Key Responsibilities

Technical Buying

• Manage the RFQ process for assigned technical procurement categories in accordance with the Procurement Procedure.
• Source technical goods, equipment, spares, services and maintenance requirements.
• Develop a sound understanding of the technical requirements applicable to the assigned categories.
• Review and interpret technical specifications, equipment descriptions, bills of materials, datasheets and other relevant technical information.
• Ensure that suppliers understand the technical requirement and provide comparable quotations.
• Identify technically suitable alternative products, suppliers and solutions where appropriate.
• Conduct commercial comparisons of technically acceptable quotations.
• Identify opportunities for standardisation and specification optimisation.
• Apply sound judgement when assessing the commercial implications of technical requirements.
• Ensure that technical requirements are sufficiently understood before placing orders.

Engineering, Maintenance and Operations Interface

• Act as the procurement interface between SCM and Operations.
• Participate in relevant Production, TMM, Engineering and Maintenance meetings to understand current and anticipated procurement requirements.
• Proactively identify procurement requirements that could impact production, maintenance execution, equipment availability or plant operations.
• Communicate supply risks, delays and potential operational impacts to relevant stakeholders.
• Work closely with technical personnel to ensure that procurement requirements are clearly defined and commercially sourced.
• Challenge specifications, quantities, suppliers or urgency where appropriate from a commercial and procurement perspective.
• Ensure that Engineering and Operations retain responsibility for technical specifications, technical suitability and technical acceptance.

Sourcing and Supplier Management

• Ensure that purchases are made only from approved suppliers in accordance with the Vendor Control Procedure.
• Obtain competitive quotations in accordance with procurement thresholds and requirements.
• Assess supplier capability, capacity, lead times and ability to meet technical requirements.
• Develop alternative suppliers for critical or single-source requirements.
• Maintain effective relationships with suppliers while ensuring appropriate professional and commercial boundaries.
• Monitor supplier performance relating to price, quality, delivery and service.
• Escalate recurring or material supplier performance issues.

Commercial Management and Negotiation

• Negotiate competitive prices and commercial conditions with suppliers.
• Ensure that procurement decisions consider total cost of ownership rather than purchase price alone.
• Benchmark supplier pricing and identify opportunities for cost reduction.
• Analyse price increases and challenge unsupported supplier escalations.
• Identify and implement procurement savings and cost-avoidance opportunities.
• Support the Procurement Manager with commercial negotiations for significant or technically complex purchases.
• Ensure that the Company’s financial interests are appropriately considered when making procurement recommendations.

Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders

• Verify that the requested goods or services, quantities and specifications are properly reflected in the procurement process.
• Ensure that all required approvals are obtained in accordance with the Delegation of Authority before processing purchase orders.
• Ensure Purchase Orders accurately reflect negotiated prices, quantities, specifications, delivery dates and commercial terms.
• Communicate confirmed orders and delivery requirements to suppliers.
• Ensure that changes to orders are appropriately authorised and documented.
• Prevent order splitting or other practices intended to circumvent procurement requirements or approval thresholds.

Critical Spares and Operational Requirements

• Identify and prioritise procurement requirements based on operational criticality.
• Work with Maintenance, Engineering and Warehousing to identify critical and long-lead items.
• Proactively identify potential stock-outs or supply interruptions.
• Escalate potential delays that could impact production or equipment availability.
• Assist in identifying alternative sourcing options for critical items.
• Consider existing stock before initiating procurement of additional items.
• Support appropriate inventory levels while avoiding unnecessary or excessive purchases.

Contract and Commercial Compliance

• Ensure procurement activities comply with approved contracts and commercial agreements.
• Confirm applicable contract pricing and terms before placing orders.
• Identify purchases that should be made under existing contracts or agreements.
• Escalate instances of supplier non-compliance with contractual terms.
• Support the Procurement Manager in identifying opportunities for contract consolidation and improved commercial terms.
• Ensure that procurement activities comply with the Company’s Group Contracts Management Procedure.

Procurement Governance and Risk

• Comply with all SCM policies, procedures and Delegation of Authority requirements.
• Identify and escalate procurement risks, opportunities and potential control weaknesses.
• Ensure that emergency procurement is undertaken only in accordance with the approved emergency procurement process.
• Maintain appropriate procurement documentation and audit trails.
• Comply with vendor onboarding and vendor governance requirements.
• Identify and report potential conflicts of interest or irregular procurement practices.
• Maintain high standards of integrity and ethical conduct.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of procurement policies, processes and controls.

Key Performance Areas

The Technical Buyer will be measured against the following key outcomes:

• Technical procurement capability: quality of technical understanding, interpretation of requirements, technical-commercial quotation evaluations, identification of acceptable alternatives and engagement with Engineering and Operations.
• Procurement efficiency: RFQs and Purchase Orders processed within agreed turnaround times, compliance with procurement procedures, complete procurement documentation and effective management of outstanding Purchase Orders.
• Commercial performance: procurement savings achieved, cost-avoidance opportunities implemented, competitive pricing and effective total cost of ownership management.
• Operational support: timely procurement of critical spares and technical requirements, reduced procurement-related disruptions, effective escalation of supply risks and contribution to improved equipment and plant availability.
• Governance: compliance with Procurement Policy and Delegation of Authority, a reduction in non-compliant procurement and appropriate procurement audit trails.