Buyer

Basic Purpose

The Contract Buyer provides procurement and contracting support for materials, equipment, and services needed for operations, maintenance, and capital construction. The position manages assigned sourcing activities from requisition and requirements review through solicitation, evaluation, negotiation, award, contract execution, purchase order issuance, and post-award administration. The role works closely with business units, internal stakeholders, and suppliers to support timely delivery, competitive value, policy compliance, and effective management of commercial and contractual risk.

Primary Job Duties

· Prioritize and analyze assigned requisitions to ensure materials, equipment, and services are obtained in a timely manner, with appropriate consideration of quality, cost, availability, lead times, and operational requirements.

· Review business unit scope documents, specifications, and commercial requirements for completeness; identify gaps and coordinate clarifications before initiating a sourcing event.

· Source materials, equipment, and services through competitive and noncompetitive procurement processes, as applicable, including requests for information, requests for quotation, and requests for proposal.

· Prepare and maintain complete procurement documentation, including solicitation documents, supplier communications, clarification requests, bid records, evaluation materials, commercial analyses, award recommendations, purchase orders, contracts, amendments, and supporting files.

· Use Company tendering and enterprise resource planning systems to create sourcing events, distribute documents, manage supplier communications, receive proposals, maintain procurement records, and issue purchase orders.

· Coordinate structured proposal evaluations with business units and internal stakeholders; analyze supplier proposals, commercial terms, pricing, and total cost considerations; document the basis for award recommendations.

· Conduct or support supplier negotiations, including pricing, commercial terms, contract exceptions, amendments, and other conditions required for award and final execution.

· Prepare, review, and administer purchase orders, contracts, and supplier agreements in accordance with Company policies, procedures, approval requirements, and delegated authority.

· Coordinate required internal reviews, including legal, insurance, risk, safety, finance, and other subject matter reviews, and confirm required documentation and insurance are in place before work begins, when applicable.

· Work with business units and internal staff to resolve contractual, delivery, invoicing, quality, or supplier performance issues and document agreed corrective actions or commercial resolutions.

· Monitor assigned procurement activities and supplier commitments; communicate status, risks, schedule impacts, and required decisions to stakeholders in a timely manner.

· Analyze procurement activity and requisition trends to identify opportunities for process improvement, sourcing efficiencies, cost avoidance, standardization, or improved supplier performance.

· Maintain accurate electronic procurement and contract files and support compliance reviews, reporting, audits, hold resolution, database maintenance, and other department administrative requirements.

· Build and maintain effective working relationships with business units, suppliers, and stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

· Produce management reports, statistics, project documentation, correspondence, and other procurement information as requested.

· Perform related duties and additional responsibilities as assigned.

· Perform all work safely and comply with applicable safety requirements, Company policies, codes of conduct, regulations, and procedures.

Position Requirements

· Bachelor's degree in business administration, supply chain, finance, or a related field and three or more years of related purchasing or procurement experience, including contract experience; or an equivalent combination of education and progressive related experience.

· Experience sourcing materials, equipment, and services for an industrial, utility, construction, or similarly regulated operating environment.

· Experience with competitive solicitations, supplier proposal analysis, purchase order issuance, contract administration, and commercial negotiations.

· Experience using purchasing and inventory functions within an enterprise resource planning system. Oracle purchasing, inventory, or financial applications experience is beneficial.

· Knowledge of general contract terms and the ability to identify commercial, schedule, pricing, insurance, and performance issues requiring review or resolution.

· Ability to read and interpret requisitions, scopes of work, specifications, supplier proposals, contracts, safety requirements, policies, procedures, professional materials, and financial or accounting reports.

· Working knowledge of basic accounting and business mathematics, including rates, ratios, percentages, and total cost comparisons.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and database or document-management applications.

· Strong written and oral communication, customer service, negotiation, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

· Ability to organize and prioritize multiple sourcing activities and projects, meet deadlines, maintain accurate records, and work effectively in a team-oriented environment.

· Ability to build productive business relationships and work effectively with suppliers and personnel at all organizational levels.

· Experience with gas transmission and distribution materials is preferred when supporting applicable business areas.