Purchasing Category Manager

Description

Position Summary:
Responsible for managing all sourcing activities for assigned areas in accordance with the prescribed purchasing regulations, processes, and procedures.  Vet new suppliers and manage current supplier base through evaluating and minimizing supplier risk, lead contract negotiations, and serve as the liaison between supplier and organization.  Manage automation projects during supplier assessment, negotiation, and award phases.  Facilitate and aid automation projects. Assist in the Quality Management System (QMS) audits/site supplier visits to ensure relationship between both companies will meet bioMérieux’s capacity requirements, cost expectations, and quality standards.

Primary Duties

• Perform all work in compliance with company policy and within the guidelines of bioMérieux’ Quality System. Adhere to Regulatory requirements, including FDA, ISO, Legal, Ethical and bioMérieux specific procedures.
• Source a variety of raw materials, equipment, chemicals, and services in accordance with prescribed purchasing regulations and procedures.
• Identify contract improvement opportunities and renegotiate.  In collaboration with Legal, prepare and lead supplier price, contract and long term agreement negotiations.
• Contribute to collective effort by participating in departmental or interdepartmental teams and engaging in that exchange to improve purchasing functions.
• Design, lead and implement cost savings projects based on a structured project/savings roadmap.
• Follow current Lean and Six Sigma, Kaizen Continuous Improvement principles, and mentor those principles to associates.
• Monitor and measure supplier performance per Purchasing Cost Avoidance Plans (PCAP) to ensure company is receiving fair market pricing by utilizing appropriate trends and reporting tools.
• Build supplier relationships through frequent and effective communication of business, quality, and cost by interacting with current suppliers, consistently seeking opportunities to improve those partnerships to ensure a long-term positive relationship and continue to seek out supplier talent for future opportunities.
• Effectively resolve disputes, hold crucial conversations and recommend solutions to identify the root cause and correct problems as needed.
• Review departmental Standard Operating Procedure and Work Instruction Documents for relevancy and accuracy.
• Facilitate Suppliers’ Quarterly Business Reviews in collecting and preparing for each review.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Some domestic and/or international travel may be required.

Qualifications

Training and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in related field.
• Or 8 Years of experience in lieu of bachelor’s degree

Experience 

• Minimum of three years’ experience or advanced education, particularly in project management or purchasing related role such as sourcing, supply chain, manufacturing, or comparable role with transferrable skills.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent negotiation skills:
  • Functional experience with sourcing, selecting and qualifying suppliers
• Understanding products/services
  • Preparing and leading negotiations, planning and organizing
• Contract management and legal awareness
• Strong leadership skills:
  • Demonstrated ability to challenge, take ownership of issues, to initiate actions, and to make effective decisions
• Capacity to coordinate and manage local Projects Buyers activities
• Effective communication skills:
  • Winning and influencing, resilience, builds trust, makes decisions and achieves results
• Managing multi-cultural interface
• Effective team member:
  • Demonstrated ability to influence and drive change with team members, and at all levels of the organization
• Collaborative skills to develop and implement sourcing strategies cross-functionally and globally
• Knowledge of the medical industry or biotech is desired
• NAPM, APICS/ISM certification is a plus

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Domestic travel required    __15_ % of time
• International travel required   __10_ % of time
• 50% of time working in office
• 50% of time working at home or traveling