Berklee College of Music

Senior Buyer

Berklee College of Music$95K — $112K *
Business Services
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience
  • 8-10 years of progressive purchasing and strategic sourcing experience
  • Advanced proficiency with procurement software, preferably Workday Financials
  • Strong analytical, project management, and contract negotiation skills
  • Excellent customer service orientation and communication skills

Responsibilities

  • Prepare and execute detailed bid specifications, RFPs, and purchase orders
  • Identify quality sources of supply and maintain vendor relationships
  • Review and ensure compliance of college contracts to mitigate risks
  • Expedite ordering processes from PO initiation to vendor payments
  • Leverage Workday Financials to optimize procurement workflows
  • Serve as a consultant to campus stakeholders for procurement issues
  • Train staff on procurement policies and procedures

Benefits

  • Outstanding health and dental packages
  • 403(b) retirement plan with matching contributions
  • Generous paid time off
  • Tuition assistance for professional development
  • Paid winter break for rest and recharge
Full Job Description
Job Description:

Procurement and Campus Business Services is seeking an experienced, analytical, and customer-focused Senior Buyer. Reporting to the Senior Director of Procurement and Campus Business Services, you will manage the end-to-end purchasing lifecycle for goods, equipment, and services across all administrative and academic departments. Operating as an internal strategic consultant and principal supplier liaison, you will balance regulatory compliance and cost efficiency to keep operations running seamlessly.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Contract Management:
  • Bidding & RFP Execution: Prepare detailed bid specifications, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), and purchase orders. Evaluate supplier bids to negotiate favorable pricing and contract terms.
  • Vendor Strategy & Relations: Identify quality sources of supply, establish institution-wide commodity contracts, and maintain active vendor relationships to ensure high product and service standards.
  • Risk Mitigation & Compliance: Review college contracts to ensure clear terminology, minimize institutional liability, protect physical and financial resources, and monitor vendor compliance.


Operational Oversight & Financial Automation:
  • Lifecycle Order Management: Expedite ordering and delivery processes. Monitor transactions from PO initiation through goods receipt, invoice auditing, and vendor payment reconciliation.
  • Systems Optimization: Leverage automated procurement systems-specifically Workday Financials-and modern technology tools to streamline purchasing workflows and enhance departmental customer service.
  • Internal Advisory & Training: Serve as a trusted consultant to campus stakeholders, assisting with item sourcing, dispute resolution, returns for credit, and training staff on procurement policies.


What You'll Bring
  • Education: Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
  • Experience: 8-10 or more years of progressive experience in purchasing, strategic sourcing, and contract administration.
  • Technical Expertise: Advanced proficiency with computer software; direct experience using the Workday Financial System is highly desirable.
  • Core Competencies: Demonstrated analytical, project management, and contract negotiation skills. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
  • Mindset: A strong customer-service orientation, excellent interpersonal and communication habits, and absolute discretion when handling complex financial information.


Why Choose Berklee?
  • Mission-Driven Impact: Build the operational foundation that equips world-class faculty, staff, and students with essential tools and resources.
  • Cultural Access: Enjoy nightly, unrivaled access to world-class music, theater, and dance performances across our campus venues.
  • Total Rewards: Outstanding health and dental packages, a 403(b) retirement system with matching contributions, generous PTO, tuition assistance, and a paid winter break to rest and recharge.


Hiring Range:$95,000 to $112,000; salary dependent on experience and education.

Please visit the Total Rewards page to learn more about our benefits.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship.

Employee Type:
Staff

About Berklee College of Music

Berklee College of Music is a private music college located in Boston, Massachusetts. The college was founded in 1945 and has grown to become one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. Berklee College of Music offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in music performance, music production, music business, and more. The college has a strong commitment to innovation and has been at the forefront of music education for over 75 years. Berklee College of Music is also committed to diversity and inclusion, and has implemented a number of initiatives to support underrepresented groups in the music industry.
Learn more about Berklee College of Music
Size
4,000 employees
Industry

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