Senior Buyer

The University of Cincinnati seeks a Senior Buyer to lead strategic purchasing for Administration & Finance in a student-centered, research-driven environment. This role manages end-to-end sourcing of goods and services, develops RFPs and competitive bids, and negotiates contracts that deliver value while maintaining strict compliance with public procurement and university policies. The Senior Buyer will analyze spend data, identify savings opportunities, and optimize supplier performance.

Partnering closely with campus stakeholders, this position ensures purchasing solutions align with operational needs, supports budget and cost-control goals, and contributes to UC's mission of innovation, student success, and community impact. Hybrid work options and comprehensive benefits are available.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end procurement of goods and services for administrative and finance units
• Develop and manage RFPs, RFQs, and competitive bids in compliance with university policies
• Negotiate contracts, terms, and pricing with vendors to optimize value and mitigate risk
• Analyze spend data to identify savings opportunities and supplier consolidation
• Ensure adherence to public procurement, legal, and ethical standards
• Partner with campus stakeholders to understand needs and align purchasing strategies
• Maintain vendor relationships, performance metrics, and contract records
• Support continuous improvement of purchasing processes and systems
• Collaborate with finance on budgeting, forecasting, and cost controls
• Provide guidance and training on purchasing policies and procedures

Required Skills

• Strategic sourcing
• Contract negotiation
• Public procurement compliance
• RFP/RFQ development and evaluation
• Cost and spend analysis
• Vendor management
• Category management
• ERP/e-procurement systems (e.g., People
• Soft, SAP, Oracle)
• Data analysis and Excel
• Stakeholder communication and collaboration