Purchasing Lead

Essential Functions:

• Enhance the business function providing education and driving the acceptance of the program at all levels of the organization.
• Develop and continually analyze program policies and procedures implement new procedures and provide policy interpretation for business units for engaging the sourcing team within corporate guidelines.
• Work to improve sourcing strategy related to sourcing events that results in best-in-class decisions focusing on quality of product or service while mitigating contract risks.
• Create benchmarks to measure competitive rates and departments performance against business objectives; initiate corrective actions where objectives fall short of targets.
• Evaluate and monitor market conditions and adjust sourcing strategy accordingly.
• Leverage AI-based tools and technologies to improve efficiency accuracy and quality of work within scope of responsibilities.
• Manage assigned indirect spend categories to deliver annual cost savings (both reduction and avoidance) to the business in accordance with the companys goals.
• Negotiate contracts with selected suppliers to ensure favorable commercial terms & conditions.
• Evaluate recommend and provide guidance for supplier selection ensuring alignment with business owner and company objectives.
• Utilize contract management tool to track and respond to assigned contract matters.
• Lead competitive bid events and make sourcing awards.
• Negotiate and issue contract agreements (purchase order terms & conditions).
• Perform invoice tracking throughout the life of approved PO as needed for the Finance department.
• Review and approve single-source forms for purchases above assigned threshold.
• Support Supplier Assessments to help ascertain potential risk of doing business with any new or changing third-party business partners. These assessments will include a financial review legal matters review and any security data use or issues that are introduced by a given supplier.
• Develop and improve training content based on current team policies and processes.

Qualifications:

• Youre encouraged to apply even if your experience or background doesnt precisely match the job description. Candidates who do not meet all listed qualifications may be considered based on the combination of relevant work experience and depth of expertise in job-related skills.

Experience:

• Strategic sourcing role with Marketing and IT-related spend (i.e. advertising media market research/analytics PR digital web design promotional materials consulting services staff augmentation or software and related services) (5 years).
• Contract negotiation (5 years).
• Demonstrated experience in formulating strategies and driving initiatives (4 years).
• Digital media advertising and marketing industries (4 years).
• Information technology industries particularly in the software consulting and staff augmentation space (4 years).
• ERP systems for purchasing or sourcing applications.
• Developing/implementing sourcing methodology strongly desired.

Skills Knowledge and Abilities:

• Demonstrated fluency with AI-enabled tools and a working understanding of their appropriate use limitations and application to job-related tasks.
• Understanding of contractual terms & conditions and the overall impact on the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to build credibility with executive-level stakeholders.
• Demonstrated accomplishments in end-to-end sourcing responsibilities and deliverables.
• Contract Management Systems ERP Systems and workflow tools used in sourcing (e.g. Gatekeeper NetSuite).
• Proactively problem-solve and multitask while maintaining composure and attention to detail.
• Follow-through mindset to uphold a close the loop culture.
• A positive approach to serving customers and providing exceptional customer service.
• Ability to demonstrate good judgment high ethics and project a professional image.
• Ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member with a positive can do attitude.
• The drive to identify and seize opportunities for continuous improvement as business needs change.
• Excellent organization flexibility and time management skills and the ability to work in a dynamic deadline-driven environment.
• Exceptional interpersonal and business communication skills (written verbal listening).
• Proficient in Microsoft Office skills (Word Excel and PowerPoint).

Education:

• Bachelors degree in business administration or related area
• MBA and/or Finance degree a plus