Procurement Specialist/Sr. Procurement Specialist

Position Purpose

Promotes the most cost effective use of company funds in the acquisition of assigned commodities and services. Collaborates with and supports Manager in developing and implementing strategic buys and initiation of long term agreements.

Essential Duties

• Utilizes ERP and other systems to manage day to day activities supporting the purchasing operation.
• Receives requisitions, analyzing each line item for quantity, specifications and delivery requirements.
• Works with Material planning to revise requirements, as applicable, based on consumption, lead time, cost, etc.
• Tracks and confirms delivery of all orders by maintaining an aggressive follow up system to ensure timely control of orders, amendments, shipping notices and other required documents.
• Resolves receiving and invoice discrepancies within prescribed timeframes.
• Maintains KPIs at required levels: aged open requisitions, aged purchase orders, invoice discrepancies, receiving discrepancies and cost savings tracking.
• Analyzes spend data to identify opportunity areas to aggregate spend, optimize or expand supply base, as appropriate, and drive value add in the supply chain.
• Initiates annual price agreements and/or blanket purchase orders to leverage price or other value from supply chain (logistics, warranty, lead time reduction, or other value considerations).
• Evaluates market conditions and trends. Seeks out and evaluates new sources of supply to achieve cost reduction goals without jeopardizing quality and material requirements.
• Negotiates cost reductions based on quote analysis and benchmarking.
• Interfaces with stakeholder departments and serves as subject matter expert on cross-functional teams to fulfill internal customer service requirements.
• Utilizes E-commerce with all key suppliers to increase purchasing efficiency and effectiveness.
• Assists & supports internal customer sourcing requests. Initiates and supports RFx development, supplier evaluation, contract negotiation and execution for procurement categories.
• Administers executed contracts to ensure intended value and benefits are realized.
• Performs root cause analysis and corrective action implementation to correct supplier performance deficiencies.
• Develops and documents best practices and creates more efficient lean processes.
• Fosters the Company's core values and culture throughout the work environment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

• Required: Bachelor's degree (B.A./B.S.) or equivalent in Aviation, Business, Purchasing, Materials or related field. At least 3 years of experience in a purchasing function or in the airline industry.
• Preferred: Master's degree (M.A./M.S.) or equivalent. At least 5 years of experience. Certification as Certified Professional in Supply Management or Certified Purchasing Manager preferred.

Skills & Abilities

• Able to read, analyze, and interpret technical procedures, governmental regulations, financial reports and legal documents.
• Able to write reports and business correspondence.
• Able to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or vendors.
• Able to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and vendors.
• Able to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Able to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Makes decisions to support strategic decisions. Decisions tend to be medium range and of medium significance with moderate consequences.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

• Able to use close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less).
• Able to move about the work environment.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, talk and hear.
• Typically not exposed to extreme environmental conditions.
• Able to travel up to 20% of the time, including overnight travel.