Senior Buyer

To qualify for the Senior Buyer position at Umoja Biopharma, candidates should ideally possess a bachelor’s degree alongside 5+ years of purchasing experience, or a high school diploma with 7+ years in a similar field. It's important to have a sound understanding of ordering procedures, production planning, inventory replenishment methods, MRP, and ERP systems, with strong Microsoft Office skills. Experience with Coupa's procurement systems is preferred.

As a Senior Buyer at Umoja Biopharma, your key responsibilities encompass reviewing purchase requests for accuracy, placing orders, and onboarding new suppliers. You will also track order progress, manage supplier performance, and collaborate with various teams to forecast raw material supply, ensuring all GMP material requests are accurate and comply with existing guidelines.

In the Senior Buyer role at Umoja Biopharma, collaboration is integral. You'll work closely with Supply Chain, Process Sciences, Lab Ops, and Manufacturing teams to effectively meet organizational needs. This ensures that procurement activities align with the dynamic requirements of our growing biotech initiatives, allowing for seamless operations in a fast-paced environment.

For success as a Senior Buyer at Umoja Biopharma, strong negotiation abilities, excellent oral and written communication skills, and a detail-oriented mindset are critical. Additionally, you should possess the confidence to ask questions, a high level of efficiency, and the ability to tackle complex problems—all while being adaptable in our ever-changing start-up environment.

The Senior Buyer position at Umoja Biopharma requires onsite presence at least 4 days a week at our Louisville, CO facility. This ensures close collaboration with various teams and helps in maintaining the high level of accuracy and compliance that our procurement activities demand.

When answering this question, focus on specific examples of your procurement experience in biotech or regulated environments. Discuss any complex projects you managed, your familiarity with GMP compliance, and how you contributed to improving procurement processes.

Begin by explaining your methodical approach to identifying discrepancies—outline steps like checking purchase requests, communicating with suppliers, and collaborating with the Accounting department to resolve issues efficiently.

Employ a strategic approach by discussing how you maintain open communication with key suppliers, establish strong relationships, and monitor performance through KPIs. Citing specific past successes can showcase your effectiveness in supplier management.

Emphasize your organizational skills—explain how you assess urgency and importance, manage workflows using tools, and ensure that critical tasks are completed on time, while keeping key stakeholders informed throughout.

Highlight your collaborative spirit by stressing how you engage with other departments like Supply Chain, Quality, and Lab Ops to coordinate purchasing efforts. Share examples where teamwork led to better outcomes in the procurement process.

Detail your proficiency with MRP and ERP systems, mentioning any specific tools you've used. Discuss how you've utilized these systems to track orders, manage inventory, and improve efficiency within the procurement process.

Explain the importance of compliance to you, and describe the steps you take to ensure every procurement request adheres to GMP guidelines, such as verifying supplier certifications and reviewing materials for quality compliance.

Identify a concrete challenge you faced, discuss the steps you took to tackle it, showcasing problem-solving skills, resourcefulness, and adaptability while emphasizing the positive outcome of your actions.

Discuss your methods for staying informed about industry trends, such as subscribing to relevant publications, attending conferences, networking with peers, and utilizing supplier dashboards to track performance metrics.

Convey your understanding of Umoja Biopharma’s mission, emphasize how your skills align with their needs and core values, and outline your commitment to supporting their goals by enhancing procurement processes and fostering strong supplier relationships.