Purchasing Agent

PURCHASING AGENT

Riverwood Homes

Reports to:  Estimating/Purchasing Manager 

Objective:   Take full responsibility for delegated purchasing of materials, screening, and providing qualified trade contractors recommendations to Construction Director. Maintain a competitive edge on costs while meeting the company’s standards for quality, reliability, and overall performance of subcontractors and suppliers. Utilize and develop skills in quantity take-offs to ensure both new plans and existing plans/options are detailed and sufficient in scope to provide detailed purchase orders and sufficient notes on standard plan docs. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Purchasing:

1.               Recommend and maintain superior trade contractors and suppliers and maintain a base of qualified and motivated trade contractors and suppliers with mutually beneficial relationships.

2.               Administer negotiated contracts.

3.               Ensure that all trade contractors are under formal agreement – standard master agreement with price addenda and scopes of work clearly communicated with appropriate vendor login to the Trade Partner access portal.

4.               Ensure that all necessary documentation has been collected from vendors and trades prior to start of work. (i.e.: application form, certificates of insurance, etc.)

5.               Train superintendents on contracts and scopes of work.

6.               Maintain best prices via extended locks, short duration given the market conditions, subject to supervisor’s approval.

7.               Re-bid trades whenever present trades give notification of cost increases

8.               Continually look into innovative products, techniques, and changes in the home building industry, and work with Designer to ensure best value is presented for Riverwood Homes buyers.

9.               Assist in determining accurate standard specifications and scopes of work for each trade.

10.           Provide consistent and strong support to Superintendents and Warranty Techs.

11.           Assist in the interpretation and implement building code changes

12.           Assist in the design and costing of new models.

13.           Establish and maintain a trade contractor/supplier performance evaluation system.

14.           Implement a trade contractor/supplier award program.

15.           Generate accurate purchase orders and distribute them within standard time frame.

16.           Generate unit job cost budgets prior to start or construction.

17.           Issue all job-start packages including PO’s/WO in stages

Cost Control

1.               Perform cost comparison and analysis (variance reporting):

a.               By job monthly

b.               Summary noting reoccurring problems

2.        Administer a cost variance analysis and reduction program annually with targeted objectives.

3.        Research and approve variance purchase orders to meet accounting department deadlines.

4.        Make value engineering suggestions and analysis from drawings

5.        Participate in design and correction of design problems to keep in line with the budgets and avoid repetitive mistakes

6.        Eliminate material variances through ongoing communication with field personnel.

7.        Research and approve invoices and variance purchase orders to meet accounting department deadlines for payments.

Administration

1.        Maintain and enhance operating procedures for purchasing

2.        Maintain master price books for sales department

3.        Update cost information in the price file.

4.        Provide special pricing requests within standard time frame

5.        Maintain option and upgrade prices for all plans and communities

6.        Assist in the training of the sales staff by scheduling vendors and subcontractors for educational presentations of their products and services

Self-Development

1.        Administer self-improvement programs providing for both professional and personal development from skilled and reputable business partners.

2.        Enhance negotiating skills and techniques

3.        Achieve good work habits that include:

·       Attention to detail

·       Self-starting

·       Planning

·       Taking task to completion

·       Consistency

·       Follow through

·       Continuous improvement

·       Exhibit passion for the role and team