Purchasing Specialist: Engineering

PURPOSE OF THE JOB 

Responsible for leading tactical operational procurement activities and managing the end-to-end purchasing execution of engineering, maintenance, shutdown and project-related requirements across AECI Mining operations. Serves as the primary procurement interface between the business and Procurement, ensuring the efficient execution of sourcing strategies, contract utilisation, supplier performance management and uninterrupted supply of engineering goods and services required to support safe and reliable operations. Leading and directing a team of Buyers, driving procurement service excellence, ensuring compliance to procurement policies and contracts and supporting operational, maintenance and project teams through effective purchasing execution and supplier engagement

REQUIRED OUTPUTS: FUNCTIONAL

Operational Procurement Execution 

• Early engagement with Engineering, Maintenance and Planning on upcoming work / projects 
• Participation in plant shutdown, outage and project planning meetings
• Forward visibility of critical spares, long-lead items and recurring service needs 
• Lead and manage end-to-end purchasing execution (requisition → PO → delivery → issue resolution) 
• Ensure timely procurement of engineering materials, spares, services and contractor requirements 
• Execute procurement activities in accordance with approved category strategies and sourcing decisions 
• Execute procurement activities in accordance with approved category strategies and sourcing decisions 
• Monitor open purchase orders and expedite critical deliveries 
• Manage procurement service levels and ensure responsiveness to operational requirements 
• Support maintenance shutdowns and planned outages through effective procurement planning and execution 
• Coordinate procurement support for operational and project-related requirements 
• Ensure continuity of supply for critical operational materials and services 
• Drive contract compliance and maverick spend reduction 
• Ensure accurate and timely procurement transactions in SAP/Coupa 
• Manage expediting and resolution of supply disruptions 
• Lead supplier negotiations to achieve optimal commercial outcomes

People Management 

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Buyers 
• Set clear KPIs (OTIF delivery, cost savings, compliance, cycle time) 
• Drive a high-performance, service-oriented culture 
• Support capability building across tactical and operational buying 

Supplier Performance & Risk Management 

• Monitor supplier performance across cost, quality and delivery reliability 
• Manage supplier issue resolution and escalation 
• Identify and mitigate supply and operational risks 
• Conduct critical supplier / material risk monitoring 
• Support supplier reviews in collaboration with Strategic Sourcing and/or Category Managers 

Business Partnering 

• Act as the primary procurement interface for the assigned business unit 
• Translate business requirements into clear purchasing plans 
• Ensure alignment between business demand and procurement execution 
• Provide input on cost drivers, price movements, and supply risks

Financial & Commercial Management 

• Support the negotiation and implementation of supplier agreements
• Track and report on purchase price variance, savings realization and Budget adherence 
• Support budgeting and forecasting processes 
• Ensure cost discipline and value delivery 
• Ensure payment term compliance
• Ensure invoice query resolution support 
• Avoidance of duplicate, incorrect or non-compliant purchases 
• Working capital awareness linked to inventory, lead times and supplier terms

Governance, Compliance & Process Excellence 

• Ensure full compliance with procurement policies, Delegation of authority (DoA) and Contracting standards 
• Maintain audit-ready procurement records 
• Drive continuous improvement in procurement processes, system utilisation (SAP, Coupa), data quality and reporting 
• Supplier ethics, anti-bribery and anti-corruption compliance 
• Conflict of interest declaration and management 
• Fair and transparent procurement practices
• Confidential handling of commercial and supplier information

Continuous Improvement & Transformation 

• Identify opportunities for process optimization, automation and digital adoption / reduction of manual interventions 
• Preferential procurement and BBBEE supplier development alignment 
• Localisation opportunities where relevant 
• Enterprise and supplier development support, where applicable 
• Transformation objectives aligned to company procurement policy

KPI’s 

• Contract compliance  
• Technical, quality and specification compliance for engineering goods and services 
• Ensure Contractor scope of work clarity 
• On-time, in-full delivery (OTIF) 
• Purchase order cycle time 
• Cost savings / cost avoidance 
• Supplier performance scores 
• Reduction in emergency / spot buys 
• Procurement audit compliance 

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIREMENTS  

• Bachelor’s degree / BTech in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Supply Chain or related field
• Postgraduate qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, or Business Management will be advantageous
• At least 5-7 years proven experience in procurement, category management, supply chain or operations
• Minimum 3 years' experience in engineering, maintenance, manufacturing, mining, chemicals or industrial environments 
• Experience managing operational procurement activities and supplier performance 
• Experience supervising or leading procurement teams
• Strong ERP and eProcurement experience (SAP & Coupa) 
• Solid commercial and analytical capability 
• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience supporting maintenance, shutdown and operational procurement requirements
• Experience working in matrix and multi-site operating environments

COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND CHARACTERISTICS) 

• Operational procurement execution 
• Purchase order management 
• Analytical skills 
• Excellent stakeholder management 
• Coaching and development  
• Performance management 

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