Strategic Sourcing Purchasing Agent

Job Description

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is currently recruiting for a Strategic Sourcing Purchasing Agent to work in Procurement Services. Under the oversight of the Director of Procurement Services, this position will work in partnership with the Procurement team to meet the daily needs of the University by processing daily purchase requisitions while assisting the bid team in identifying those areas of spend that would benefit from strategic sourcing. This position will assist in managing RFPs and bids. Duties include projects/issues of medium to high complexity that require demonstrated knowledge across multiple technical areas and business segments.

The Strategic Sourcing Purchasing Agent will ensure compliance based on university policies and regulator y guidelines. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of strategic analysis, negotiation, and cost management with increasing level of responsibility. The position will require the ability to work with the other team members and the University community to ensure a spirit of college-wide collaboration and teamwork. The ability to work independently on complex projects and exercise sound judgment is essential.

The position provides the opportunity to improve processes and meet the changing needs of the university by focusing on the following:

• Take the lead in reviewing and processing purchase requisitions on a daily basis
• Work as part of the bid team with the solicitation process for commodities and services by conducting bid openings, pre-proposal meetings and evaluating the responses for a successful outcome
• Work with the Director in developing and implementing strategic purchasing plans and strategic sourcing, providing this information to the bid team to further enhance the bid process and drive spend
• Work in a consulting role with various departments within the University to understand their needs and provide guidance on purchasing best practices and sourcing
• Identify, track and measure cost containment and other sourcing metrics to support management decision making
• Perform analysis to identify opportunities to consolidate purchases and leverage University wide spending, identifying those good and services that would benefit from a strategic bid process
• Recommend changes in process to provide efficiency and enable IT solutions for manual tasks to streamline processes

Note that while the skill sets shown below are intended to be an example, they are not intended to be all inclusive. There will be other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Skill Set Needed

• Exhibit strong negotiation skills, analytical ability, good judgment and strong operational focus
• Knowledge of supply chain and/or procurement functions and procedures
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to foster open communication and promote positive relationships
• Proven track record of excellent customer service to internal and external customers
• Ability to maintain work priorities in an environment with multiple concurrent tasks and projects while meeting deadlines with minimum supervision
• Proven ability to be proactive and take initiative in day-to-day activities in order to implement process improvements
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency with procurement tracking tools systems, with ability to create complex spreadsheets
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Ability to work within a budget
• Ability to handle stressful situations
• Ability to work in an organized manner and consistently follow-up on tasks
• Ability to accept responsibility and ownership for decisions, actions and outcomes
• Ability to work with both the Budget Office and the Controller’s Office on payment/process issues

Qualifications

• Bachelor' s degree required
• 3 or more years of experience in procurement or strategic sourcing required
• Proficiency with e-procurement systems required with Oracle EBS or Workday experience preferred
• Professional certifications Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Certified Purchasing (C.P.M. ) designation from the Institute of Supply Management (ISM) or, NIGP ' s Certified P ublic Purchasing Buyer (CP PB) designation preferred
• Higher Education purchasing sector experience preferred