Buyer

A high-paced, challenging role exists with Sherwin-Williams Durban (trading as Valspar SA) for a Buyer within our Procurement team. This role will be responsible for the planning, sourcing, procurement and supply management of raw materials required to support uninterrupted production. 

• Inventory and MRP management:

• Analyzes production plans, forecasts, inventory levels, consumption patterns, open purchase orders and MRP outputs to determine raw material requirements and appropriate order quantities. 

• Balances continuity of supply with inventory and working-capital objectives, considering supplier lead times, minimum order quantities, safety stock requirements and shelf life

• Raw material shortage management

  • Proactively identifies actual and potential raw-material shortages and develops recovery or mitigation plans to minimize the impact on production. 
  • Communicates material risks and recovery actions to Planning, Production and Supply Chain.
• Raw material risk
  • Identifies critical, long lead-time, imported and single-source raw materials and develops appropriate supply-risk mitigation strategies, including alternative and dual-source opportunities where technically and commercially feasible. This includes driving projects for alternate raw materials from start to finish with the Material Sciences department.
• Commercial negotiation
  • Negotiates raw-material pricing, payment terms, Incoterms, minimum order quantities, lead times and other commercial conditions to achieve the optimum commercial outcome while maintaining continuity of supply. The process will include engaging with lead buyers across all regions to leverage global purchasing capabilities, benchmark pricing, confirm material availability, and identify the most competitive sourcing solutions.
• Total/landed cost

  • Evaluates the total landed cost of imported raw materials, considering purchase price, freight, duties, clearing costs, handling charges and other relevant supply-chain costs.

• Logistics/order tracking
  • Monitors imported shipments and coordinates with freight forwarders, clearing agents, transporters to minimize demurrage and detention, storage, expedited freight and other avoidable logistics costs. 

  • Maintain proactive communication with Supply Chain regarding raw material availability, expected delivery dates and supply constraints, enabling effective planning and management of customer commitments.

• Supplier performance management
  • Monitors supplier performance against agreed delivery, quality, pricing and service requirements and implements corrective actions or escalation where performance is below expectation.
  • Update the vendor rating form with the metrics above.
• Raw Material Market Intelligence
  • Monitors relevant raw material, feedstock, freight, currency and market developments that could affect pricing or security of supply and communicates significant risks and opportunities to management.
• Cost Savings and Cost Avoidance
  • Identifies, tracks and reports procurement cost-saving, cost-avoidance and value-improvement opportunities through negotiation, competitive sourcing, alternative suppliers and commercial optimization.
• Forecast Communication to Strategic Suppliers
  • Communicates appropriate forecast and demand information to strategic suppliers to support capacity planning, raw-material availability and continuity of supply.
• Payments

  • Manage supplier invoice and payment queries, working closely with suppliers and Accounts Payable to resolve discrepancies and ensure timely payment in accordance with agreed terms.

• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop and implement sourcing strategies that optimize costs and meet quality standards.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum 5 years' professional procurement/purchasing experience, preferably within a manufacturing environment. 

• Experience in the procurement of chemical raw materials, coatings raw materials or specialized industrial materials would be highly advantageous. 

• Experience dealing with both local and international suppliers and managing imported materials is preferred.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, or equivalent education and experience.