Senior Buyer

What you will do:
Procurement  is responsible for all advanced purchasing activities, primarily Direct materials categories, but also certain Indirect spend categories, within the assigned Product Business Unit while ensuring compliance with overall JCI objectives, strategies and procedures by working closely with the corporate Category Management team.  A Buyer evaluates sources of supply and develop optimal pricing methodology, warranty, and product/service performance requirements. They determine and utilize the most strategic supply chain model to acquire the necessary products and services at the maximum level of savings. Identify new sources of supply, and potentially acceptable new products/technologies. They establish/maintain professional relationships with suppliers/partners, based on the highest ethical business practices as set forth in JCI policies and procedures.

How you will do it: 

1. Stakeholder Alignment: 

• Provide timely and profession services to Product Business Unit (R&D, Product Management, Plant Operations, and Distribution Centers) and Category Management representatives.
• Lead or participate on teams to ensure appropriate stakeholders are aware of procurement initiatives as needed.
• Initiate, lead the analysis, and make recommendations in support of all Make/Buy decisions, competitive bids, or engineering changes.
• Liaise with the Product Business Unit to assure site spend is in line with agreed sourcing strategy.
• Assists in evaluating potential suppliers on site specific issues.
• Is familiar with the various suppliers and product lines available in stakeholder areas.
• Assists in analyzing customer's business and evaluated potential savings through supplier consolidation. 

2. Sourcing: 

• Understands the category strategy developed by the Corporate Category Towers and executes action plans to achieve the sourcing team's objectives.
• Develop and lead the Sourcing strategies and local program implementation at the plants, distribution centers, and office locations.
• Lead and manage all steps in the sourcing process (Request for Quotes RFQ, change management, contract negotiations, dispute resolutions etc.).
• Initiate and support cost modeling & related activities (incl. VA / VE and Kaizen activities.)

3. New Product Introduction: 

• Lead all sourcing and procurement activities in support of NPI programs to ensure successful product launches with emphasis on source selection, supplier engagement, contract negotiations, and cost optimization.
• Ensure smooth new product launches by controlling the acquisition, sourcing on time, in line with cost target, maintaining purchasing results through release to sale and follow-on life cycle management.
• Structure NPI pricing and Long Term Agreement (LTA) agreements with year-over-year cost reductions. 

4. Contract Negotiation and Management: 

• Leads and participates in negotiation sessions with suppliers.
• Prepares, implements, and audits compliance with appropriate contract.
• Resolves issues regarding supplier delivery of assurance, quality, service, and documents resolution. 

5. Supplier Management and Performance Tracking:  

• Manages, monitors, reports, and seeks to continuously improve supplier performance.
• Ensures agreements have a good supplier matrix embedded within them.
• Acts as a primary point of contact for supplier interactions and assists in supplier performance assessments.
• Maintains a working knowledge of supplier's organization, product lines, contractual agreements, and transportation terms.
• Compiles information to be incorporated in Supplier's Scorecard.
• Assists Procurement Managers in analyzing departmental spends with certain suppliers and recommends consolidation or redirection to preferred suppliers.
• Conducts periodic supplier surveys/evaluations/visits and provides feedback to Procurement Managers. 

6. Trade Working Capital: 

• Negotiate optimal payment terms and enrollment of suppliers in JCI supply chain financing program(s) for assigned suppliers.
• Improve working capital through optimizing payment terms and VMI programs. 

7. Reporting & Analysis: 

• Conducts data analysis at the local level on suppliers, supply market, cost and price of goods and services that are supplied to our company using available data.
• Track and maintain accurate and timely records in Wave and other systems related to procurement metrics and performance objectives.
• Review monthly Purchase Price Variance report to ensure cost savings are realized by the Product Business Unit.
• Lead standard cost setting for assigned categories, plants, or distribution centers.
• Responsible for execution and tracking of assigned Wave/ Project Initiatives, including reporting to senior management on activities, business impact, and the development of strategies to support broader initiatives. 

8. Continuous Improvement: 

• Keeps abreast of applicable supply market intelligence, procedures, and business issues in order to facilitate effective and practical solutions to client requests, concerns, and inquiries.
• Continuously learns new areas of the global procurement supply sectors, its business practices, and issues to provide superior support to stakeholders.
• Makes recommendation on how to improve the existing business processes and work environment.
• Is responsible for supporting, developing, and / or executing Health Initiatives, procurement business process improvement initiatives, and / or transformation projects or programs as assigned. 

9. Transactional Process: 

• Within assigned stakeholder and supply sector area, responsible for processing contracts in accordance with delegation of authority guidelines.
• Ensures that outline agreements are in compliance with master agreements and preferred suppliers.
• Resolves discrepancies through interaction with Procure to Pay Service Center, Receiving and Stakeholders.
• Expedites critical and strategic deliveries. Guarantee compliance with business operating procedures.

10. System Support: 

• Assists in systems training for stakeholders.
• Assists in the maintenance of catalog items, specifically electronic catalogs.
• Ensures agreements are in the document management system. 

11. Development: 

• Participates on category teams providing technical support.
• Links market knowledge and site requirements to Procurement Manager supporting creation of breakthrough strategies. 

What we look for:

Required Skills 

• Bachelor’s degree with minimum 6 years’ experience in procurement including strategy development, contract negotiation and commodity management.  
• Commercial awareness
• Negotiating skills
• Knowledge of contract terms and conditions
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders and external suppliers for assigned categories
• Identifies and champions innovative solutions 
• Strong influencing, communication, and facilitative skills
• Ability to bring teams together to achieve targets and goals (including cost savings)
• Solid project management skills to facilitate project/program compliance
• Highly motivated individual capable of handling multiple responsibilities and working independently. 
• Demonstrated leadership, organization, planning, administration and team skills. 
• Requires advanced computer skills with Microsoft Office Suite and the ability to use business systems software. 
• Role will use SAP daily. • Familiarity with SAP desired.
• Travel up to 20%.