ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST - SPECIALIST - Purchasing - Services Group at Southwest Research Institute

Who We Are:

The Services Group provides support by issuing Services Purchase orders to SwRI vendors to support SwRI Overhead or SwRI (Government and Commercial) projects, in accordance with SwRI General Terms and Conditions.

Objectives of this Role:

• Solicits, negotiates, awards and administers services Purchase Orders necessary to support either SwRI Overhead needs or project need to support external clients.
• Conduct market research and cost/price analysis.
• Responsible for procuring services at a fair and reasonable price and providing written documentation to support purchases.
• Assists with management of vendor performance and successful completion of contracted tasks while working to resolve problems as necessary.
• Working with key internal stakeholders to understand their sourcing needs, perform market research, and assist in the execution of the procurement strategy in compliance with applicable regulations (Government and internal).
• Performs duties in accordance with SwRI Purchasing Policies and Procedures, accounting policies, FAR/DFARS and other federal regulations, Desktop guides and on the job training.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Review purchase requisitions for accuracy and completeness.
• Send out requests for proposal as necessary, adhering to SwRI business practices and Desktop guides.
• Perform supplier sourcing as needed.
• Create new vendors and maintain vendor contact information.
• Receives, reviews, and analyzes vendor proposals.
• Work with suppliers to obtain necessary support documentation to show fair and reasonable pricing.
• Negotiate terms and conditions, pricing and delivery based on requestor objectives.
• Reviews and edits purchase requisitions to ensure the service is adequately described based on the need or objective.
• Prepare and maintain required documentation for all purchases and document the Purchase Order package in accordance with SwRI policies and procedures.
• Prepares and executes Purchase Order and related documents in accordance with Government regulatory requirements and SwRI procedures with appropriate management review and approval.
• Logically handle issues and conflicts with suppliers.
• Ensures supplier’s adherence to industry standards, technical quality standards, and other business objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors degree in Business or related field with related knowledge/experience.
• 0-3 years: Experience administering and price justification of Services Purchase Orders under government contracts; performing market research and price or cost analysis in detail and documenting results.
• 0-3 years: Strong interpersonal and communication skills. Direct experience in Purchasing is a plus. Must have a high level of motivation, attention to detail, and energetic approach to job duties. Excellent organization skills necessary.
• 0-3 years: Thorough knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), as well as current experience with Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) requirements. Position level dependent on education and experience. Price or cost analysis experience preferred.
• Proficiency in MS Office, especially Excel and Word experience preferred. Knowledge of general business practices and procedures. Strong analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.