Company:

INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA

Interested in joining a winning team? A team whose employees are empowered to make a difference?

Grade:29-30 Nonexempt (Grade commensurate with experience)

Organizational context and job purpose

INEOS Organization:

INEOS is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products. It comprises 17 businesses, each with a major chemical company heritage. Its production network spans 75 manufacturing facilities in 24 countries throughout the world.

Business Context:

The O&P USA business includes the product lines Ethylene, Propylene, Butadiene, Polypropylene and Polypropylene. Manufacturing sites include Chocolate Bayou Works (Alvin, TX), Battleground Manufacturing Complex (LaPorte, TX), and Carson (Carson, CA), with a division office in League City, TX.

How the Role Fits in:

The O & P USA procurement team is chartered to significantly improve the way third party spend is managed, thereby establishing procurement as a major strategic lever and equal contributor to the success of the business. In support of this charter, the primary role of the Procurement Associate is to assure site material and service requirements are met to keep the process units operating profitably and capital projects supplied for timely construction. Maximize contribution to the company’s bottom line through optimum cost savings, which includes negotiated cost reductions, cost avoidances, and working capital reductions.

The position reports to the Site Procurement Manager. The physical location will be at the manufacturing facility primarily serving Procurement’s on-site partners, however, the Procurement Associate may be requested to provide support for other O&P locations.

The Main Purpose of the Role:

The Procurement Associate will have direct responsibility and accountability for ensuring the procurement process is followed, to assure that requisitions are converted to accurate purchase orders and that transactions with our suppliers are executed flawlessly.

Responsibilities AND Accountabilities

Accountability 1: World class service delivery to stakeholders

Most important activities:

Processing of Purchase Orders

Assurance that purchase orders or contracts are in place for all contractors performing work at the site.
Manage open orders – including tracking spend for quarterly and annual orders, tracking delivery and expediting when required
Reconciliation of open Purchase Orders and blocked invoices
Assuring that due procurement process is followed in the placement of all third party spend
Support Procurement strategies
Identify, select, review and qualify vendors.
Negotiation of simple changes to mildly complex changes to Terms and Conditions

Vendor Management

Maintains and increases knowledge of assigned commodities
Increases knowledge of all commodities
Maintains vendor call out listings and after hours duty information
Assists in maintaining Vendor files and Vendor Master information
Communicates with Procurement Specialists, Procurement Associates and Safety to accurately maintain Approved Contractor Database

Negotiations with Vendors

Actively pursues savings and inventory reduction opportunities and better payment terms with suppliers
Assisting Procurement Specialists with the development of negotiation strategies
Negotiating small supply contracts
Aware of when direction/support is needed on more complicated contracts and requests needed support of the Procurement Specialists

Teamwork

Backs up other Procurement Associates when on vacation or out of the office
Shares in after hours duty rotation
Works closely with Procurement Specialists to effect streamlined transactions
Working with Procurement Specialists and site users to provide input in the development of Procurement strategies
Updates Procurement Website
Mentors less experienced Procurement Associates when assistance is requested
Assists with SAP training of co-workers when necessary
Responsible for redistributing work when workload necessitates with Site Procurement Manager approval

Accountability 2: Joint accountability with SHE Department to ensure we have safe, qualified contractors working at sites.

Assurance that contractors are safety pre-qualified
Insisting all contractors adherence to safety requirements and work on corrective plans with those who fall short of expectations
Drive the right behaviours through encouraging participation in each site’s safety observation programs.
Modelling correct behaviours (“Walking the talk”)

Accountability 3: Continuous improvement

Challenge old ways of doing things and continuously improve and streamline processes
Create time saving tools and systems
Automate processes to create space for team to move into greater areas of responsibility and increased levels of performance.
Utilize lean sigma principles as tool for resolution of improvement opportunities
Actively works to identify and rectify opportunities for self improvement and process improvement

Skills & Knowledge Required

Education/Experience

High School Diploma or equivalent required
Minimum of 2 years procurement experience or Bachelor’s degree in business administration (supply chain emphasis)
Some negotiation experience
Demonstrated excellent communication skills
Strong computer skills and SAP experience
Microsoft Excel and Access database experience helpful

Skills and Competencies

Excellent cross-functional working skills
Team player
Strong ability to form internal relationships and influence others
Ability to get buy-in and commitment from both internal and external stakeholders
Continuously, but constructively, demanding of suppliers cost and quality performance
High energy and an intense desire to positively impact the business
Attention to detail and accuracy with respect to purchasing transactions
Track record of delivery and follow through with assignments
Flexibility and willingness to learn other Procurement Associate's areas for back up
Demonstrates leadership activities
Self motivated and willingness to learn
Ability to work independently within the clearly defined parameters and make decisions with limited consultation and guidance.
Demonstrates knowledge of procurement activities

Job Characteristics related to the Accountabilities:

Incumbent requires specialized knowledge (generally more task-oriented, less theoretical) to support departmental or team work processes.
Incumbent must deal with differing situations requiring searches for solutions or new applications. Incumbent may occasionally have to face problems that require solutions that are somewhat more difficult than “multiple choice”; occasionally requiring selecting solutions or combinations of solutions.

Incumbent must be familiar with multiple complex department routines and procedures where the sequence of events varies, and planning and organizing of events/activities is critical. He/she is expected to attain knowledge at an expert level on a broad assortment programs, processes, and systems.
At this level, the job is focused on performing complex combinations of tasks to achieve the goal of the work process.
Incumbent must demonstrate courtesy, tact, and effectiveness in dealing with others in everyday transactions. These jobs may interact regularly with people within and outside the organization, and at all levels of the organization. Some level of sensitivity to other’s points of view is required as well as the occasional use of assertiveness and persuasiveness.
Incumbent is expected to follow complex established routines/instructions and a substantially diversified set of procedures and precedents.
Because of changes in the immediate work circumstances, problems faced in this position may involve selection from a broad range of procedures and precedents to achieve required results.
The incumbent must be able to adjust approach to resolve problems quickly in response to changing priorities and unexpected events.

The incumbent will have latitude regarding the sequence in which assigned tasks and duties are performed, and expected to adjust the work flow to react to more immediate situations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Frequently (70-100%) sitting.
Occasionally (30-60%) lifting and carrying up to 10 pounds.
Infrequently (10-20%) working at heights, walking on wet/damp surfaces, ascending and descending stairs, bending, stooping, twisting, kneeling, and reaching at/below shoulder height.
The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures; viewing a computer screen and extensive reading.
The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
This position requires the employee to always be alert, able to concentrate on their task at hand, and not impaired by medications (prescription, non-prescription, illegal or legal substances including alcohol), or any other mental condition which adversely affects alertness, concentration, or judgment.

Our culture is one of honesty and integrity with an emphasis on safety, health and environmental performance.On our team, people are acknowledged for embracing new practices that help create real value for customers.