Purchasing Agent
About The Position
The Purchasing Agent will act as the single point of contact towards the internal customer for procurement related questions. This role will manage local purchasing requests for indirect (non-bill of material) products and services in collaboration with the sourcing and category management organization and guarantee efficient contact implementation/acceptance on site. The Purchasing Agent will also manage the Procurement function at multiple sites and ensure the use of procurement procedures by internal customers. They will act as a coordinator between local stakeholders and the procurement organization, identify, track, and report locally generated savings, and manage and coordinate with local and regional external suppliers. Additionally, they will source and negotiate pricing for maintenance supplies and services not covered by strategic sourcing agreements, ensure purchased materials and services are delivered on time to support 24/7 plant operations, and coordinate contract implementation tasks. The role promotes the use of global/regional contracts and ensures purchases comply with the preferred supplier program and channel strategy. The Purchasing Agent supports strategic sourcing initiatives by providing input on local spend, supplier market insights, local requirements, and supporting supplier qualification, contract implementation, and spot buy reduction initiatives. The role ensures purchasing involvement in local non-commodity, non-logistic spend, monitors recurring spot buys, and highlights potential for catalogue and contract creation.
Requirements
- High school diploma required
- Minimum of two years relevant purchasing experience required
- Strong analytical thinking (understand complex subjects, decompose into comparable components, structured evaluation and documentation)
- Thorough understanding of defined procurement P2P processes
- Local supplier market awareness (for assigned commodities) and product/service portfolio insights
- Basic sourcing (methodology) understanding including total Cost Ownership, Risk Management and Savings/Benefit monitoring
- Familiar with the letter and spirit of the laws applicable to purchasing and supply management
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Good computer skills, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SAP
- Proven ability to work with minimal supervision
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor's degree preferred, in relevant discipline
- Proficiency in SAP considered an asset
Responsibilities
- Manage local purchase requisitions for indirect (non-bill of material) products and services according to defined strategies and frameworks
- Verify purchase request quality and correct buying channel, align with end users on missing specifications
- Execute local purchase requisitions
- Identify and advise customer on possible modification from original requests (e.g. more cost effective alternatives exists)
- Screen potential suppliers through basic Request For Information/Proposal process
- Select a supplier according to the defined strategy in the category
- Process requisition via purchase order or purchasing card
- Follow-up on purchase orders
- Be aware of purchase request processing guidelines for all categories to allow for flexible work allocation
- Collaborate with local planning function(s) on production schedules and MRP min/max levels
- Ensure local purchase requisition approvals are defined and followed
- Manage the Procurement function at multiple sites
- Be an expert in understanding local catalog content relevant for a particular site and ensure familiarity with relevant category instructions detailing buying procedure, preferred suppliers, etc. for the site
- Ensure the use of the procurement procedures by internal customers at the site
- If necessary, inform internal customers about required changes and/or preferred alternative buying channels
- Guarantee efficient use of the purchasing systems by all users providing them assistance when necessary
- Act as a coordinator between the local stakeholders and the procurement organization
- Identify, track, and report locally generated savings
- Manage and coordinate with local and regional external suppliers
- Source and negotiate pricing for all maintenance supplies and services not covered by strategic sourcing agreements
- Ensure all purchased materials and services are delivered on time to support a 24/7 plant operation
- Coordinate contract implementation tasks with purchasing managers and stakeholders
- Coordinate and participate in the execution of the implementation plan
- Promote the use of global/regional contracts
- Ensure purchases comply with defined preferred supplier program and are in line with defined channel strategy
- Support strategic sourcing initiatives
- Provide input on local spend situation and category practices
- Provide insights on local supplier market
- Engage local stakeholders to identify any local requirements (legal, QA/regulatory, customer, specifications, etc.)
- Support local supplier qualification assessment
- Support contract implementation plan development
- Support on-going spot buy reduction initiatives locally
- Ensure purchasing involvement in 85+% of all local non-commodity, non-logistic spend
- Monitor recurring spot buys to reduce the total amount of spot buys
- Highlight potential for catalogue and contract creation based on recurrent free text requests
- Perform additional job responsibilities as directed by Purchasing Manager
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
High school or GED
