Buyer III

Work Schedule

Environmental Conditions

Job Description

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.

DESCRIPTION:

As a Buyer III at Thermo Fisher Scientific, you will play a key role in ensuring reliable, efficient and cost-effective supply chain operations while supporting our mission to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Based in Costa Rica and working with a manager located in the United States, this position requires a high degree of independence, ownership, sound judgment and proactive communication.

The successful candidate will be expected to manage day-to-day priorities with limited supervision, identify and resolve supply chain issues independently, and effectively communicate risks, decisions and recommendations to leadership and cross-functional partners. This individual will also provide leadership and guidance to team members, helping establish priorities, resolve escalations and drive accountability and execution across the team.

You will manage supplier relationships, procurement activities and material requirements to support manufacturing operations. Working closely with Planning, Operations, Quality, Engineering, Finance and other cross-functional teams, you will analyze supply and demand requirements, manage supplier performance and ensure the timely availability of materials.

A strong technical and analytical mindset is important for success in this role. The Buyer III will regularly use ERP/MRP systems and data to identify issues, understand root causes, evaluate alternatives and make informed decisions. The individual should be comfortable navigating complex supply chain situations and taking the initiative to drive issues through resolution rather than relying on day-to-day direction from management.

In addition, you will identify and lead opportunities for cost reduction, inventory optimization, process improvement and operational excellence. You will be expected to effectively balance competing priorities, communicate across locations and functions, and build strong working relationships with both internal stakeholders and external suppliers.

REQUIREMENTS:
• Advanced Degree plus 3 years of experience, or Bachelor's Degree plus 5 years of experience in procurement, supply chain or a related function within a manufacturing environment; experience in life sciences or a regulated industry preferred
• Preferred fields of study include Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Engineering or a related field
• Advanced degree or relevant professional certification (APICS, CSCP, CIPS, CPM or equivalent) preferred
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, make sound decisions and manage priorities with limited day-to-day supervision
• Demonstrated leadership capability, with experience leading, coaching, mentoring or providing day-to-day direction to team members
• Strong technical aptitude and proficiency with ERP/MRP systems; experience with systems such as SAP, JD Edwards or Oracle preferred

• Demonstrated ability to drive operational efficiency through automation, process optimization and effective use of technology

• Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, and the ability to analyze complex data and translate findings into actionable recommendations
• Strong analytical, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including demonstrated ability to perform root-cause analysis and drive issues through resolution
• Strong supplier management and negotiation skills, with demonstrated ability to improve supplier performance and/or deliver cost savings
• Experience with supplier relationship management and performance metrics
• Strong understanding of inventory management, material planning and supply chain optimization principles
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and proactively with team members, suppliers, cross-functional partners and leadership across different locations
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively in a geographically distributed organization and maintain alignment with remote management
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects and escalations simultaneously
• Demonstrated initiative, accountability and a strong sense of ownership
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and continuous improvement initiatives
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma or other continuous improvement methodologies preferred
• Knowledge of FDA, ISO and cGMP requirements applicable to procurement and supply chain activities preferred
• Experience with new product introduction and change management processes preferred
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to process compliance
• Experience conducting supplier audits and business reviews preferred
• Ability to travel up to 15% as needed