Purchasing Agent-IT Contract Specialist

Procurement Specialist

CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry and operates under the well-known CITGO brand. CITGO owns and operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, LA.;
Lemont, IL.; and Corpus Christi, TX, and wholly and/or jointly owns 38 active terminals, six pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,300 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 807,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), positions CITGO as one of the best-branded supplier companies in the industry. At CITGO our people are our most important resource. Our core values are Safety, Integrity, Respect, Accountability, and Care.

Job Summary:

Provide specialized IT procurement support for all assigned locations in accordance with Company policies, procedures and goals. Responsible for the creation and maintenance of contracts (purchase orders & outline agreements). Utilize best-in-class strategic sourcing tools and techniques to identify, qualify, solicit, select and negotiate with vendors to obtain materials and services from vendors at the best value for CITGO with consideration given to cost, safety, quality, reliability and delivery requirements per Customer's need.

Leverage best-in-class strategic sourcing methods to identify and qualify IT vendors, evaluate technical and commercial proposals, negotiate pricing and terms, and ensure compliance with IT security, data privacy, and legal standards. Maintain positive vendor relationships, support the onboarding of new IT suppliers, and ensure contracts deliver optimal value, performance, and risk mitigation for the company.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree; three years of job related experience Three years of job related experience or Six years in lieu of degree Negotiating Skills Insurance/Indemnification Knowledge Preferred Multi-Tasking Skills Legal Terms & Conditions Knowledge Preferred Proficient Computer

Skills:

SAP (or similar ERP), MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint Communication Skills Preferred: GEP SMART or similar e-Procurement solution experience and Power BI

Job Duties:

Review Customers' IT requisitions and process Purchase Orders in SAP to procure software, hardware, cloud services, and IT professional services at the most favorable price consistent with requirements for quantity, quality, safety, and delivery to support the assigned CITGO Business Unit(s). Establish and maintain secure sources for required materials and services. Coordinate with Customers to jointly evaluate performance of existing suppliers and contractors and determine any need for alternates.

Negotiate, execute and administer IT contracts, software licenses, SaaS agreements, and master service agreements. Coordinate as necessary activities of involved parties (Customers, vendors, contractors, Legal, Risk Management, Accounts Payable, etc.) to ensure proper development and performance of all contracts. Supports the maintenance of current vendor lists capable of supplying assigned commodities and services. Utilize sourcing tool to establish and maintain IT contracts (Outline Agreements) consistent with the requirements established by customers using specifications for products and/or scopes of work for services.

Negotiate with qualified vendors for price, delivery and quality to establish contracts. Implement selective long term agreements based on vendor quality and value. Administer contracts throughout the life of the agreement including execution of change orders as needed, validating price/rate changes, monitoring KPIs, etc. Manage the vendor base by performing market analysis and research to evaluate and select new vendors.

Perform all tasks associated with management of the vendor population, including but not limited to communication with new/potential vendors to discuss mutual interests and new opportunities. Actively participate in various vendor networking events. Using strategic sourcing tools, collaborate with the Customers to evaluate and select potential vendors through the pre-qualification and bidding process. Work with Optimization and Compliance to properly vet potential vendors and to monitor existing vendors to mitigate risks to CITGO.

Advise purchasing management and affected Customer groups of significant events affecting the normal supply of goods and services. Pursue innovations in procurement practices and department procedures that will improve effectiveness and produce cost savings. Using strategic sourcing tools, solicit formal and informal vendor bids for materials and services. Identify opportunities for subsequent rounds of bids, reverse auctions, and other value added sourcing techniques.

Analyze proposals, negotiate, cost and terms & conditions to award the business fairly. Perform all steps necessary to prepare and release an RFP or RFQ. Assist user/requisitioner in developing specifications and/or requirements and pertinent, objective technical evaluation matrices. Resolve a variety of…