Buyer

The Corporate Contracts & Procurement team of Applied Research Associates, Inc. is seeking a Staff-level Division Buyer with a minimum of 2-4 years’ purchasing experience, including purchasing in support of commercial and State or Local government customers. This is an in-person position that will support our Transportation and Infrastructure divisions out of our Champaign, IL office. Our team’s mission is to provide procurement expertise through communication and collaboration while allowing our technical partners to focus on delivering results. We are looking for a Buyer who is a self-starter, has excellent communication skills, provides outstanding customer service, is detail orientated, and thrives working in a team environment. The successful candidate is passionate, results driven and committed to excellence and continuous improvement.

 

What you’ll do as a Division Buyer:

• Provide cradle-to-grave purchasing support for Division Administrators and Project Managers by issuing Requests for Quote (RFQs), negotiating with vendors, putting together Purchase Order documentation that is compliant with commercial and State and Local Government requirements, placing orders with vendors and assisting with order deliveries/tracking info/invoices/returns
• Perform a variety of routine purchasing duties
• Respond to requests for information from Division staff
• Provide training to Division staff on purchasing requirements
• Support proposal efforts
• Assist in Program procurement planning initiatives
• Support DCAA/DCMA Audits, i.e., Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR)
• Build positive relationships with Division staff and internal teammates by providing excellent customer service, and maintaining relationships through communication, education, and collaboration
• Contribute to process improvements

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field preferred

Experience and Skills Required:

• 2-4 years of purchasing experience
• Some experience purchasing in support of commercial and State or Local government customers
• Some experience with procurement file documentation:  Competition, Sole Source Justification, Price/Cost Analysis, Market Research, Source Selection, prime contract flowdown clauses
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and Adobe Acrobat
• Ability to multi-task and work in high volume environment under strict deadlines
• Ability to work independently
• Maintain high level of accuracy

Preferred Experience: 

• Deltek Costpoint system experience
• SharePoint experience

 

Salary Range:  $62,400-$83,200 dependent upon education and experience.