Procurement and Inventory Specialist

Position Objective:

The Procurement and Inventory Specialist plays a critical role in maintaining supply chain resiliency, efficient inventory, minimizing costs, and fostering strong vendor relationships as well as strong relationships with clinical teams when there is a need to source alternative products. This role organizes, schedules, executes daily departmental activities including working in financial systems that manage the inventory and procurement operations of the health system, as well as contract management systems such as Global Health EXchange -Contract Center System (GHX CCS) , and group purchasing organization (GPO) systems.  The role provides subject matter expertise which is critical to successful vendor relationship management, inventory management, cost containment, process and quality improvement, and supply chain customer service.

The Procurement and Inventory Specialist is responsible for ensuring optimal inventory levels to meet customer and operational needs by placing and managing stock replenishment orders or orders for products that are used across the health system by clinical inventory locations. This role also involves coordinating with vendors to resolve issues such as back orders, cost changes, delayed or short shipments, invoice discrepancies, and product returns. When alternative products require sourcing due to manufacturer backorder issues, the Procurement and Inventory Specialist plays a critical role in product identification, sourcing, price negotiation and delivery timing to maintain smooth hospital operations in the support of patient care.

Essential Job Duties:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions: 

1. Exercises appropriate judgment and executes orders to maintain supply stability for the health system, this role is critical in maintaining operations for the health system, particularly in times of supply shortages; understands the critical nature of products and escalates issues that are not resolvable.
2. Monitor inventory and item demand levels; analyzes inventory turnover; adjusts ordering to minimize inventory excess and avoid stockouts. Leads the procurement effort on Low Unit of Measure distribution program expansion, constantly looking at inventory items to determine if they are “good candidates” for this unique distribution program with the primary distributor.
3. Issues purchase orders based on trends, forecasts, and stock requirements. Conveys appropriate demand levels to distribution supplier partners to achieve optimal order fill rates.
4. Tracks open orders; resolve delays and discrepancies promptly and works with supply chain site managers when there are issues that might impact supply availability.
5. Negotiates with vendors to address pricing, shipping, invoicing, and quality issues and strives to achieve  (and maintain) Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) contract pricing  and purchasing compliance.
6. Assists health systemwide inventory areas and other stakeholder departments in researching and purchasing best value products to ensure the proper needs and goals of the health system are maintained, in terms of product availability, GPO compliance, product standardization and approved product use.
7. Assists departments (internal Supply Chain, inventory areas or departments with ad-hoc requests, returns, ordering issues and order status updates pertaining to their orders.
8. Coordinates the supply chain response to backorders or ordering delays related to orders. Collaborates with various supply chain leadership to identify potential substitute product.  Engages with departments, suppliers, the Supply Chain site leaders and the Clinical Value Analysis Manager to resolve the immediate supply need.
9. Serves as an expert resource for supply chain regarding inventory replenishment and backorder management; uses the various available technologies such as PeopleSoft, ECRI, GHX and Premier Spend Director and Supply Disruption Manager to provide end-users with information regarding products, pricing, and usage.
10. Collaborates with cross-functional teams, such as materials management, OR and accounts payable, to ensure efficient procure to pay management resulting in the timely delivery of products and supporting on time payments.
11. Knowledgeable of GPO contracts and Health System contracts to ensure procurement compliance within the terms of contracts/agreements.
12. Resolves any issues or disputes with suppliers, such as late deliveries, purchasing holds, quality concerns, or contractual non-compliance, ensuring a satisfactory resolution that aligns with the organization's goals.
13. Provide regular reports to leadership regarding inventory concerns, back orders, vendor performance, and other relevant purchasing metrics; uses judgement to escalate issues when supply risks are difficult to mitigate.
14. Work with the supply chain site leaders and receiving staff to resolve deliveries and/or work with suppliers and Clinical Value Analysis Manager to relay product quality issue and coordinate returns.
15. Coordinate with the accounts payable to ensure timely invoice processing and resolve invoice match exception errors.
16. May perform additional duties as assigned; functions on temporary or as needed basis as vacation/holiday relief for other departmental procurement staff.

Educational/Experience Requirements:

• Associates Degree, Bachelors Degree or equivalent years of experience is required

Required License/Certifications:

Working Conditions, Equipment, Physical Demands:

There is a reasonable expectation that employees in this position will be not exposed to blood-borne pathogens.

Physical Demands -

The physical demands and work environment that have been described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The above job description is an overview of the functions and requirements for this position.  This document is not intended to be an exhaustive list encompassing every duty and requirement of this position; your supervisor may assign other duties as deemed necessary.