Senior Buyer

About the Role

The Port Authority’s Procurement Department has a successful record of excellence in procuring some of the most innovative procurements in the U.S., including the Goethals Bridge Modernization, the LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal Building, and the new Terminal One at Newark Liberty International Airport. The Department is responsible for managing the procurements for Port Authority capital projects delivered using a variety of delivery methods, including design-build, construction manager‑at‑risk, and public‑private partnerships, requests for proposals, and bids.

The Procurement Department is seeking a self‑motivated individual to join the Commodities and Services Division. The ideal candidate will be experienced in developing procurement strategies and implementing different source selection techniques, providing insight and guidance to internal clients on how best to achieve their needs, a team player who is flexible, able to multi‑task, work with integrity, and demonstrate professional and ethical behavior with fair and transparent decision making.

The Senior Buyer will be able to lead teams, drive work assignments to effective and efficient conclusions, and handle a diverse portfolio of important and critical projects with some assignments working independently and others being team based. The job generally consists of all phases of procurement related tasks from requisition to contract award, including but not limited to consulting with client departments and formulating procurement strategy, reviewing scopes of work, pricing methodology, contract terms, developing solicitation packages, evaluating offers, and negotiating agreements.

• Under the supervision of the Program Director of the Commodities and Services Division, the Senior Buyer’s responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
• Independently lead and drive all aspects of strategic sourcing, procurement processes and negotiations for high‑impact commodities, complex services and other projects under the direction of the Chief Procurement Officer.
• Exercising sound judgment in selecting and executing the most effective procurement methods for the request such as bids, request for proposal (RFP) and request for information (RFI).
• Serve as the primary category lead and trusted advisor for service categories such as Refuse Removal, Recycling, Hazardous Waste, Medical, Towing, Pest Control, Operations and Maintenance, HVAC, Landscaping and other facilities related services across all areas of business including Rail, Ports, Aviation, Tunnels, Bridges and Terminals, and Warehouses.
• Lead procurements related to the agency’s Net Zero Roadmap and for innovative and emerging technologies and solutions through the agency Innovation Hub and the regional Transit Tech Lab.
• Proactively review, challenge and strengthen scopes of work, pricing methodologies, and solicitation documents to ensure accuracy, clarity and best value to the agency.
• Negotiate and award contracts in accordance with the Agency’s objectives, guidelines and policies; and receive necessary approvals, as needed.
• Develop and execute solicitation & negotiation strategies designed to foster competition to achieve best pricing possible while meeting internal client needs. Ability to conduct in depth cost and price analysis.
• Work closely with Procurement warehouse operations to avoid shortages and/or overstock.
• Facilitate internal and external client meetings and mediate on contract disputes when necessary.
• Manage the contract authorization process ensuring documents requiring executive authorization are prepared accurately, in a timely fashion and achieve concurrence from partner departments (Law, MBD, Procurement). Brief the Chief Procurement Officer and Department Director on priority areas requiring attention prior to executive meetings.
• Developing and implementing strategies to increase participation and awards to the Agency’s certified vendor community.
• Ensures compliance with the Agency’s Small Contracts Program for Minority Business Enterprises/Woman‑Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) and the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) set‑aside procurements.
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