Purchasing Specialist I

UHS•King of Prussia, PA

About The Position

The Purchasing Specialist I works in the UHS Corporate Supply Chain Department and manages purchasing activities for assigned vendors and contracts. The role ensures contract compliance, builds relationships with UHS customers, and provides strong customer service to the teams using purchased products and services. The specialist creates and transmits vendor purchase orders through EDI, telephone, internet, email, or fax; records order confirmations, expected receipt dates, and backorders; and expedites orders through delivery to the requesting location. The position also resolves pricing and invoice discrepancies and exercises purchasing delegation authority up to $25,000. The role purchases products and services for acute care, sub-acute care, and clinic sites across the UHS organization. It processes requisitions, verifies pricing and delivery dates, communicates delivery information, reviews open orders, evaluates quotes and contract pricing, follows up on orders, verifies delivery, and approves payment. The specialist works with vendors to understand factors affecting pricing and delivery, identifies cost-reduction and process-improvement opportunities, ensures contract approval before issuing purchase orders, and maintains supporting documentation.

Requirements

High school diploma and 1–3 years of related experience; a bachelor's degree in Supply Chain may be considered in lieu of the minimum experience requirement.
Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, SharePoint, and an automated Supply Chain system.
Demonstrated commodity and vendor management expertise.
Excellent organizational skills.
Effective interpersonal skills to work with a broad range of end users and vendors.
Ability to interpret verbal and written information and instructions.
Ability to work under strict time constraints and manage multiple priorities.
Ability to solve problems and work as part of a team.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate knowledge of assigned vendors and contracts and ensure consistent contract compliance.
Build relationships with UHS customers and provide excellent customer service to users of products and services.
Create vendor purchase orders and transmit orders through EDI, telephone, internet, email, or fax.
Record confirmations, expected receipt dates, and backorders on purchase orders and expedite orders through receipt at the requesting location.
Process requisitions into purchase orders and purchase products and services for acute care, sub-acute care, and clinic sites.
Ensure pricing is accurate, confirm expected delivery dates with vendors, and communicate delivery information to requestors and facility supply chain departments.
Review open-order reports and expedite orders to meet delivery requirements.
Review quotes, determine contract prices, follow up on orders, verify delivery, and approve payment.
Confer with vendors and analyze their operations to determine factors affecting prices and deliveries.
Resolve invoice and price discrepancies, including coordination with Accounts Payable, within acceptable turnaround times.
Identify cost-reduction and process-improvement opportunities without direct instruction.
Ensure contract approval is complete before issuing purchase orders.
Maintain files of supporting and appropriate documents.
Exercise purchasing delegation authority up to $25,000.
Perform other duties as assigned or required.