SUMMARY

Coordinates activities involved with procuring goods and services such as raw materials, equipment, tools, parts, supplies, and advertising, for organization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Reviews requisitions.
• Confers with vendors to obtain product or service information such as price, availability, and delivery schedule. 
• Expedites delivery of purchases as directed by Purchasing Manager or the production schedule.
• Selects products for purchase through knowledge, history, supplier profile, supplier survey, and/or engineering recommendation.
• Determines method of procurement such as direct purchase, bid, or contract.
• Determines method of procurement such as direct purchase or bid.
• Prepares purchase orders or bid requests.
• Reviews bid proposals and negotiates contracts within budgetary limitations and scope of authority.
• Maintains procurement records such as items or services purchased, costs, delivery, product quality or performance, and inventories.
• Discusses defective or unacceptable goods or services with inspection or quality control personnel, users, vendors, and others to determine source of trouble and take corrective action.
• Approves invoices for payment within scope of authority.
• Train buyers and cross train other buyers in other commodity areas.
• Studies market to determine longer term needs in the event of supply shortages or interruptions.
• Develop analysis on make vs. buy, using internal and external cost information.

QUALIFICATIONS 

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelors Degree preferred or Associate's degree (A. S.) equivalent from two-year college or technical school in purchasing or production control plus 7+ years experience in purchasing (some of which could have been in production control); or equivalent combination of education and experience.