Buyer

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and place purchase orders for assigned commodities, considering price, delivery, reliability, conditions of acceptance, and other related terms and conditions.
• Procure assigned commodities and services in accordance with established delivery requirements and within fund or target allocations.
• Evaluate new and current suppliers by securing information on quality levels and delivery performance and assist in reviewing current suppliers to determine potential sources of supply.
• Handle high-value commodities that require formal requests for quotes, written proposals, and complex negotiations with detailed price justification.
• Prepare invitations to bid and analyze quotations for quality, delivery, and price to ensure conformance with current market prices and historical pricing for specified commodities.
• Negotiate standard purchasing agreements and subsequent amendments with successful bidders, clearly defining statements of work, delivery dates, prices, reporting requirements, financial terms, and other contractual conditions.
• Administer negotiated contracts on a continuing basis, monitoring changes, issues, and progress to identify and address actual or potential performance failures.
• Maintain ongoing supplier communication to ensure that delivery and commitment objectives are met.
• Cook up supplier-related issues with engineering, field, manufacturing, and other company departments to support effective problem resolution.
• Develop and utilize techniques that encourage suppliers to present ideas and products that can improve products and overall profit position.
• Gather and analyze information from all relevant sources to support purchasing decisions, including locating sources of supply and obtaining information from individuals.
• Use computers, ERP systems, and Excel to enter, access, retrieve, and process purchasing and supplier data.
• Establish and maintain constructive and cooperative working relationships with supervisors, peers, subordinates, and cross-functional teams.
• Communicate regularly with supervisors, peers, and subordinates by telephone, email, in writing, and in person to provide updates and information on purchasing activities.
• Communicate with external parties, including customers, public entities, government representatives, and other outside organizations, representing the organization in a professional manner.
• Communicate technical information clearly and accurately to internal and external stakeholders.
• Write clear, professional business correspondence related to purchasing, supplier management, and contract administration.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support the broader procurement and supply chain function.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2+ years of buyer or purchasing experience.
• Experience in purchasing, procurement, and purchase order management.
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems for procurement and supply chain processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data entry, analysis, and reporting.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills, including experience negotiating pricing, terms, and contractual conditions.
• Strong buying experience with the ability to handle high-value commodities and complex price justification.
• Ability to locate and qualify sources of supply and evaluate supplier performance.
• Experience communicating technical information to internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to write professional business correspondence.
• Able to work with and interpret data from multiple sources to support purchasing decisions.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Skills

• Minimum of 2+ years of buyer or purchasing experience.
• Experience in purchasing, procurement, and purchase order management.
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems for procurement and supply chain processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data entry, analysis, and reporting.
• Demonstrated negotiation skills, including experience negotiating pricing, terms, and contractual conditions.
• Strong buying experience with the ability to handle high-value commodities and complex price justification.
• Ability to locate and qualify sources of supply and evaluate supplier performance.
• Experience communicating technical information to internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to write professional business correspondence.
• Able to work with and interpret data from multiple sources to support purchasing decisions.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Pay and Schedule

• The pay range for this position is $30.00 - $45.00/hr.
• This is a Contract position based out of Columbia, MD.
• The role follows a 9/80 schedule, providing a structured workweek with an additional day off every other week.