Commodity Manager

The New York Times Shared Services Center is the Business Solutions Provider for one of the world's premier media companies. Located in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, the SSC is a centralized facility for streamlining many of the Company's core processes in Benefits, Finance, Strategic Sourcing & Contracts, and Information Technology.

Purpose

- Lead regional, company-wide and consortium negotiations for varied commodities, services and capital.

- Performs advanced sourcing services, exercising independent judgment in identifying and evaluating new and existing commodities for future negotiations.

- Conducts accurate analysis of spend information, both internal and external, for effective negotiations and decision-making.

- Effectively communicates relevant procurement information to the appropriate target audience including new and existing contracts, processes and new programs.

- Analyzes and tracks procurement trends, identifying new opportunities for company-wide negotiated agreements.



Responsibilities

- Oversee and lead contract negotiations.

- Develop and maintain a working knowledge of purchasing commodity strategies, services and business operations impacting NYTCo business units.

- Act as a liaison between NYTCo and the supplier.

- Respond to procurement inquiries from business units; handle complaints, resolve problems and bring closure to supplier performance issues.

- Creates, distributes and analyzes formal solicitations (RFX) for goods and services and seeks to develops alternative sources of supply; keeping abreast of industry trends, new products/markets and market changes that will impact supply and demand.

- Works effectively with NYTCo business units to understand their needs and processes to gain further access to new negotiations and influence process improvements.

- Research potential and current suppliers to keep abreast of market/procurement conditions, new technology, and make recommendations to improve supplier base.

- Collect, analyze and communicate relevant information to key stakeholders to include recommendations for increasing compliance to negotiated agreements and process improvements.



Key Result Areas

- Increased value to the company in the form of savings over previous pricing levels (decreased expenditures), improved processes and resource utilization.

- To form partnerships with key business units that result in increased utilization of our core capabilities (negotiation, analysis and sourcing knowledge) and contribute to the attainment of the department objectives.

- Improve department efficiencies by researching and implementing streamline and/or automated business processes, to include procurement, payment, data retrieval and reporting.



Customer/Business Partners

- Strategic Sourcing & Contracts Director, Senior Managers, Finance & Information - - Technology Directors and Business Systems Group

- Business unit Department Heads, Controllers, Senior Management and key business unit personnel

- Media consortium and optimization committees

- Vendors and Outside Consultants

Critical Technical Competencies

- Possess skill, strategies, and techniques to effectively handle contract negotiations; create a strong negotiating position, ability to adjust your negotiation style for different situations, improve relationships, and conduct negotiations with confidence.

- Demonstrate advanced skills in commodity, service and capital negotiations in various areas.

- Demonstrate analytical, methodical and resourceful approach to problem solving required.

- Able to summarize large amounts of complex data into meaningful/reports to inform important decisions.

- Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, necessary to build and maintain effective relationships at various levels (technical and functional) of an organization (internal and external) is required.

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, necessary to articulate ideas and prepare analysis required.

- Proficient in Microsoft Office software to include Access and Excel required.

- PeopleSoft experience preferred.

- Strong organizational and time management skills required. Able to successfully handle multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritizes them to ensure completion of project goals and objectives required.

- Able to work independently with minimal supervision as well as part of a team in a constantly changing environment required.

- Must be viewed as a contributing member of the Strategic Sourcing team able to share information and your individual excellence to help the team meet its shared goals and objectives.



Technical Knowledge/Skills

- Ability to learn and utilize new applications and operating systems required.

- Ability to quickly understand problems and select appropriate resolution required.

- Knowledge of purchasing and payables processes and workflow preferred.

- Functional knowledge of PeopleSoft Purchasing preferred



Education or Certifications : BA/BS or equivalent experience preferred.



Work Experience

- A minimum of three years of sourcing and/or analytical skills required.

- Proficient in PeopleSoft Financials (PO, AP) or other financial applications preferred.

- Experience with query and reporting, preferably in a PeopleSoft ERP environment.



Other

- Occasional travel may be required.

- Ability to convert complex data into meaningful information so actionable plans can be developed

- Must be willing to relocate to Norfolk, VA area (relocation assistance available)

The New York Times Company is an equal employment opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, or any other protected characteristic. The New York Times Company is committed to diversity in its most inclusive sense.
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