Procurement Specialist

Company:

Interested in joining a winning team? A team whose employees share in the ownership of the business and are empowered to make a difference?

The Procurement Specialist is a member of the Green Lake Procurement team and will work under the direction of the Site Purchasing & Stores Manager to provide business essential, cost effective, MRO goods and plant services to support plant operations at the Green Lake facility, and with guidance and direction of the Global Procurement Manager, Nitriles to leverage and bundle procurement opportunities across the U.S. Nitriles sites and INEOS North America business divisions.

The incumbent will:

• Qualify and acquire maintenance, repair and operational (MRO) purchased goods and site services to support the operation of the Green Lake site in a timely and efficient manner within the parameters of service level agreements and purchasing policy with business unit customers.
• Leverage the Company’s purchasing power to obtain better pricing and payment terms from vendors by actively participating as assigned on the U.S. Procurement Network Teams for the MRO / Maintenance Services, and / or Indirects commodity teams.
• Implement procurement processes to reduce costs, improve supplier quality and delivery, and reduce inventory, cost of ownership and cycle time.
• Take action to enhance cross-functional coordination and expand internal communications in the U.S. Nitriles sites.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

Accountability 1

Provide procurement support for all assigned materials, services, or commodities in accordance with Company procedures and strategic goals. 

• Assume face-to-market commercial lead role for all assigned suppliers and vendors.
• Place purchase orders
• Select and negotiate with approved vendors and evaluate vendor reliability.
• Obtain material from suppliers at the lowest cost, with consideration to quality, reliability and delivery needs.
• Schedule deliveries and follow up on orders to expedite deliveries and shipments, obtain certifications of delivery and approve payment invoices for orders placed. 
• Perform, analyze, and conduct industry research as needed.
• Ability to work under minimal supervision.

Accountability 2

Provide cross-site and cross-business division procurement support for assigned commodities in accordance with Business strategic goals.

• Serves on MRO / Maintenance, and/or Indirects U.S. Procurement Networks as assigned.  As such will lead or actively participate in procurement initiatives to consolidate and leverage the Company’s purchasing power for focused areas.  
• Works directly with the Lima, OH site specifically and the global Nitriles sites generally to bundle and leverage procurement opportunities for the business.

Accountability 3

Review customers' on-line requisitions and process Purchase Orders in SAP to procure materials and services at the most favorable price consistent with requirements for quantity, quality, and delivery to support the Green Lake site and Nitriles Business.

• Establish and maintain secure sources for required materials and services.
• Coordinate with client groups to jointly evaluate performance of existing suppliers and contractors and determine any need for alternates.
• Develop and administer purchase orders, contracts, leases and national account programs.
• Coordinate as necessary activities of involved parties (clients, vendors, contractors, logistics, legal, etc) to ensure proper performance of purchase order, contract, or national account program.
• Maintain current lists of vendors and contractors capable of supplying assigned commodities and services.

Accountability 4

Identify opportunities for Strategic Sourcing. 

• Manage the Supplier Base by performing market analysis and research for evaluating and selecting new suppliers and report findings to Management. 
• Perform all tasks associated with management of the supplier population, including communication with new/potential suppliers to discuss mutual interests and new opportunities and evaluation and selection of potential suppliers for pre-qualification.
• Advise purchasing management and affected client groups of significant events affecting the normal supply of goods and services. 
• Pursue innovations in procurement practices and department procedures that will improve effectiveness and produce cost savings.

Accountability 5

Establish and maintain assigned contracts and Outline Agreements for normal site goods and services consistent with the requirements dictated by customers using the products or services. 

• Identify qualified vendors by developing and documenting commodity strategies and negotiate with qualified vendors for price, delivery and quality to establish contracts including the RFP/RFQ process. 
• Internally negotiate and challenge client groups on specifications for the required commodity or service to fit-for-purpose specification.
• Complete and compile technical and commercial reviews of all vendor proposals to select a recommended course of action and prepare all contract approval routing documentation. 
• Implement selective long-term agreements based on vendor quality and value.  Involved in team effort with clients and other staff resources. 

Accountability 6

Solicit formal supplier bids for materials and services required for assigned Capital projects. 

• Develop and present necessary procurement strategy and Authority to Negotiate (ATN) documents to business leadership to receive approval to begin the procurement process.
• Perform all steps necessary to prepare and release an RFP or RFQ.
• Act as technical challenge agent and assist users/requisitioners in developing specifications and/or requirements. 
• Use technical knowledge to participate on and ensure technical review of proposals are adequately and separately (from commercial review) completed and compile results to prepare recommended course.
• Complete commercial review and analyze proposals, negotiate terms & conditions and document approval processes necessary to award the business.

Accountability 7

Resolve a variety of purchasing issues/problems for both internal and external customers (i.e., unblock invoices to secure payment for vendors, provide expediting services as necessary, disputes for "out of scope" changes, etc.).  Support special projects in response to customer and management requests for one-of-a-kind projects.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Work Experience/Education

• Bachelor’s degree in technical or business field is required.  Technical degree is preferred.
• 5 - 10 years related experience in chemical process industry ideally in direct/indirect MRO Procurement within a large manufacturing organization.
• Contract negotiation experience desired.
• Advanced database purchasing and inventory experience (SAP) desired.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

Technical skills

• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong Excel, Word, and PowerPoint skills
• Strong Organization skills
• Strategic and tactical planning skills
• Keen understanding of site operations, maintenance, and technical requirements
• Analytical ability to understand and define most critical issues and develop methodologies for collecting and analyzing relevant data (make vs. buy, TCO across the supply chain, lease vs. buy, NPV etc.)
• SAP / ERP knowledge
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Working knowledge of tax laws and regulations.

Behavioral skills

• Ability to communicate professionally with people at all levels of the organization and external contacts. 
• Solid decision-making skills. 
• Ability to work under minimal supervision and multi-task to cover many project assignments.
• Maintains personal integrity and ethical behavior.
• Fosters collaboration broadly across the function and broader organization; facilitation skills for working issues within groups and teams.
• Proactively and positively manages conflict.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills are required; must be a team player and willing to network appropriately to increase quality of contribution to the asset.

• Innovative and creative thinking is required, adaptive, and able to conceive and apply effective, flexible solutions.
• Organizational Skills are essential.
• Understanding of the site strategy as it relates to purchases and spending.
• Analytical and able to use appropriate processes to identify needs and advise line management to devise effective approaches and solutions.
• Able to establish rapport quickly and sustain effective relationships within a work group of diverse backgrounds.  Strong ability to influence others.
• A change agent who is both a "starter" and a "finisher".  Ability to get buy in and commitment from both internal and external stakeholders.
• Willingness to constructively dissent and challenge end-user and senior management thinking relative to “important purchasing issues”. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Sedentary work involves mostly sitting. Occasionally walking, standing, sitting, squat may go up 1-3 steps. Employee not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
• Job specific: Balance, stoop/bend, squat, stand, lift, simple grasp, repetitive motion of wrist, hands, and fingers.
• Need to evaluate understanding of proper body mechanics for sitting at desk.
• May exert up to 10 lbs. of force occasionally.

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.