Senior Lead Buyer/Procurement (Maritime/Shipping) - Permanent/Pasay

EPS STAFFING SERVICE GROUP, INC.; Pasay; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

EPS Staffing Service Group, Inc. is seeking a Senior Lead Buyer to drive end-to-end procurement for maritime operations. You will lead Lead Buyer teams, implement new procedures, and coordinate training on the purchasing platform and related tools.

The role requires strategic oversight, strong vendor management, and a focus on continuous improvement. Reporting to the Global Shared Services Lead, you will ensure policy compliance, oversee performance reviews, and manage ad-hoc projects to

Qualifications

• Degree holder with 5+ years of team leadership in transactional procurement and supply chain ops within maritime industry
• IVE or Diploma with 7+ years of relevant experience leading teams in procurement/supply chain globally
• Customer focused and service minded
• Strong analytical skills to determine best deals on price, quality, speed of delivery
• Broad knowledge of maritime topics: vessel ops, customs rules globally
• Understanding of international supply chain and local customs requirements

Responsibilities

• Lead transformational change by implementing new SOP-aligned procedures
• Plan, distribute, and monitor workloads across Lead Buyer teams to optimise productivity
• Lead training on the purchasing platform, Office 365, and other critical tools
• Coordinate and ensure cohesive performance of Lead Buyer teams
• Assess training needs with Global Shared Services Lead and ensure skill uplift
• Be the escalation point for critical supply chain issues
• Ensure policy adherence and SOP compliance across pods
• Lead annual performance reviews and provide improvement plans
• Manage ad-hoc projects delegated by the Global Shared Services Lead
• Oversee end-to-end procurement for vessels: services, stores, and spares
• Drive cross-team collaboration and vendor issue resolution
• Maintain vendor database data integrity and availability
• Provide strategic input to streamline processes and workflows
• Collaborate with Finance and Technical managers on invoices
• Mentor Buyers and Lead Buyers in supplier selection and quotations
• Address feedback from Fleet Managers with a customer-centric approach

Skills

Team leadership

Procurement management

Vendor management

Supply chain optimization

MS Office

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree (any faculty)

IVE or Diploma (any faculty)

Tools

Office 365

MS Office Suite

Job description

Job Type: Permanent (Full-time)
Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite; Office Location: MOA Complex, Pasay City
Work Schedule: Dayshift (Monday to Friday, 9AM to 6PM)

About the role

The Senior Lead Buyer is a critical role responsible for driving the efficient management and optimisation of the supply chain operations for their assigned technical teams. Reporting directly to the Global Shared Services Lead, this position serves as a strategic leader in ensuring adherence to established policies and procedures while also spearheading innovative improvements to enhance overall supply chain performance.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as a transformative change agent, spearheading the seamless implementation of new procedures and processes aligned with organisational SOPS.

• Effectively plan, distribute, and monitor workloads across the Lead Buyer teams to optimise productivity and resource utilisation.

• Lead the professional development of the Buyer, Senior Buyer, and Lead Buyer teams, providing comprehensive training on the company's purchasing platform, Office 365, and other tools and systems critical to operations.

• Assume full accountability for the coordination and cohesive performance of the Lead Buyer teams, fostering cross-collaboration and synergies.

• Conduct in-depth assessments of the training and development needs across the assigned pods, partnering with the Global Shared Services Lead to ensure all team members are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge.

• Serve as the point of escalation for critical supply chain issues, leveraging deep expertise to swiftly address urgent needs.

• Drive the consistent implementation of departmental policies and procedures within the assigned pods, ensuring seamless alignment with organisational standards.

• Lead the annual performance review process for the pods, providing actionable feedback and tailored improvement plans to elevate individual and team capabilities.

• Demonstrate agility and leadership in managing any ad-hoc projects delegated by the Global Shared Services Lead, ensuring successful execution and delivery through proactive planning, resource allocation, and progress monitoring.

Management and optimization of purchasing activities

• Oversee and optimize the end-to-end procurement needs, including services, stores, and spares, for the assigned fleet of vessels, ensuring seamless operations.

• Spearhead the efficient and effective functioning of the assigned pods, driving excellence in administration and cross-team collaboration.

• Liaise closely with Category Leads to promptly address any vendor-related issues, including payment discrepancies and quality concerns, employing a proactive problem-solving approach.

• Facilitate open and transparent communication with Category teams, escalating vendor updates and concerns raised by Lead Buyers and Buyers to drive timely resolution.

• Support category teams in the maintenance of the company's vendor database with the latest information, ensuring data integrity and availability.

• Provide strategic input to the Global Shared Services Lead on streamlining and improving existing procurement and organisational processes, contributing to continuous improvement.

• Ensure the Buyers, Senior Buyers, and Lead Buyers fully understand and strictly adhere to the department’s Standard Operating Procedures and guidelines.

• Collaborate with Finance and Technical managers to prioritise the timely approval and clearance of invoices.

• Provide mentorship and support to Buyers and Lead Buyers in selecting approved vendors, coordinating quotations, and supply arrangements

• Proactively address any feedback received from Technical/Fleet Managers regarding improvement opportunities, employing a customer-centric approach to resolve issues.

Relationship (mostly Internal and or External) and Nature of Communication

• INTERNAL: Collaborate with Managers, Superintendents, Category Leads, Global Shared Services Lead and other stakeholders to facilitate timely, smooth, and accurate service. Communicate with respective direct and indirect reports service expectations with a focus on cost savings and efficiency

• EXTERNAL: Communicate with vendors as and when required to resolve issues related to procurement

About you

• Degree holder of any faculty with minimum 5+ years of team leadership experience in transactional procurement and supply chain operations within the maritime industry

• IVE or Diploma of any faculty with 7+ years relevant work experience in leading teams handling procurement/ supply chain operations globally

• Customer focused and service minded

• Good analytical skills to determine the best deals for the company based on price, quality, speed of delivery & other factors

• Preferably someone with a broad knowledge of the subjects, e.g. technical insight, vessel operations, customs rules and regulations globally

• Understanding of international supply chain and its related components, including local customs requirements

Competencies

• Proficient in Microsoft office applications

• Fluent in written and spoken English is a must

• Must have good people skills and the ability to lead a team

• Strong team player with a positive working attitude

• Multi-tasking, being comfortable handling numerous tasks within limited timeframes in a structured manner with eye for the detail level necessary

• Good decision-making skills & ability to negotiate

• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to communicate at all levels. (Technical vessel superintendents, Suppliers, Category Managers etc.)