Lead Buyer

Position Summary:

Vallen's Buyer Team Leads are responsible for training and providing mentorship to other company buyers. They are also responsible for purchasing products, goods, and materials (stock and/or non-stock) that meet the organization's standards of price, quality, timing, and reliability of supply. A Buyer Team Leads may be procuring product in support of a Vallen distribution center, warehouse, an assigned client, and/or an assigned vendor.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Train, coach, and mentor assigned company buyers; provide input into performance evaluations and under management oversight, assist with carrying out associate development plans.
• Coordinate vacation/leave schedules for the team.
• Keep the Purchasing leadership team abreast of daily activities; actively communicate.
• Identify and document best practices within the function; keep standard operating procedures current and relevant.
• Perform root cause analysis on escalated issues; define and oversee the implementation of root cause corrective action plans.
• Track and monitor team KPI initiatives; devise course corrections as required.
• Lead special projects as assigned.
• Perform procurement activities to ensure the organization's current and anticipated demand for products and materials (stock and non-stock) are met and in alignment with Vallen's purchasing strategies.
  • Review and approve assigned inventory forecasts produced by the GAINS application.
  • Review and approve daily replenishment recommendations produced by the GAINS application.
  • Assess existing orders to determine action for expediting or de-expediting for optimal delivery.
  • Place purchase requisitions and vendor orders.
• Research, assess, and make recommendations for vendors and/or specific items of request to ensure that they comply with specifications and meet the organization's quality, pricing, and delivery standards.
• Request and evaluate bids, quotations, and/or proposals for products and materials of request.
• Recognize and evaluate vendor sales, promotional campaigns, and other opportunities to secure reduced prices.
• May negotiate prices and delivery conditions and commit to purchases (within established limits of authority) with terms that are in the organization's best interest.
• Monitor the quality and timeliness of products and materials supplied; may coordinate the return of damaged goods and/or replacement items.
• Negotiate and coordinate vendor returns for aging, expired, or excess inventory; coordinate other liquidation activities as required.
• Follow-up on the status of purchase orders with vendors to ensure timely delivery; and communicate status of orders with internal and/or external customers.
• Communicates with vendors to resolve problems with timeliness and product quality.
• Maintain and cultivate relationships with one or more suppliers, vendors, internal or external customers.
• Assist with identifying opportunities to consolidate suppliers/vendors.
• Research and resolve account payables nonconformance with suppliers.

Job Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g., Business, Finance, etc.) or equivalent experience. 5+ years of experience in the field of Procurement preferred. CPM certification preferred. Other relevant experience includes:

• Excellent customer service. Attain and maintain Customer Service Professional certification.
• Background in WMS
• Computer skills and aptitude to learn Vallen's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Inventory Management applications; GAINS experience preferred.
• Mathematical aptitude for basic calculations.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Demonstrated strong attention to detail, organizational and execution skills.
• Proficiency with MS-Office products. Intermediate Excel skills required at a minimum.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Work Environment (Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.):

• Long periods of time working on a computer and performing key-boarding activities.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee may be required to occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.