<p><strong>Buyer</strong> (Temp-to-Hire)</p><p><strong>Location:</strong> Albany, NY</p><p><strong>Schedule:</strong> Full-time, onsite</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Job Summary</strong></p><p>Under the direction of the Purchasing Manager, the Buyer is responsible for procuring goods, services, and equipment to support the operational needs of multiple departments. This role manages the end-to-end purchasing process, including purchase order creation, order confirmation, and resolution of receiving and invoice discrepancies.</p><p><br></p><p>The Buyer serves as a key liaison between internal departments and suppliers, providing responsive customer service while ensuring purchases align with approved inventories, contracts, and organizational policies. This position is ideal for a detail-oriented procurement professional seeking a temp-to-hire opportunity within a complex healthcare environment.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Key Responsibilities</strong></p><ul><li>Create and issue accurate purchase orders in a timely manner using the ERP system, including handling urgent and priority requests.</li><li>Ensure all purchases comply with policies, approvals, contracts, preferred vendors, and inventory standards to support cost-effective procurement.</li><li>Obtain and document order confirmations and expected delivery dates; monitor open orders and follow up as needed.</li><li>Communicate promptly with stakeholders regarding contract changes, pricing updates, lapses, renewals, or product discontinuations.</li><li>Track and verify deliveries, coordinating with Receiving to ensure accurate system receipts.</li><li>Identify and assist in resolving purchasing issues such as backorders, allocations, shortages, and discontinued items.</li><li>Collaborate with departments to identify acceptable substitutes or alternative sourcing options, escalating to Sourcing & Contracting or Value Analysis teams when required.</li><li>Build and maintain effective working relationships with departmental contacts to understand operational needs.</li><li>Establish and maintain supplier relationships to stay informed on product availability, shipping delays, and supply constraints.</li><li>Respond to inquiries and requests for assistance in a timely, professional manner and support departments with supply chain processes, including new item and new vendor requests.</li><li>Review and resolve receiving and invoice discrepancies, including quantity variances, pricing issues, shipping charges, and credits or returns.</li></ul>
