, compliant and cost-effective supply of materials and services for Instant Systems' single-use medical and bioprocessing products. The role owns purchasing for assigned categories, from sourcing and negotiation to purchase orders, delivery and supplier performance. Because incoming materials become part of regulated medical products, the role works closely with Quality to keep every supplier approved, controlled and audit-ready.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering or a related field; OR an associate degree plus 5+ years of relevant purchasing experience.
3–5 years of procurement or purchasing experience in a manufacturing environment, with at least 2 years in medical devices, pharmaceutical, biotech or another FDA/ISO-regulated industry (preferred).
working knowledge of purchasing controls under ISO 13485 and FDA 21 CFR Part 820, including approved supplier lists and supplier change control.
hands-on experience with ERP/MRP purchasing modules.
proven negotiation experience with measurable cost savings.
strong Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups) for spend and supplier analysis.
ability to read engineering drawings and material specifications.
solid company-centric ideology.
creative problem-solving skills.
the ability to balance multiple priorities.
core values of honesty and respect.
a thirst for learning.
the desire to be challenged.

Nice To Haves

experience buying medical-grade polymers, films, tubing, connectors or filters for single-use bioprocess or sterile fluid-path products (preferred)
enjoy an autonomous work environment.
have a LEAN mindset.
are the first person to help.
seek out opportunities to bring added value.

Responsibilities

Buy direct materials (films, resins, tubing, connectors, filters, molded parts, packaging) and indirect items and services (sterilization, lab testing, MRO, capital equipment) for assigned categories.
Convert MRP requirements and purchase requisitions into accurate, timely purchase orders in the ERP system.
Run RFQs and RFPs, compare bids on total cost of ownership, and recommend supplier awards.
Expedite late orders, manage delivery schedules and resolve shortages with Planning and Production.
Resolve invoice, pricing and receiving discrepancies with Accounts Payable and suppliers.
Onboard new suppliers through the Approved Supplier List (ASL) process with Quality, per ISO 13485:2016 Clause 7.4 and FDA 21 CFR Part 820 purchasing controls.
Collect and maintain supplier documents: quality certificates (e.g., ISO 13485, ISO 9001), questionnaires, quality agreements, certificates of analysis/conformance, and material compliance statements.
Classify suppliers by risk and support supplier audits and requalification.
Track supplier scorecards (on-time delivery, quality, responsiveness) and lead quarterly business reviews with key suppliers.
Issue and follow up Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) with Quality for nonconforming material.
Ensure purchase orders reference the correct drawing, specification revision and quality requirements.
Manage supplier change notifications (e.g., resin grade, film formulation, site or process changes) and route them through change control with Quality and R&D before acceptance.
Gather material compliance documents for customers and regulatory files: USP <87>/<88> Class VI, ISO 10993, TSE/BSE and animal-origin-free statements, REACH, RoHS, Prop 65, and conflict minerals declarations.
Support internal, customer, notified body and FDA audits on purchasing records.
Negotiate pricing, lead times, payment terms, minimum order quantities and Incoterms.
Draft and manage supply agreements, quality agreements and blanket purchase orders with Legal and Quality.
Deliver annual cost-savings and cost-avoidance targets through negotiation, consolidation and alternate sourcing.
Track commodity and resin price trends and advise on buying strategy.
Identify single-source and sole-source risks and lead second-source qualification with R&D and Quality.
Set safety stock, reorder points and consignment or VMI programs with Planning.
Build and maintain supply risk and business continuity plans for critical materials.
Manage import/export documents, customs brokers and freight with Logistics.
Keep supplier, item and pricing master data accurate in ERP.
Report weekly on open POs, past-due deliveries, spend and savings.
Improve purchasing procedures and work instructions under document control.
Other responsibilities as assigned