Technical Buyer at Excellerate JHI

About the role

• As the Technical Buyer, you will be responsible for the end-to-end procurement of specified goods and services and also goods of a technical difficult nature. This includes interpreting scopes of work and bills of quantities (BOQs), sourcing and evaluating technically compliant bids, negotiating cost-effective solutions, and ensuring adherence to Liberty procurement policies, engineering standards, and service-level agreements

What you will bring

Inherent requirements for the position (non-negotiable)

• National Diploma or Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, or Technical Management.
• 3–5 years' experience in a technical buying or engineering procurement environment.
• Experience with tender processes, supplier audits, and bid adjudication.
• Additional demonstrable requirements:
• Strong understanding of technical specifications, Billing of Quantities, and drawings.
• Knowledge of procurement standards 
• Proficiency in Excel and Enterprise Resource Planning systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or Coupa).
• Excellent analytical and negotiation skills.
• Strong communication and report-writing ability.
• Ability to manage multiple technical requests simultaneously.

What you will be doing

Technical Procurement & Sourcing

• Interpret technical requirements, specifications, and BOQs from engineering or project teams.
• Develop detailed Requests for Quotation (RFQ) and Requests for Proposal (RFP) aligned to technical drawings, works orders, or maintenance schedules.
• Conduct site meetings to confirm scope clarity, quantities, and specifications prior to procurement.
• Collaborate with engineers, maintenance specialists, and project managers to ensure procurement aligns with operational requirements.
• Source and evaluate suppliers with proven technical capacity, safety compliance, and relevant certifications.

Evaluation and Negotiation

• Conduct supplier evaluations and maintain a preferred supplier database based on capability, compliance, and performance.
• Compare quotations for technical compliance, pricing structure, and delivery capability.
• Negotiate market-related pricing and value-engineered solutions that optimize cost without compromising specification or safety.
• Compile Bid Adjudication Committee (BAC) packs for managerial approval, including cost comparison, technical evaluation, and supporting documentation.
• Complete technical evaluations of bidders for managerial approval and the ability to write and compile procurement and technical motivation documents for management approval.

Procurement Administration and Compliance

• Create and maintain accurate procurement records for audit and traceability.
• Generate Purchase Orders (POs) in line with Liberty procurement policies, procedures, and approval thresholds.
• Upload all procurement documentation to works orders and requisitions for compliance with internal audit requirements.
• Ensure procurement transactions comply with ISO standards, internal control frameworks, and supply chain regulations.
• Monitor open orders and update project stakeholders on delivery progress or supplier delays.

Tender and Supplier Management

• Prepare and compile tender documentation for technical adjudication.
• Participate in pre-tender supplier briefings and develop supplier recommendations for management.
• Support tender evaluations by verifying scope alignment, resource availability, and technical compliance.
• Coordinate cross-functional input from engineering, operations, and finance for tender submissions.

Data Management and Reporting

• Capture and maintain a detailed procurement log (RFQs, POs, approvals) using Excel or ERP-based tools.
• Track and report procurement cycle times, quote response rates, and supplier performance metrics.
• Support continuous improvement by identifying cost-saving opportunities and efficiency gains in the procurement cycle.

General and Stakeholder Support

• Provide administrative and technical support to the Procurement team.
• Handle telephonic and email queries from internal stakeholders and suppliers professionally.
• Facilitate information flow between projects, suppliers, and management.
• Participate in procurement planning meetings, tender briefings, and supplier development initiatives.