Senior Buyer

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Senior Buyer plays a crucial role in delivering specialized and intricate procurement services. This includes solicitation preparation, management, award, and administration of purchase orders and contracts for designated categories. The Senior Buyer also reviews and negotiates terms and conditions within the Strategic Sourcing Procurement Center (SSPC) for the University System of Maryland Office and its member institutions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Requisition to Purchase Order Processing:

• Processes and manages complex procurement requests.
• Directs procurement requests that exceed level-of-signature authority for further approval.
• Verifies completeness, accuracy, and consistency of work documents for future audit activities.
• Responds to complex inquiries regarding the application of procurement policies and procedures.
• Reviews, negotiates, and adjusts terms and conditions in purchase orders using State of Maryland and USM-approved commercial and legal clauses.

Contract Management:

• Oversees critical supplier’s contract lifecycle, including sales, surcharge reporting, and analysis.
• Assesses and negotiates contracts to reduce contractual risks, maximize cost savings, and improve service quality.
• Executes contract renewal options and develops amendments as required.
• Addresses vendor and member inquiries.
• Ensures compliance with contract terms and conditions using State of Maryland and USM-approved commercial and legal clauses.

General Procurement Support:

• Responds to complex inquiries regarding the application of procurement policies and procedures.
• Manages the creation and review of departments' procurement templates, forms, and transactions.
• Supports process-oriented materials and services invoice receipt issues.
• Contributes to improving the SSPC procurement processes through proactive identification of enhancements in software, processes, etc.
• Assists junior staff with procurement-related requests requiring additional review and insight.

Strategic Sourcing and RFx Support:

• Participates in Requests for Proposals (RFPs), addendums, evaluation committee guidelines, recommendations, and contracts.
• Addresses RFP questions, follows up on proposals, and evaluates price proposals.
• Performs sourcing activities, including research and consolidation of data to prepare lists of qualified suppliers and product descriptions or specifications for items within assigned categories.
• Collaborates with peers and others on the team to create Master Agreements with suppliers and streamline and improve work tasks.
• Evaluates new sources, methods, and suppliers to ensure a consistent supply of materials.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Education Level/Certifications:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Related experience in which one has gained the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for full performance of the work of this position may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis with 30 college credits being equivalent to one year of experience being equivalent to 30 college credits.

Required Experience:

Five (5) years of progressively responsible public procurement experience.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Complex knowledge of procurement or related business procedures which includes complicated technical routines and basic mathematics skills, including ratios, percentages, and business computations.
• General understanding of legal and contracting environments, and direct experience involving negotiation and contracts. Demonstrated knowledge of market value and sources of supply for a variety of supplies, materials, and equipment, of competitive bid purchasing principles, methods, and procedures.
• Skill in modern office practices, procedures, systems, and related office software to complete assigned work, while organizing and executing multiple assignments under tight time constraints.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; to prepare written records and reports; to understand and interpret procurement policies and procedures; to provide guidance and training to others; to maintain service-quality professionalism under pressure; to address confidential matters with discretion; and to and ensure compliance with USM Office policy and guiding principles.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address issues and propose creative solutions.
• Effective time manageme