Buyer Transactional- MRO Technical (Mill Industry)

The employer is an internationally competitive manufacturer and the largest producer of starch and glucose.

Location: Germiston, Johannesburg Gauteng

Salary: R500 000 - R600 000 CTC per annum

Contract: Fixed-Term Contract

Overall Purpose of the Job: The overall purpose of the transactional buyer is to plan, organize and coordinate purchasing of raw materials, chemicals, packaging, stock and indirect material. Day to day management and sourcing activities with respect to goods and services. Advise management and strategic sourcing team of procurement problems and opportunities which may develop from time to time.

Qualifications

• Purchasing Diploma or any relevant tertiary qualification in Supply Chain Management

Experience

• 4 - 10 Years Proven purchasing experience, preferably within an automotive or manufacturing environment
• SAP Experience (Essential)
• 2-3 Year transactional buyer experience preferably in a manufacturing environment
• Strong technical knowledge and understanding of automotive processes and components and supply chain management

Knowledge

• Experience with sourcing and procurement areas of the supply chain, ability to manage, budgets, financials, etc.
• Understanding of all relevant legislation (LRA, BCE, SDA, safety, environmental etc.)
• Understanding of how to develop and implement business strategies
• In depth understanding and knowledge of the industry.

Skills

• Strong negotiations skills.
• Supply contracts and tenders
• Excellent communication skills.
• Relationship building and management skills.
• Planning, Scheduling & Crises Management
• Competence in using Microsoft Office software, in particular Excel

Unique Skills/attributes

• Supplier Performance
• Purchase Orders
• Strategic Sourcing
• Cost Reduction

Role Purpose and Contribution

The key reason for the existence of this role: Plan, organize, direct and coordinate sourcing of Goods and Services of the highest quality at the lowest possible cost

This role supports the Organisation Strategy by: The achievement of the operational excellence strategy to streamline processes, optimise costs, achieve savings.

Key Strategic Integration Roles Are

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives at all levels and function such as Procurement TCO, SHEQ, BBEEE
• Deliver high quality service that meet our end user needs through integrated procurement processes initiatives etc
• Innovative and collaborative procurement practices to deliver saving and provide effective and efficient procurement across the organization
• Strategic procurement including delivering best value, mitigating commercial risk and effectively managing suppliers.

This Role Interacts With The Following Key People

• Marketing
• Mill Employees & Management team
• Quality (SHEQ)
• Maintenance & Process Engineering
• Human Resources
• Finance
• External Stakeholders (Suppliers)

Description Of Tasks

• Complete specific transactional, instructional and procedural forms/ documents (requisitions), referring to procedure guidelines prior to submitting for processing.
• Ensuring that alternate quotes for all stock items and direct purchases
• Investigate alternate sources of supply
• Vendor managed inventory (critical stock negotiated with vendors with 2hr turnaround time
• Creating Info records for MRP & Stock Purchases
• Introducing BBB-EE Vendors
• Placing & transmitting orders to Suppliers
• Expediting of all orders on weekly basis
• Liaise will mills on a weekly basis to improve planning of technical material
• Review compliance with THG approved supplier list and commercial conditions
• Negotiate early settlement discount e.g. 2.5% discount payment on 25th
• execute purchase orders
• Track and trace imported materials/direct orders on a weekly basis
• Implement cost and budgetary controls
• Determine best practice procedures and implement improvement plans
• Advise management on procurement matters such as sourcing, pricing, industry standards, suppliers to be audited etc.
• Provide input for pricing mandate negotiations.
• Develop effective relationships with Divisional and Group purchasing staff.

The Key Outputs This Role Contributes To The Business

Financial

• Delivers results through partnering approach with internal & external stakeholder (suppliers) to achieve real improvement and managing risks
• Achieves best value and profitability targets (reducing costs from one year to the next. Procurement departments lump sum contribution to the financial success of the organisation
• Reduce costs for fixed (Contracts) and variable costs (Chemicals & Packaging)

Business Processes

• New and innovative methods of evaluating RFQs, e procurement, analysing market conditions in ways that deliver cost saving opportunities

Customers

• Develop strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders (suppliers) to improve business results.
• Lead initiatives to establish the THS brand associated with producing products on time and to customer specification.

Sustainability

• Ensure compliance with safety, health, environment and community legislation and policies

Project Management

• Gain stakeholder support & approval for projects
• Prepare plans for projects or major assignments (e.g. tasks, resources, time frames), provide schedules, time estimates, cost estimates and critical path information to appropriate users
• Communicate project status and potential problems to supervisors, team members and relevant stakeholders impacted

Strategic Planning

• Advise management and strategic sourcing team members through regular analysis, update and recommendations
• Maintains awareness of market trends and identifies alternative sources of supply whenever necessary.
• Maintain an in-depth understanding of Sugar & Starch Operations of strengths, weaknesses and identify potential organisational problems and opportunities
• Regular interaction with business intelligence team to maintain awareness of market trends, input costs, drive movements, competitor strategies adjust above plan accordingly

Competencies

• Manage the buying process for a given set of goods in line with specified cost, quality and delivery targets
• Provide technical / commercial assistance to Commodity Buyers to develop awareness of manufacturing processes and improve product knowledge.
• Apply sourcing policy, interface between supplier and entity with respect to specifications and budgets.
• Develop and maintain a strong foundation of function skills and knowledge of relevant purchasing and sourcing concepts.
• Manage problems and schedule changes and ensure changes are reflected within the ERP systems
• Balance both tactical executions with strategic initiatives necessary to drive cost reduction projects.
• Actively participate in supplier performance reviews.
• Ensure continuous supply of required goods and materials and communicate any supply problems which may pose a risk or impact on business operations
• Negotiate contracts, improved prices and terms of business with suppliers and review opportunities to make business savings utilising negotiation and procurement best practice tools and methods
• Attend meetings and update others on issues or concerns, in particular when there is a risk which could prevent the organisation meeting customer demands or where there are over capacity concerns

Circumstantial Aspects

• Ability to work flexible hours, possess the ability to relocate
• Ability to adjust to multiple demands, shifting work priorities, ambiguity, adversity and change
• The job holder will take responsibility for a market direction, and foreign exchange currencies and their financial impact on the budget.

Personal and Leadership Competencies

• Planning and organizing
• Attention to detail
• Accountability
• Courageous conversations
• Relationship building
• Performance management
• Results focussed
• Problem Solving
• Critical thinking
• Inspires culture and values
• Customer focus
• Priority Management
• Good time management skills
• Excellent oral and written

Technical Skills/Competencies

• Lead and promote Continuous Improvement departmentally and throughout plant.
• Effectively conduct team meetings.
• Facilitate the effective interchange of information.
• Provide people and technical leadership necessary to ensure both the department and facility meet and/or exceed goals in critical manufacturing success areas

Technical Competencies

• Procurement Systems - knowledge of eSourcing, e-tendering systems, reverse auctions
• Lifecycle Cost - knowledge of total cost of ownership components (TCO)
• Accounting Principles - knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
• International Finance - understanding of financials applicable to international areas, which may include foreign exchange, conversions, duties/tariffs, freight costs, etc.
• Financial Plan Budgeting - knowledge of accurate budgeting by business unit/department, taking into consideration volumes, inflation, deflation, future market direction, and foreign exchange currencies and their financial impact on the budget
• Business Continuity - ability to evaluate the supply base for unforeseen business disruption and develop a contingency and/or crisis plan
• Discretion - ability to maintain confidentiality of information when working with external and internal resources
• Supplier Selection - ability to determine the negotiation framework and process, prepare the RFP, identify the Most Desirable Outcome Supply Agreements, determine the negotiation team
• Supplier Portfolio - ability to develop a supplier portfolio by determining requirements and screen list, defining evaluation criteria, initiating a Request for Information (RFI), and applying the weighting system to develop a prequalified short list