Procurement Associate

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)

Offer Range: 57,000 - 81,100 (commensurate with experience)

Organizational context and job purpose

INEOS Organization :

INEOS is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products. It comprises 28 businesses, each with a major chemical company heritage. Its production network spans 148 sites in 26 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 Manufacturing 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.
• Maintains purchase order files, both active and closed

• 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 Terms and Conditions

Vendor Management

• Maintains and increases knowledge of assigned commodities
• Maintains vendor call out listings and after hours duty information
• Assists in maintaining Vendor files and Vendor Master information

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 with the 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

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 experience in a purchasing organization or function required with proven, high quality procurement/commercial skills for Grade 29. More experience or education may justify the higher grade 30 placement.
• 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

Job Characteristics related to the Accountabilities:

• Incumbent requires some specialized knowledge (generally more task-oriented, less theoretical) that is normally learned through combinations of directly relevant vocational training and job experience.
• Incumbent must deal with differing situations requiring searches for solutions or new applications within areas of learned things.
• Incumbent must be familiar with complex department routines and procedures. 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 mildly 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.

• Incumbent is expected to follow mildly complex established routines/instructions and an increasing range of procedures and precedents.


• Because of changes in the immediate work circumstances, problems faced in this position may involve selection from an increasing range of procedures and precedents to achieve required results.

• The incumbent will have increasing latitude regarding the sequence in which assigned tasks and duties are performed, and will be 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.

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.