Buyer / Planning Specialist

About us: 

Direct Relief is a medical aid nonprofit, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay. 

Since its founding in 1948 by refugees of WWII, Direct Relief has grown to become one of the country's most effective humanitarian assistance organizations. Its work earns broad recognition from independent charity rating agencies, including a 100% fundraising efficiency rating from Forbes, a top ranking by Charity Navigator, and a spot in Fast Company’s list of “the world’s most innovative nonprofits.” Direct Relief’s impact throughout the world is the result of its dedicated and compassionate people, each of whom plays a critical role in advancing the organization's mission. 

Summary Job Description: 

Direct Relief is seeking a Buyer / Planning Specialist to be located in our Santa Barbara headquarters. 

The Buyer / Planning Specialist will be responsible for planning, procuring, and managing the flow of purchased products, including pharmaceuticals, in the United States and throughout Direct Relief’s global network of partners. The position will report directly to the Procurement Manager and will work with cross-functional departments to perform ongoing needs assessment of purchased materials throughout the organization. The individual in this role will work closely with Direct Relief Program Managers and vendors to create continuous improvement in processes to ultimately support Direct Relief in reaching the goal of providing partners and individuals with medical resources in a timely manner.

Eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship

Duties/Responsibilities:

Primary Duties:

• Identify and establish, maintain, and expand relationships with pharmaceutical, device, and medical consumables suppliers, vendors, manufacturers, etc.
• Coordinate the purchase of pharmaceuticals, devices, medical consumables, and equipment
• Liaise with Pharmacy and Program staff to develop a procurement schedule for yearly needs
• Communicate with vendors to request product quote, certificates of analysis, determine lead times, negotiate prices, place orders, and ensure quality of product.
• Obtain material data from vendors for material creation of purchased product
• Review stock levels of qualified alternatives in Bill of Materials to minimize excess material purchases
• Coordinate with Programs and Emergency Response staff to forecast kits in SAP
• Review and release production orders to Operations staff to support kit production
• Generate accurate and timely purchase orders ensuring documentation, licensing and approvals are in place prior to order placement.
• Coordinate with Finance Department and Inbound Operations Team to resolve shipping and billing issues and conduct follow-up to ensure purchase orders and invoices are accurately posted in SAP 
• Execute drop-shipment purchase orders for purchased inventory
• Maintain CRM database with up-to-date vendor, contact, and ship-from information including ship-from licensing 
• Ensure compliance with requirements of Drug Supply Chain Security Act and California Board of Pharmacy
• Assist pharmacy and programs staff with research of new products, suppliers, and substitutions
• Ensure best pricing by obtaining quotes from multiple suppliers when available for each purchase request
• Provide status reports for all purchased product during emergency response efforts
• Liaise with Procurement Manager to ensure all purchases are within approved budget
• Act as point of reference for medical equipment purchases in compliance with SOP for sourcing medical devices.

Secondary Duties:

• Work with IT to revise and streamline purchasing process (transition to SharePoint, develop reporting)
• Work with Programs and Emergency Response staff to coordinate and enhance current and new programs 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Operations Management, or Business Administration, or equivalent work experience preferred
• 3-5 years of successful experience in procurement or supply chain related field
• Experience with computers and Microsoft Suite
• Proficient in Excel 
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, complex formulas (e.g. XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH), and data analysis.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work independently with minimum supervision
• Experience working in an ERP system required, experience working with SAP preferred
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and manage tight timelines and prioritize deadlines

Desired Qualifications:

• Ability to negotiate with various pharmaceutical and other commodity vendors globally
• Certification in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) 
• Strong relationship building skills