Purchasing Agent

About the role

The Purchasing Agent plays a critical role in construction activities for building single family and multi-family residential homes. They manage the bidding and contracting of all trades, prepare preliminary product specifications, and interface with architects and engineers.

Responsibilities

• Main point of contact for bidding and contracting all trades.
• Take full responsibility for bidding, negotiating, and hiring trade contractors to maintain a competitive edge on costs while meeting the company’s standards of quality, reliability, and overall performance.
• Communicate with Project Management in a proactive manner to ensure that all necessary plans are obtained and bid in a timely manner.
• Verify any special considerations are budgeted/bid/contracted (e.g., acoustical report, conditions of approval, enhanced elevations, fuel modifications, methane requirements, etc.).
• Prepare Preliminary Product Specifications for new projects to meet spec level and pro forma budget considerations.
• Match existing standard specifications for projects, materials, and details to ensure consistency throughout all projects.
• Interface with Architects, Structural Engineers and other third-party experts on product development and innovation.
• Calculate and maintain material take-offs (lumber, finish materials, steel, concrete, etc.) from working drawings and check take-offs made by suppliers.
• Compare bids with respect to prices, past performance (quality, ability to work on schedule, proper supervision), financial stability, or in the case of a trade contactor new to the company, their relationship with other builders.
• Understand bids based on unitized pricing and be able to analyze accordingly.
• Prepare direct construction budget for each community based on overall mix.
• Analyze bids and proposals to ensure they are complete and comparable.
• Negotiate contracts to ensure best pricing and performance.
• Obtain alternate costs and hourly rates as needed to fully contract potential changes to the contract requirements and for time-and-material work.
• Update budgets as contracts are awarded to ensure current information.
• Contract all site variances and issue Site Variance Purchase Orders accordingly.
• Review new products and Vendors to identify opportunities for improved quality and cost effectiveness for cost analysis and consideration on future projects or specifications.
• Recruit new, qualified trade contractors and suppliers, in addition to facilitating the improvement of existing trade contractor and supplier relationships.
• Validate and eliminate variances to the Direct Construction Budget.
• Attend model walks and facilitate consistent communication of design changes.
• Contract specialty Trade Contractors for Model Designers.
• Participate in Frame Walks to document changes to existing contracts based on authorized Frame Walk changes.
• Research new procedures, products, and methods of construction available to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Participate in field walks to physically inspect installations to ensure that they match the contract specifications.
• Coordinate plan review process with production team, trade partners and design professionals.
• Maintain trade Scopes of Work to ensure that they match the project plans and specifications.
• Actively mentor and train Assistant Purchasing Agents.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Economics, Construction Management, Supply Chain Management, or equivalent required.
• 2 - 5 years of construction experience with a production homebuilder.
• Strong Knowledge of and experience with general contract terms and conditions.
• Necessary people skills, including the capability to handle various personalities and develop professional relationships.
• Knowledge of residential construction required in both single family and multi-family construction.
• Technologically savvy with strong aptitude for learning new software.
• Solid verbal & written communication, with the ability to take complex concepts and communicate accurately and persuasively.
• Strong ability to work within a team-setting, inclusive of other's ideas, and a willingness to cooperate.
• Knowledge of unitized pricing, bids and subsequent contract analysis.
• Experience in take-offs and estimates.
• Ability to read blueprints.
• Capacity to make quick and accurate decisions based heavily on facts, data and/or metrics.
• Proficient in Microsoft applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook as well as proficiency in builder’s software such as Build Pro, Newstar, F.A.S.T., On Location, Vendorlink or other pertinent software.
• Ability to conduct business in a professional and ethical manner to potential buyers, trade partners, external officials, and coworkers to reinforce goodwill and profitability for the company.