Job Description

ROLE OVERVIEW:

This position plays a crucial role in managing a commodity portfolio that directly impacts Searles Valley Minerals' business profitability through effective purchasing strategy development and execution. With an annual budget of about $50M, this position will deliver financial value through sourcing strategies, managing the supplier base, and developing strategic actions to improve overall costs for assigned commodities.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Senior Buyer - Commodities & Contracts is responsible for the contracting of bulk chemicals, natural gas, and coal positions. This role develops and maintains global and regional market intelligence for stated commodities including alternative suppliers, comprehensive forecasting of current and long-term price trends, and supply availability. This role also works across multiple organizations and functional boundaries, leading facility teams to consider alternate sources for lower costs and improved product quality.

Chemicals: The position requires (i) working with facility managers and process engineers regarding chemical usage, costs, and emerging supply trades;(ii) overseeing the day-to-day ordering of bulk chemicals by the Chemical Buyer; and (iii) preparing the annual chemical budget, as requested by senior accounting managers.

Natural Gas: This position requires (i) staying current with natural gas usage at the facility level; (ii) understanding how the Searles Valley Minerals gas demand influences our purchase requirements; and (iii) reconciling invoices against actual usage on a monthly basis.

Coal: This position requires (i) working closely with the Searles Valley Minerals Energy Coordinator; (ii) interfacing with our facility managers; and (iii) staying in touch with industry representatives to ensure a continuous supply of on-spec coal from contracted providers.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Serve as the primary point of contact for both internal customers and external suppliers on all commercial matters related to coal, natural gas, and bulk chemicals.
2. Negotiate pricing, shipping, and related terms with providers of coal, natural gas, and bulk chemicals.
3. Establish and monitor supply agreements for the assigned commodities.
4. Provide oversight for activities of Chemical Buyer in regard to production scheduling.
5. Review the Chemical Order Planning worksheets on a regular basis.
6. Provide gas daily numbers for Accounting when the Chemical Buyer is unavailable.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Credentials

˗ Bachelor's degree and minimum 7 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, commodity management, supplier relationship management, logistics, supply chain, or management consulting.

˗ Preferred: C.P.M. – Certified Purchasing Manager or CPSM – Certified Professional in Supply Management.

Experience

˗ Experience in enterprise-level purchasing within a manufacturing setting.

˗ Familiarity with current procurement methods and strategic sourcing practices in supply chain.

˗ Extensive experience with category spend in continuous process manufacturing environments.

Skills

˗ Working knowledge of legal aspects, UCC coverage, and Incoterms usage for purchasing goods and services.

˗ Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word and Excel, and extensive experience creating spreadsheets for data analysis.

˗ Ability to think analytically, understand complex data, and solve complicated problems.

˗ Demonstrated ability to exercise a high degree of independent judgment in selecting methods and techniques for developing solutions.

˗ Organized with a structured approach to complex work projects.

˗ Ability to work independently, establish priorities, and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.

Contracts Experience

˗ Familiarity with structuring, writing, and managing supplier contracts.

˗ Proven ability for writing detailed, complete, error-free RFQ, RFP, and contract documents.

˗ Demonstrated skills in planning and leading negotiations.

Travel to be about 10 to 15% most times may be more in the beginning during on-boarding to learn the business and get to know the facility in California.

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