Buyer III

Provides analytical, sourcing-event, systems, and administrative support to the Logistics and Pallets category leaders. This role converts complex spend, lane, volume, part-number, supplier, and pricing data into accurate bid baselines, supplier comparisons, scenario models, award recommendations, and implementation files that enable timely, fact-based sourcing decisions.
The position supports the full sourcing lifecycle, including pre-bid data preparation, eSourcing RFQ administration, quote validation, bid analysis, scenario modeling, award documentation, SAP and master-data updates, contract and rate-file administration, supplier follow-up, and post-award implementation. The analyst partners with Strategic Sourcing, Logistics, Manufacturing, Distribution, Finance, Operations, Packaging Engineering, Purchasing Support Group (PSG), Data Analytics, and suppliers to maintain data quality, process discipline, and audit-ready records.
This individual serves as a shared analytical and execution resource for Logistics and Pallets, reducing non-value-added administrative workload for category leaders while strengthening sourcing speed, accuracy, governance, and continuity.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
Sourcing Event & Bid Execution Support
Support Logistics and Pallets sourcing events from project intake through award implementation and savings handoff.
Extract, consolidate, cleanse, normalize, and validate historical spend, shipment, lane, volume, supplier, material, plant, and pricing data.
Create bid-ready baselines, scope files, pricing templates, supplier response templates, lane matrices, part-number files, and stakeholder validation packages.
Create and administer eSourcing RFQs in Jaggaer or the applicable sourcing platform, including supplier invitations, event setup, communications, response tracking, deadline management, and event documentation.
Validate supplier submissions for completeness, formula integrity, units of measure, currencies, freight terms, surcharges, accessorials, lead times, minimum order quantities, capacity, and commercial exceptions.
Prepare quotation comparisons, bid summaries, supplier scorecards, gating documents, and fact-based award recommendation materials.
Maintain sourcing-event records, approvals, supplier communications, and final decision files in the designated repository.
Baseline Creation, Price Analysis & Scenario Modeling
Build and maintain current-state baselines using validated prices, volumes, freight assumptions, lane activity, part-number demand, rebates, surcharges, index mechanisms, and other total-cost components.
Perform price variance, year-over-year, market-benchmark, invoice-to-contract, and supplier-to-supplier analyses.
Develop scenario models by supplier, lane, site, region, mode, part number, volume tier, award share, and service requirement.
Use advanced Excel tools to model total landed cost, freight impacts, fuel and accessorial charges, pallet material impacts, volume changes, rebates, payment terms, and implementation tradeoffs.
Identify data anomalies, missing rates, duplicate records, inconsistent units, formula errors, expired pricing, and other issues that could distort bid outcomes.
Clearly document assumptions, exclusions, sensitivities, data sources, and limitations so category leaders and Finance can validate the analysis.
Prepare savings calculations, baseline bridges, implementation trackers, and recurring benefit updates in accordance with approved Finance methodology.
SAP, Material Master & Pricing Administration
Create, update, or coordinate creation of SAP material and MRO part numbers, including descriptions, units of measure, manufacturer information, plant views, purchasing data, and supporting documentation.
Create and maintain purchasing information records (PIRs), source lists, pricing conditions, vendor-material records, and other procurement master data as assigned.
Execute approved price updates in SAP and verify that effective dates, currencies, units, scales, freight conditions, and supplier assignments match the approved commercial agreement.
Perform SAP data checks to identify pricing discrepancies, missing information records, duplicate material requests, expired records, and misalignment between awarded pricing and system setup.
Maintain clear evidence of approvals and complete quality checks before and after system changes.
Support issue resolution involving purchase orders, pricing mismatches, blocked invoices, supplier master data, order acknowledgements, and transmission errors by coordinating with buyers, suppliers, PSG, Finance, and master-data teams.
Logistics Data, Rate & Contract Administration
Maintain centralized logistics rate files*** lane pricing, rate-change logs, contract trackers, routing-guide inputs, and supporting documentation.
Coordinate requests for ocean, air, truckload, LTL, drayage, parcel, and other transportation rates; follow up with carriers and service providers to obtain complete and timely responses.
Validate freight rates, fuel schedules, accessorials, service modes, origin and destination naming, effective dates, expirations, and contract references before release to stakeholders or downstream systems.
Distribute approved rate cards and implementation files to applicable stakeholders and support uploads to Jaggaer, SharePoint, audit/payment platforms, or other approved repositories.
Support carrier and freight-invoice analysis by comparing invoiced charges with contracts, rate cards*** shipment data, and approved surcharges; document and escalate discrepancies.
Prepare recurring logistics data extracts and reports from SAP, carrier portals, audit/payment tools, and other approved sources.
Pallet & Packaging Analytical Support
Maintain pallet and packaging pricing files by plant, supplier, part number, specification, material type, delivery requirement, and effective period.
Analyze pallet pricing changes, lumber or commodity adjustments, freight impacts, minimum order quantities, repair-versus-new economics, supplier capacity, and site-specific requirements.
Support part-number and specification alignment with Packaging Engineering, plant stakeholders, suppliers, and master-data teams.
Prepare supplier comparison models and sourcing scenarios that evaluate national, regional, local, multi-source, primary/backup, and market-test award structures.
Support post-award PIR updates, supplier assignments, implementation files, and validation of invoiced or purchase-order pricing.
Administrative Support Activities
Perform or coordinate procurement support activities assigned to Logistics and Pallets, including bid setup, template preparation, quote validation, event administration, analysis, reporting, rate-file maintenance, supplier follow-up, and document control.
Monitor open and overdue actions, missing supplier responses, expiring pricing, rate gaps*** unconfirmed order changes, and implementation dependencies; communicate issues to the category leader with recommended next steps.
Prepare standard reports, dashboards, trackers, meeting materials, action logs, process documentation, and status updates.
Maintain standard work, job aids, file structures, naming conventions, version control, and centrally stored SOPs for recurring analyst activities.
Cross-train with PSG and category team members to provide continuity during workload peaks, transitions, and critical sourcing events.
Protect confidential bid, supplier, pricing, and company information and follow all applicable procurement, records-retention, and system-access requirements.
Stakeholder, Supplier & Project Coordination
Coordinate data requests and validation with category leaders, buyers, plant teams, Logistics, Distribution, Packaging Engineering, Finance, and suppliers.
Lead working sessions to resolve data gaps, clarify bid requirements, standardize assumptions, and confirm implementation responsibilities.
Track milestones, risks, decisions, dependencies, and deliverables across multiple concurrent sourcing and administrative workstreams.
Escalate material data-quality, timeline, supplier-response, system, or compliance risks early and provide options for resolution.
Provide clear written and verbal updates tailored to working teams and leadership audiences.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
Analytics & Financial Modeling
Advanced Microsoft Excel capability, including large-file navigation, XLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, SUMIFS, pivot tables, Power Query, conditional logic, data validation, charts, sensitivity analysis, and error checking.
Ability to build defensible baselines, bid-comparison models, total-cost models, scenario analyses, and savings calculations from complex and imperfect data.
Strong attention to detail with demonstrated ability to reconcile data across systems and identify inconsistencies before recommendations are issued.
Ability to translate detailed analysis into concise recommendations, decision tables, and implementation actions.
Procurement Systems & Process Knowledge
Working knowledge of strategic sourcing processes, competitive bidding, RFQ administration, supplier evaluation, award analysis, and implementation controls.
Proficiency with SAP procurement and materials-management transactions, including material masters, PIRs, source lists, pricing conditions, purchase orders, and spend or vendor reports.
Experience with eSourcing platforms; Jaggaer experience preferred.
Ability to follow approval requirements, maintain audit-ready documentation, and execute system changes only after appropriate authorization.
Understanding of master-data governance, record retention, version control, and standardized operating procedures.
Logistics & Pallets Knowledge
Familiarity with transportation pricing structures, lanes, modes, fuel, accessorials, routing guides, carrier rate cards*** and freight-invoice validation.
Familiarity with pallets, packaging materials, part numbers, specifications, units of measure, minimum order quantities, supplier lead times, and commodity-driven price changes.
Ability to learn category-specific terminology and incorporate commercial, operational, service, and risk requirements into bid models.
Project Management, Communication & Collaboration
Strong organization and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and large datasets without sacrificing accuracy.
Clear written communication, disciplined follow-up, and comfort working with suppliers and cross-functional stakeholders.
Ability to work independently within defined processes while escalating decisions that require category-leader, Finance, Legal, or leadership approval.
Continuous-improvement mindset with the ability to simplify files, standardize work, document processes, and reduce manual effort.
Demonstrated discretion when handling confidential supplier pricing, bid results, contracts, and internal business information.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's Degreerequired in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Economics, Analytics, Operations, Logistics, Engineering, or a related field.
Minimum three (3) years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain, logistics, purchasing operations, financial analysis, master data, or a related analytical function.
Demonstrated experience analyzing complex pricing files, spend data, bids, or operational datasets using advanced Excel functionality.
Demonstrated experience creating baselines, evaluating supplier quotations, and developing scenario or total-cost models.
Hands-on SAP procurement or materials-management experience required; experience with material creation, PIR or pricing updates, source lists, purchase orders, or procurement reporting strongly preferred.
Experience administering eSourcing RFQs or competitive bid events preferred; Jaggaer experience strongly preferred.
Experience supporting transportation, pallets, packaging, MRO, manufacturing, distribution, or other indirect procurement categories preferred.
Experience working in a multi-site manufacturing or distribution environment and coordinating with international or shared-service teams preferred.
Power BI, Power Query, or other analytics and visualization experience preferred.


EEO:
"Mindlance is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of - Minority/Gender/Disability/Religion/LGBTQI/Age/Veterans."