Senior Purchasing Agent

FMC Corporation is one of the world’s foremost, diversified chemical companies with leading positions in agricultural, industrial and consumer markets. FMC Corporation had $2. 3 Billion in sales for 2006 and approximately 5000 employees throughout the world. From our inception in 1883, FMC has been providing solutions to the world’s best companies and their customers. Today, we use an array of advanced technologies in research and development to improve the delivery of medications; enhance foods and beverages; power batteries; protect crop yields, structures and lawns, and advance the manufacture of glass, ceramics, plastics, pulp and paper, textiles and other products. Today, FMC maintains leading positions in three chemical markets: Agricultural, Specialty and Industrial. FMC Lithium is part of our Specialty Chemical Group, which had sales of $592 Million in 2006 with income of $118 Million, before taxes. The Specialty Chemicals Group is comprised of the Lithium Division and our Biopolymers Division. Because we exist, people are healthier and safer. Because we persist, work is less strenuous and recreation more satisfying. Making life better is the natural outgrowth of any business competing for leadership and recognition, so, we are sustained by values that leave no room for compromise. We honor every customer; respect and reward our people; protect the environment; uphold a safe and healthy workplace; extol invention and innovation; require ethical and lawful behavior; and command credibility by solemnly keeping our commitments. The future is eminently clear for a company intent on global leadership in Lithium, BioPolymers and associated technologies.  Summary of position Implements effective and efficient procurement policies and procedures to ensure security of supply of materials, parts and services at the lowest cost of acquisition. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include all the following (although, other duties may be assigned to meet business deadlines and objectives). Safety, Health, and Environment o  Understands, supports and complies with site standards, polices and principles o  Audits conformance to safety standards o  Initiates incident investigations, leads investigations, and verifies timely completion of corrective / preventive action items. o  Contributes to reach area’s compliance to C-TPAT (Custom-Trade Partners Against Terrorism) requirements. o  Participates in plant’s safety processes, programs and committees as required. Quality o  Understands, supports, and complies with site’s Quality System requirements. o  Promptly and timely complies with requirements for site’s quality system databases (CPAR, Customer Complaints, QSA, etc.). Initiates and/or leads investigations; implements and/or verifies timely completion of corrective / preventive action items. Updates documents to capture lessons learned and  provide closure. o  Develops new and update existing quality documentation (SOP’s, Suppliers’ forms, etc.). o  Prepares monthly reports, schedules meetings. o  Assists team members and team leader to ensure department compliance to ISO standards. Business Support o  Reviews requisitions and prepares purchase orders or bid requests. o  Confers with vendors to obtain product or service information such as price, availability, and delivery schedule. o  Reviews bid proposals and negotiates contracts within budgetary limitations and scope of authority. o  Discusses defective or unacceptable goods or services with inspection or quality control personnel, users, vendors, and others to determine source of  trouble and take corrective action. o  Expedites delivery of goods to users and monitors deliveries of materials to ensure continuous plant operation. o  Coordinates sourcing activities with Global Purchasing Manager and Corporate Sourcing. o  Leads cost improvement projects for the supply-chain group. o  Manages supply base ensuring acceptable supplier quality and delivery performance. o  Issues bids and negotiates supply contracts for plant managed purchases. o  Actively participates in the S&OP process, coordinating and ensuring supply with Planning. o  Creates and issues monthly metrics on supplier / purchasing performance. o  Manages budget process for plant purchases, reporting and managing issues as they arise. o  Leads cross functional cost reduction activities for plant managed purchases. Coordinates activities with Global Supply-chain manager, Global    Purchasing Manager and Corporate Sourcing. o  Oversees purchasing related policies and procedures, modifying where necessary. o  Keeps up to date with latest developments in technology and marketplace. o  Audits compliance with site-wide policies, standards and systems. o  Works closely with accounting and receiving to resolve discrepancies expeditiously. o  Provides training to other team members. Administrative o  Reviews requisitions and prepares purchase orders o  Maintains procurement records such as items or services purchased, costs, delivery, product quality or performance, and inventories. o  Manages supplier/contractor base – approved supplier/contractor list. Key Relationships/Customers: Internal: Plant Leadership Team members, Planning and Production Team members, Support Group’s (Security, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, Safety & Environmental personnel), R&D personnel and plant employees. External: FMC personnel from the charlotte office, Sales and Marketing managers, Global Purchasing Manager and Corporate Sourcing, manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, auditors, and inspectors.



Qualifications : To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Education and/or Experience: •  Bachelors Degree in Business or Accounting (B.A. or B.S.). •  Minimum of 5 to 7 years of purchasing / supply chain management experience •  ERP experience, preferably SAP or Oracle •  Global experience in commodity chemicals a plus •  CPM or equivalent certifications preferred •  To perform this job successfully, an individual must have basic working knowledge of the Materials Management and Production Planning modules in  SAP as well as Excel and Word Processing software. Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate. The employee will be required to interact with plant personnel in any of the various plant chemical processes, maintenance, R&D, Shipping, Receiving and Plant Stores.  Manufacturing and Position Specific Competencies  Business Acumen - Knows how businesses work; knowledgeable in current and possible future policies, practices, trends, and information affecting his/her business and organization; knows the competition.  Timely Decision Making - Makes decisions in a timely manner, sometimes with incomplete information and under tight deadlines and pressure; able to make a quick decision.  Technical/Functional Skills - Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment.  Integrity and Trust - Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; doesn’t misrepresent him/her for personal gain.  Negotiating - Can negotiate skillfully in tough situations with both internal and external groups; can win concessions without damaging relationships; can be both direct and forceful as well as diplomatic.  Planning - Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects; sets objectives and goals; anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks; evaluates results.  Priority Setting - Spends his/her time and the time of others on what’s important; quickly zeros in on the critical few and puts the trivial many aside; eliminates roadblocks; creates focus  Problem Solving - Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve problems with effective solutions; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answers; can see hidden problems; probes all fruitful sources for answers

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