The Technical and Consumable Buyer is a technically minded individual responsible for purchasing and expediting Maintenance Spares, services, Electrical, Chemicals, PPE, Lubrication, Tools, and Consumables to meet Production and Maintenance requirements. This role involves obtaining supplier quotations, negotiating prices, maintaining supplier relationships, and ensuring the timely delivery of orders. Additionally, the Technical and Consumable Buyer will be required to stand in for the Maintenance and Spares Controller when needed.
Key Performance Areas
Procurement:
- Source and purchase maintenance spares, consumables, and services from approved suppliers according to the company's quality, price, and delivery standards.
- Negotiate pricing and terms with suppliers to achieve cost-effective procurement.
- Create and manage purchase orders, ensuring timely delivery of materials and services.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of purchase orders, inventory, and supplier performance.
- Expedite and follow up on the status of all orders and communicate any delays or issues to the relevant stakeholders.
- Ensure compliance with procurement policies and procedures and report any deviations or non-conformances.
Supplier Management:
- Develop and maintain strong and professional relationships with suppliers.
- Evaluate and monitor supplier performance in terms of quality, cost, and delivery and provide feedback and recommendations for improvement.
- Address and resolve any supplier-related issues or discrepancies in a timely and effective manner.
- Ensure suppliers adhere to the company ISO standards and provide relevant documentation and certification.
- Ensure all suppliers are BBBEE compliant and maintain copies of their certificates for audit purposes.
Cost Control and Analysis:
- Monitor market trends and pricing to ensure competitive procurement and identify opportunities for cost savings.
- Analyze cost data and provide reports on procurement activities and savings achieved.
Collaboration and Communication:
- Work closely with Production and Engineering to understand their spares and consumables needs and provide technical support and advice.
- Communicate effectively with all internal stakeholders to ensure alignment on stock levels, procurement strategies, and project outcomes.
Inventory Management:
- Work closely with the Maintenance and Spares Controller to assist and stand in when not available or on leave.
- Minimize the number of stockout incidents impacting Production and Maintenance and ensure adequate stock levels are maintained.
Continuous Improvement:
- Stay updated with industry best practices and trends in maintenance spares and consumables and implement improvements in procurement processes and systems.
Additional Duties and Responsibilities:
- (Technical) sourcing of new or replacement production materials, components, and consumables from alternative suppliers locally or abroad.
- Identification, assessment, and approval of alternative strategic suppliers in direct collaboration with technical and quality support departments in the company.
- Procuring of sample batch quantities of such production materials, components, and consumables from these identified suppliers.
- Coordination (project management) of material and/or product validation both internally and by 3rd party laboratories, on such re-sourced or newly sourced production materials, components, and consumables.
- Identification of cost savings opportunities and/or projects by looking at potential re-sourcing activities between or amongst various suppliers locally and abroad.
- (Technical) identification and sourcing of specific engineering services and/or products and machinery which might be required by the company from time-to-time.
- Ongoing assessment and ensuring of adequate manufacturing capacities and capabilities at all vendors and suppliers – in line with specific customer requirements and/or projects.
- Identification and establishment of a base of pre-qualified contingent suppliers for all production materials, components, and consumables, and also maintenance spares and wear-and-tear parts.
- Impromptu identification and selection of vendors and/or suppliers when an emergency situation arises in any of the manufacturing and/or support departments, and the current vendor/s could not support and assist in the available and much-reduced (emergency) timeframe.