This position will be working at 10240 Science Center Drive, Suite 200, La Jolla, CA 92121.

The Senior Buyer and Contracts Manager will exercise fiduciary duty and judgment to protect the interests of Salk, donors, and grant agencies while ensuring all procurement services comply with Salk policies and other applicable regulations. The role is expected to procure, contract, and qualify supply sources for an assigned set of goods and services that are complex or technical in nature, including license agreements, custom products, consulting and professional services. This role is responsible for reviewing and establishing prices, payment schedules, quality requirements, delivery, terms, conditions, and other related specifications. Obtains competition through RFQs and RFPs and maintains required documentation according to department policies, including source selection, price reasonableness, and sole sources. Advises internal clients, recommends alternative sources and product/service options when appropriate. Analyzes spend within assigned goods and services to identify opportunities for strategic sourcing. Assists with formal cross-functional RFP process including documentation, supplier qualification, pre-bid meetings, scoring, and analysis. Implements, administers, maintains, and closes out assigned contracts including performance management, corrective actions, amendments, and renewals. Mediates and resolves conflicts, disputes, or issues between suppliers and internal clients. Provides customer service support including returns, invoice resolution, and overdue orders.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Reviews, interprets, and updates of requisitions for goods and services.
• Conveys any special circumstances, requirements, or terms and conditions that may apply to a pending request.
• Prepares and administers requests for quotes, proposals and information (RFx) or otherwise obtains competition as required to issue purchase orders. Reviews and negotiates the responses to ensure the best value for the internal client, including best pricing, quality, service and delivery schedules, including terms and conditions.
• Selects suppliers and places orders through an e-procurement system associated with assigned goods and services and attaches all documentation required per procurement procedures and policies.
• Ensures that all requirements are met once an order is placed; works with internal clients and suppliers to resolve billing issues and delivery discrepancies. Expedites orders to meet initial delivery or new delivery requirements.
• Reviews spending trends and identifies potential opportunities for strategic sourcing, contracting, supply chain maximization, and supply base consolidation. Participates in strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Acts as back-up in the absence of other Buyers.
• Trains and provides guidance and informal mentoring to other Buyers as needed.
• Manages and orchestrates all aspects of contract life cycle from supplier qualification to RFx development to contract completion. Ensures all procedures are followed and the highest ethical standards are upheld.
• Vets potential suppliers to ensure they meet all requirements to do business with Salk, including ensuring they are not debarred or otherwise excluded from government procurements actions.
• Reviews and negotiates contractual terms, pricing and other specifications, including those related to release & indemnification and non-disclosure agreements. Compiles final contract documents and ensures proper execution and filing.
• Assists in the implementation of newly awarded contracts including the coordination of meetings between internal clients, supporting departments such as Salk Research Laboratories, Facilities, Communications, EH&S, Finance, Logistics Operations, IS/IT, and suppliers.
• Manages or participates in supplier business reviews to review performance metrics and find opportunities to increase value to internal clients. Establishes, nurtures, and maintains, excellent supplier relationships.
• Coordinates contract modifications including amendments, performance management and corrective action requests, renewals and terminations. Ensure that all required documentation is complete and kept up to date.
• Utilizes the contract manager module in the e-procurement system as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned by management.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position may assist with training and mentoring junior staff, students, and visiting researchers in laboratory techniques and protocols.
• Formal supervisory responsibilities may be assigned depending on laboratory needs and experience level.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems

What We Require

• Minimum of 5 years of experience working in a senior or advanced Buyer role, preferably in a procurement department that supports a non-profit scientific organization, university or biotechnology company.
• Education; BA or BS in Contract Management, Procurement, Business Law, Supply Chain Management or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Certification of Procurement or supply chain from a nationally recognized organization such as ISM, APICS, American Procurement Society, Universal Public Procurement Certification Council.
• Other skills (preferred):
• Experience managing supplier performance and relationships
• Experience successfully negotiating price, quality, specifications and other contractual terms and full contract life cycle.
• Experience using an e-procurement and ERP/information management systems.
• Experience conducting requests for information, quotes and proposals (RFx).
• Experience editing and writing contractual clauses.

What We Can Offer

The expected pay range for this position is $38.46 to $50.48 an hour. Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

Salk Values

The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk's pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym "I CARE" provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.