Develops and administers processes necessary for identification and deployment of material resources necessary to maximize operational efficiencies and fulfillment of laboratory demands. Purchases materials or other goods and administers activities involved with procuring goods and services, such as materials, chemicals, equipment, tools, parts, service contracts and supplies according to the guidelines given by Corporate Purchasing Department. Identifies and maintains productive relations with vendors.
- Purchase assigned materials or other goods and coordinate activities involved with procuring goods and services.
- Research and initiate cost reduction ideas and think through, plan out and drive cost reduction projects to completion.
- Prepare specifications for purchasing of materials, supplies, equipment, services, and goods.
- Assist with administration activities concerned with contracts for purchase or lease of equipment, materials, supplies, products, or services. Assist with vendor negotiations to build productive supplier relations.
- Handle equipment contracts, equipment maintenance and repairs.
- Review weekly back order list to reduce or eliminate back orders. Participate in problem resolution processes to identify the root cause of problems to eliminate or reduce supply chain problems.
- Assist personnel with purchase order processing. Review and update open purchase orders when necessary.
- Develop and maintain existing suppliers and search for potential new sources of supply to support growth and cost objectives of the company. Work with company leaders to achieve set targets for cost reduction.
- Develop, review, and analyze purchasing or cost data and trends to assist company personnel with forecasting current and future needs. Generate cost trend and forecast data for major commodities reflecting market conditions. Develop and maintain accurate database information for supplier profiles, cost trends, services and inventory levels.
- Provide information for budget managers including monthly or periodic reports of purchasing and usage activity.
- Contact company personnel and vendors, regarding order, delivery or shipping status to ensure that merchandise, supplies, and equipment delivery is expedited. Monitor supplier performance and initiate action plans to improve performance where needed.
- Consult with operations personnel to optimize the deployment of material resources to maximize operational efficiencies and fulfillment of client demands.
- Support corporate quality and improvement process (TQM).
- Adhere to all safety policies.
- Responsibility to support laboratory management in the implementation of maintenance, and improvement of the management system.
- May assist other labs with purchases when needed.
- Perform other related duties as needed.
- Support the implementation of all purchasing policies at the local level and are in compliance.
- Ensure all purchases done at the laboratory level are correctly negotiated.
Profile: This position requires a thorough knowledge of purchasing and a broad knowledge of negotiation, contract administration, and expediting to carry out department activities. This knowledge is consistent with a four-year degree in business or related field and 3 to 5 years of purchasing experience in a multi-site environment. A general science background is helpful.
Required skills: This position performs routine analysis of purchasing data establishing trends and communicating issues to vendors and company personnel. Negotiations and contract administration activities may require innovative or unique approaches to logistic, costing, or specification issues. These issues have generally been encountered before. Information and data is sometimes incomplete or difficult to obtain from vendors or department personnel. Problems are solved using previous experience, established company procedures, and assistance from management.