Purchasing Specialist

Under the direction of the Purchasing Manager, this position will assist with supporting a strategic approach to purchasing goods and services at YMCA of Greater Houston. This position will assist with developing and managing sourcing and procurement processes, provide leadership in identifying and maintaining the best sources of supply, and establish best-in-class purchasing practices. The Purchasing Specialist will be responsible for considering all aspects of relationships with staff and vendors, and for delivering procurement related services to YMCA of Greater Houston stakeholders in a customer-focused manner.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Vendor Management

• Assist with Vendor Onboarding Process
• Assist Staff with identifying potential sources of supply for needed goods and services.
• Monitor KPIs for vendors to measure quality, service, and financial performance and communicate findings with the appropriate stakeholders.

Strategic Sourcing

• Assist with forecasting demand for goods and services to meet business needs.
• Assist Staff with developing specifications for routine and complex bids, contracts and master agreements, working closely with internal stakeholders to ensure compliance with YMCA standards and requirements.
• Manage sourcing events of low to mid complexity, including Requests for Quotes (RFQs) and Invitation for Bids (IFBs), and leading staff through the sourcing, evaluation and award processes.

Procurement and Contract Lifecycle Management

• Assist the Purchasing Manager with the developing, implementing and maintaining all policies and procedures related to purchasing and contract administration.
• Support staff with obtaining quotes, awarding contracts, monitoring vendor relationships, negotiating prices and ensuring timeliness and quality goods and services.
• Support relationships with both internal customers and vendors by providing timely responses to inquiries, guiding stakeholders to correct sourcing and procurement processes, and provide training when necessary.
• Guide Staff through procurement processes with the intent of ensuring purchase orders contain appropriate information, supporting documentation and approval.
• Manage contract setup and maintenance in the E-Procurement System.

Expense Management and Continuous Improvement

• Serve as an administrator for the YMCA Procurement Card (P-Card)
• Continuously review of sourcing/procurement systems, vendors, processes and procedures, with a view to implementing positive change, reduce waste and streamline processes.
• Support internal/external audit and reporting requirements.
• Assist with the development of year over year strategies to improve cost, customer processes and quality of goods/services.
• Participate and lead ad hoc projects and perform other duties, as assigned.

Cross Functional Communication

• Serve as liaison between vendors, service providers and internal customers.
• Effectively utilize written and verbal communication to support staff with all procurement functions.
• Assist with developing job aides/guides for staff and assist with periodic training.
• Partner closely with the Accounting and Accounts Payable groups to create a team approach.
• Model relationship-building skills in all interactions. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with community organizations. Maintain regular, clear, and concise communication within area of responsibility.

YMCA Culture & Cause Expectations

Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture.It's who are, who we aspire to be and how we show up every day.We are cause-driven.We don't just show up, we show up with purpose.As a cause driven leader you are expected to be:

Welcoming-Accept neighbors eagerly, warmly, hospitably, and as equal participants.

Nurturing-To care for, support, and help develop through encouragement.

Hopeful-Take an optimistic or positive view of future outcomes.

Determined-To devote full strength and concentrated attention to the cause.

• Experience in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or related field.
• Some professional experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, supply chain management or related field is desired.
• Working knowledge of, and ability to apply, large scale sourcing and procurement methodologies and approaches.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft suite of productivity applications (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.).
• Ability to operate independently and under pressure, to perform multiple concurrent task and responsibilities, while maintaining personal effectiveness.
• Basic understanding of Procure-to-Pay (P2P) and Strategic Sourcing principles, processes and systems (e.g., Basware, Jaggaer, Ariba, Coupa, Bonfire, etc.).
• Strong customer service, communication, organization, creative problem solving and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to engage in a collaborative, results-oriented team environment.
• Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

COMPUTER LITERACY

Skills are essential in all of the Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and Access. Ability to use these programs to lighten work load, develop reports and to automate procedures is very necessary. Ability to diagnose basic PC problems and to communicate those problems is very important.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

HOURS

Flexible with scheduling and availability to work operational hours of the YMCA and sites, which may include day, evenings and weekends.

TRAVEL

Travel is primarily local between assigned centers during the business day, although some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected.

The YMCA of Greater Houston provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.