Strategic Buyer

As a Strategic Buyer with our Ridgeway-based company, your main responsibilities will include strategic procurement activities, collaborating with suppliers, and ensuring timely sourcing of high-quality materials. You'll engage in supplier relationship management and play a pivotal role in strategic sourcing initiatives to support our manufacturing operations.

To qualify for the Strategic Buyer position in Ridgeway, New York, candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or Engineering. You will also need proven experience in sourcing, purchasing, or supplier management, coupled with strong negotiation skills and familiarity with ERP systems such as SAP.

The Strategic Buyer collaborates with internal teams by engaging in cross-functional discussions to understand material needs and specifications. This includes working closely with production, logistics, and finance teams to align procurement strategies with overall business objectives and ensuring that the procurement process supports timely project executions.

Essential skills for success as a Strategic Buyer include excellent negotiation and communication abilities, strong analytical skills for conducting cost analysis, and detailed supplier evaluations. Additionally, project management and organizational skills are crucial for handling multiple tasks and driving results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Supplier management plays a critical role for a Strategic Buyer as it involves maintaining and nurturing relationships with suppliers to ensure they meet quality standards, pricing agreements, and delivery timelines. Effective supplier management contributes to enhancing procurement efficiency and achieving strategic sourcing goals.

When answering this question, highlight specific experiences where you successfully identified and engaged with suppliers to secure favorable terms. Discuss the methodologies you used in sourcing and how those strategies contributed to the company’s goals.

Discuss your negotiation strategies focusing on research, preparation, and building rapport with suppliers. Share examples of how you've successfully negotiated with suppliers to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Mention any procurement or ERP systems you've used, especially SAP, and how you utilized them to streamline procurement processes or enhance supplier management capabilities in past roles.

Explain your process for conducting cost analysis, including tools and methodologies you employ. Discuss how you've applied market assessments to guide sourcing decisions that align with budget constraints and quality requirements.

Share a specific instance where you identified inefficiencies in a procurement process and implemented changes that resulted in cost savings, improved supplier relationships, or enhanced workflow. Metrics that demonstrate your impact will strengthen your answer.

Discuss your organizational and project management skills. Explain how you assess urgency and impact, utilize tools for tracking tasks, and how you communicate with teams to ensure critical purchasing needs are met.

Describe the challenge clearly, emphasizing the stakes involved. Detail the strategies you employed, focusing on your negotiation skills and the outcome, especially if you reached a satisfactory agreement for both parties.

Talk about your understanding of compliance regulations and procurement policies you’ve worked with. Discuss systems or checks you’ve put in place to maintain adherence in past roles and the importance of compliance in procurement.

Explain how you leverage data to inform your sourcing strategies, such as analyzing supplier performance metrics or market trends. Provide examples of how data-driven insights have influenced your purchasing decisions.

In your answer, express your enthusiasm for the construction and roadbuilding industry and how you align with the company’s values and vision. Highlight what excites you about potential contributions you can make as a Strategic Buyer.