Contract End Date - 30/04/2027

The Senior Buyer will manage higher value, more complex procurement, and will help to develop strategies, negotiate agreements, and source goods and services to meet company needs at competitive prices, focusing on cost savings, supplier performance, and internal collaboration. The role also requires management and mentoring of Buyers.
The position reports to the Procurement Operations Manager and is part of the Procurement team at Astron Energy which is responsible for procurement of all goods and services to support its operations in South Africa and Botswana.
While issuing RFQs and creating Purchase Orders, the Senior Buyer will apply advanced commercial judgement, manage supplier risk and be accountable for cost, continuity of supply and value creation. The Senior Buyer will work closely with with the Sourcing and Contracting team to execute the ACP (Annual Contracting Plan).

Key Responsibilities (but limited to):

Procurement and Sourcing: Lead RFQs for complex, high value, or technically critical materials and services. Define RFQ strategy, supplier list, commercial structure and evaluation criteria. Analyze quotes using total cost of ownership, risk and market intelligence.

Negotiation and Commercials: Lead negotiations on price, lead time, payment terms, incoterms and Astron PO terms and conditions.

Oversight of Purchase Orders: Oversee the management, execution and coordination of all purchase orders ensuring they comply with established procedures and meet organisation standards. Maintain accurate and thorough documentation for all transactions.

Stakeholder management: Work closely with internal teams to align purchasing activities with business needs. Act as a go-to contact for procurement clarifications, ensuring timely and precise processing of all Purchase Orders.

Procurement Compliance: Enforce adherence to company procurement policies and procedures. Monitor processes for POs and contracts to ensure adherence to compliance standards, including monitoring any retrospective spend.

Close collaboration with:

• Expeditor to monitor open Purchase Orders and to support mitigation in relation to late or overdue orders

• Logistics Co-Ordinator to ensure support when shipments or customs clearance is required.

Build and maintain relationships with warehousing teams to ensure alignment of future demand requirements and working capital optimization opportunities.

Market Intelligence: Drive and support deep market intelligence to support procurement initiatives, ensuring that both efficiency and effectiveness are maximized in the procurement process.

Supplier Relationship Management: Establish and maintain strong supplier relationships to ensure continous supply chain efficiency. Monitor supplier performance, supplier reporting and investigate any anomalies.

Post-award contract administration of Orders: contractual correspondence; agreement, drafting and processing of claims; approval of invoices, as appropriate; securing internal approvals

Prepare contractual and commercial correspondence and ensure maintenance of correspondence files.

Review and resolve, including necessary internal consultations, any VORs and issue VOs or Amendments, as necessary.

Drive cost reduction, process improvements and supplier improvement initiatives.

Establish, define and continuously improve operational procurement dashboards and reporting

Coach and guide Buyers on commercial and sourcing best practices.

Core Competencies:

• Articulate supplier selection recommendations to stakeholders using clear reasoning and supporting evidence.

• Identify suppliers that can deliver an optimal balance of cost efficiency, on schedule and quality.

• Maintain accountability by monitoring and enforcing commercial and contractual terms and obligations.

• Leverage comprehensive knowledge of the supplier market and industry trends to guide strategic decisions.

• Adapt approaches to supplier constraints and challenges to sustain positive relationships/continuous improvement.

• Weigh cost, quality, and performance in procurement decisions to optimise organisational benefits.

• Identify inefficient processes and improvement recommendations.

• Align negotiation strategies with organisational objectives.

• Use data and market intelligence to proactively identify potential supply chain risks and opportunities.

Expected Behavior/Value attributes:

• Approach work with a systems-thinking mindset, recognizing the interconnectedness of processes.

• Source goods and services at optimal total costs while adhering to quality standards and aligning with the organization’s strategic objectives.

• Proactively identify and address risks and opportunities as they arise.

• Continuously evaluate market dynamics, supplier landscapes, and potential risks and opportunities to stay ahead.

• Enhance supplier performance through regular performance reviews, fostering a culture of continuous improvement in quality, efficiency, and overall performance.

• Make decisions based on accurate, timely, and system-generated data rather than relying on intuition or established habits.

Desired Skills & Experience:

Proven expertise in procurement with in-depth knowledge of buying, sourcing (RFQ/RFI), and contract execution

Buying Experience: Strong Procurement buying and Procurement ERP (knowledge of SAPS4Hana and Coupa would be advantageous).

Strong negotiation capabilities, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Knowledge of industry standards, regulations and best practices and knowledge of local and international supplier markets

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Qualifications & Experience:

Educational Qualifications:

Diploma/Advanced certificate in Supply Chain management, Engineering, Business Administration or in a related field.

Work Experience:

A minimum of 5-7 years of procurement experience preferably in the petrochemical, energy or related industries.

Knowledge & Skills:

MS Office Proficiency: Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Procurement systems: Good working knowledge and expertise with P2P systems preferably with knowledge of SAPS4Hana and/or Coupa.

Operational Excellence: Ability to optimize operational processes to achieve procurement efficiency and effectiveness.

Supplier Analysis, Negotiations & Selection: Expert in analyzing, evaluating, negotiating and recommending suppliers to ensure alignment with business needs.

Supplier Relationship Management: Strong skills in managing supplier relationships to drive performance, collaboration, and long-term partnerships. Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Ability to collaborate across departments and manage multiple tasks effectively under tight deadlines.