Procurement Specialist

Overview:
The Procurement Specialist works to ensure uninterrupted, cost effective supply of quality raw materials/goods & services necessary to support Afton business goals and operations including but not limited to production facilities, contract manufacturing facilities, resale operations, R&D facilities and corporate departments. Position is typically responsible for $50MM+ in annual spending. The role typically comprises 35% tactical and 65% strategic procurement. Typically works under direction and guidance.

**Responsibilities**:

- Manage portfolio of assigned commodities and specialty raw materials utilizing best practices in Strategic Sourcing to optimize the total cost of ownership for Afton. The total cost of ownership will include consideration of life cycle cost, logistics, security of supply, supplier performance, business continuity and regulatory compliance and constraints.
- Develop and manage supplier relationships to negotiate and maintain price and supply conditions ensuring commercial terms are optimized, supply maintained, contracts implemented and managed as appropriate and SAP data maintained.
- Facilitate communications and supplier access to Process Technology, R&D, Business Group and Sr. Afton Management staff as necessary to support strategic business objectives. Consult with other Afton Procurement Specialists to identify synergies that will ensure maximum effectiveness of strategic purchasing initiatives.
- Identify and select source of assigned raw materials, complete vendor assessment, negotiate all elements (price, quantity, quality, payment terms, services, and delivery) of the transaction, and develop and manage the resulting contract.
- Prepare, maintain and communicate long term sourcing strategies to support the Long Range Plan (LRP) both within region and at a global level as appropriate to ensure raw material, products and services availability and economics are communicated to and support the needs of the business.
- Develop and maintain forecasts (volume and price) for use with suppliers and for communication within Afton including the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) process.
- Employ risk management strategies to ensure business continuity objectives are met.
- Consult with Business Group, R&D, Manufacturing and Process Technology to provide information regarding the competition, potential entrants, pricing initiatives and quality, service, price and distribution issues.
- May lead or participate in the stage gate new product development or management of change process to support new raw materials introduction or changes.
- Monitor quality and consistency of raw materials used in our intermediate and finished goods in a non-conformance management system to record quality issues/resolutions. Consult with R&D and manufacturing, investigate and resolve quality issues quickly and effectively.

Qualifications:
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE MINIMUMS:

- BS degree in Business, Economics, Math, Chemistry or related field
- 5+ years relevant work experience with demonstrated strategic planning, negotiation, and influencing skills

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE PREFERRED:

- Work experience in the petroleum additive, lubricant or chemical industry
- Experience utilizing SAP for contract management, pricing updates, and forecasting
- Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) or similar certification
- Some Purchasing experience with knowledge of the procurement function

SKILLS/ABILITIES:

- High personal credibility and ethics
- Demonstrated understanding and knowledge of market economics, cost drivers, value chains etc. (ideally within the chemical industry)
- Able to work across the organization, build rapport and win the confidence of individuals throughout the organization.
- A demonstrated capacity for building effective relationships with suppliers and internal networks across all levels of the organization.
- Effective negotiation’ facilitation and conflict management skills.
- Self-starter with strong business acumen and the ability to link business goals and market trends to make sound procurement decisions.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a demonstrated ability to lead through influence and build consensus.
- Strong strategic and analytic approach to purchasing; resilient; able to manage ambiguity effectively.
- Broad knowledge of the principles of contract writing and management.
- Team-oriented leadership dedicated to continuous improvement, maximizing productivity and effectiveness in the organization, and promoting best practices.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Strategic Sourcing Principles and Practices.
- Effective listening skills.
- Able to prioritize work and manage time effectively.
- Able to organize and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
- Able to routinely accomplish agreed upon goals and objectives.