Sr. Buyer, Agriculture

Under general guidance of the Purchasing Manager, the Senior Buyer is responsible for FCC’s purchasing strategy through effective vendor relationship management, contract & project management, and management of suppliers. The Senior Buyer will provide direct contact for customers in the procurement of agricultural materials and services at multiple locations throughout North and Central America. The Senior Buyer will be required to work well in a team environment, have the ability to handle a large order volume, prioritize appropriately, and maintain positive business relationships with both internal and external customers.

The Senior Buyer must be able to travel up to 20% of the time; travel will be assigned based on the current needs of the business.

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution. Degree major in Supply Chain, Business, or related field is preferred.
• 5+ years of applicable purchasing experience required, agricultural experience preferred
• 5+ years of experience utilizing an ERP system (e.g. SAP, Oracle) and supplier management tools (e.g. SAP, Ariba)
• Experience with purchasing on an ERP system, SAP experience strongly preferred.
• Ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner both verbally and in writing. Ability to present information in a clear and concise manner to all audience levels.
• Ability to understand internal demands as they relate to the purchases of goods and services for the business
• Ability to analyze complex information and perform root cause analysis
• Ability to recognize areas for Continuous Improvement strategies; recommend and implement CI strategies as assigned
• Ability to provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers and foster strong, open lines of communication across all levels of the organization
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of proprietary business information at all times
• Ability to effectively manage time, including the ability to prioritize, work within assigned deadlines, and work independently or collaboratively to accomplish organizational objectives
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects while maintaining quality & accuracy standards
• Strong analytical and numeracy skills, combined with ability to utilize Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel, Word, and Powerpoint on an Advanced Level
• Ability to successfully negotiate price, terms, delivery, and volume levels with suppliers.
• Ability to anticipate issues, perform independent/critical needs analysis, and take corrective actions resulting in thorough and effective solutions.
• Ability to consolidate, analyze, and report on ERP and marketplace information.
• Ability to work in a high dollar, deadline driven purchasing environment.
• Ability to work with changing market conditions, incomplete information, and make decisions in the best interests of the business.
• Must have a comprehensive understanding of TCO (total cost of ownership).
• Travel up to 20% of the time; travel will be assigned based on the current needs of the business.
• Prior experience working across a multi-site enterprise.
• Prior experience with SAP and or Ariba Platforms.
• Verbal and written fluency in Spanish & English.
• Strong background in supply chain preferably in an agricultural environment
• Experience working with agricultural materials and/or equipment.
• Contract negotiations and contract management experience.

• Responsible for managing high spend categories for multiple farm locations.
• Responsible for preparing, negotiating, executing, managing and coordinating agreements for assigned commodities and/or services.
• Independently negotiates contracts, price, and supplier agreements
• Utilizes the company ERP system to generate reports and perform analytics
• Researches and evaluates global suppliers based on price, quality, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, reputation, financial status, and history.
• Ensures all agreements, purchases and initiatives comply with internal policies.
• Collaborates on material or equipment specifications, reviews requisitions for goods and services, solicits proposals, and ensures…