Senior Buyer
Required Qualifications (as evidenced by an attached resume):
Bachelor's degree (foreign equivalent or higher). In lieu of a Bachelor's degree, an Associate's degree with two (2) years of full-time related experience may be considered. Two (2) years of full-time procurement experience. Experience with Microsoft Office Suite and/or Google Workspace, such as Word/Docs (create and edit documents) and Excel/Sheets (manipulate, filter data, pivot tables, etc.).
Preferred Qualifications:
Advanced degree (foreign equivalent or higher). Experience with a procure-to-pay system, such as Jaggaer. Certified Purchasing or Supply Chain Management credentials. Experience working in higher education, a non-profit organization, or a local government agency.
Brief Description of Duties:
There are four categories & sourcing units within Procurement: Information Technology & Telecommunications, Campus & Research Operations, Administrative Services, & Construction, and Transportation; Trade Services. The Senior Buyer will report to the Assistant Director supporting the purchasing needs of Stony Brook University researchers, faculty, and support staff in alignment with procurement policies and funding sources. The incumbent must have excellent communication and customer service skills as they will be responsible for communicating and negotiating with suppliers and internal stakeholders. A problem-solver, detail-oriented, and organized individual is essential for this role, as they will be responsible for handling multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining schedule requirements. Your primary responsibility is to purchase services and commodities for your category. This role requires collaboration with some New York State Agencies such as the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC), the Attorney General Office (AG), and the Office of General Services (OGS), as well as internal stakeholders.
Sourcing Strategy & Contract Management:
Serve as the primary Point of Contact for services and commodities in your category.
Execute the strategic sourcing process from identifying potential suppliers to negotiating contracts and agreements.
Analyze and assess the total cost of ownership to identify opportunities for cost savings.
Conduct market research to identify potential suppliers and assess their capabilities.
Develop and implement strategic sourcing plans based on send analysis and market research.
Work on continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the efficiency of the procurement process.
Review, develop, process & administer complex contracts, purchase orders, and change orders for university required/ related services including the development of bid specifications per applicable Purchasing laws, procedures, and guidelines.
Manage RFx processes, including Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Quotations (RFQs), Invitations for Bids (IFB), etc. for complex commodity and service procurements.
Utilize benchmarking and market data to develop a negotiation strategy.
Negotiate contracts and agreements with suppliers to secure favorable terms.
Negotiate discount agreements when feasible using NYS OGS State Contracts and consortium agreements.
Collaborate with legal and compliance teams to ensure contract adherence and mitigate risks.
Run reports and scrub data from Jaggaer (WolfMart) to identify commodities and categories that can be bid out for potential higher discounted savings.
Initiate Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and other electronic @type ordering processes when available.
Stakeholder Management, Supplier Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Build strong relationships/partnerships with stakeholder groups and translate their needs into clear, actionable next steps for category management, strategic sourcing, and contract management accountabilities.
Provide support and guidance to internal stakeholders on the procurement processes. Interpret policies and procedures, ensuring quality and quantity of the unit's work production. Advise and assist stakeholders in planning, organizing, scheduling, and coordinating work operations and work procedures.
Manage RFx processes, including Requests for Information (RFI), Requests for Quotations (RFQs), Invitations for Bids (IFB), etc. for complex commodity and service procurements.
Assist with gathering and analyzing data for managerial decisions. Act as an escalation point and provide support to our stakeholders in helping resolve procurement-related issues. Work closely with cross-functional teams, including finance, operations, and quality assurance, to align sourcing strategies with overall business objectives.
Respond to Accounts Payable inquiries regarding pricing as needed.
Advise departments as to best practices regarding purchases encouraging the use of Primary Vendors as identified by the Procurement Department.
Work with other SUNY campuses on opportunities to coordinate spending/purchasing activity. - Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with key suppliers.
Collaborate with suppliers to address issues, improve performance, and drive innovation.
Purchase Order Issuance, Expedition & Return:
Review, process, and complete placement of a full range of purchase orders for goods/services per Campus, State, and Research Foundation Procurement Policies and Procedures.
Assign appropriate expenditure @types and ownership codes when applicable.
Proofread Purchase Orders making sure all information is correct. Check all Purchase Orders released to ensure that they are transmitted correctly to suppliers.
Resolve purchase order problems and correct errors in the Jaggaer System.
Analyze requisitions to determine the correct expenditure @type and necessary information in preparation for the placement of purchase orders.
Obtain the necessary documentation to support each procurement in accordance with policies and procedures.
Expedite Purchase Orders, when necessary, resolve issues (i.e., back orders, damaged goods, etc.) and arrange returns as needed.
Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Utilization & Campus Liaison:
Encourage departments to use primary vendors as identified by the Procurement Department.
Direct spending towards MWBE vendors whenever feasible.
Work cooperatively with all areas of campus.
Ensure quality of service is provided to stakeholders.
Cross-train in all commodities within the assigned Procurement team.
Educate campus departments regarding proper procedures and laws to be followed.
Explain the "how to" of requisition writing and gather information on how Procurement can best meet departmental needs.
Compliance:
Ensure compliance with all Federal, New York State, SUNY, Research Foundation, and University rules, regulations, and guidelines related to the procurement of goods and services.
Stay informed about changes in regulations that may impact procurement activities.
Data Analysis and Reporting:
Utilize data analysis tools to assess and report on the performance of suppliers and the overall effectiveness of sourcing strategies.
Provide regular updates and reports to management on key performance indicators.
Additional Duties & Responsibilities as Assigned:
Train in the use of all new technology as it becomes available.
Complete all department and University training as required.
Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission.
Special Notes:
This is a full-time appointment. FLSA Non Exempt position, eligible for the overtime provisions of the FLSA.
In addition to the employee's base salary, this position is eligible for $3,400 UUP annual location pay, paid biweekly.
For this position, we are unable to sponsor candidates for work visas.
Resume/CV and cover letter should be included with the online application.
Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in diversity and the creation of an inclusive learning and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.
If you need a disability-related accommodation, please call the university Office of Equity and Access (OEA) at (631) 632-6280 or visit OEA (https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/oea/) .
In accordance with the Title II Crime Awareness and Security Act a copy of our crime statistics can be viewed here (https://www.stonybrook.edu/police/) .
Visit our WHY WORK HERE (https://www.stonybrook.edu/jobs/working-here/) page to learn about the total rewards we offer.
Job Number: 2500957
Official Job Title: : Staff Assistant
Job Field : Administrative & Professional (non-Clinical)
Primary Location : US-NY-Stony Brook
Department/Hiring Area: : Procurement
Schedule : Full-time
Shift : Day Shift Shift Hours: : 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. :
Posting Start Date : Apr 19, 2025
Posting End Date : May 3, 2025, 9:29:00 AM
Salary: : Commensurate with experience.
Appointment Type: : Term
Salary Grade: : SL2
SBU Area: : Stony Brook University
Req ID: 2500957
