Senior Buyer

Berklee College of Music; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental packages

403(b) retirement with matching

Generous PTO

Tuition assistance

Paid winter break

Job summary

Berklee College of Music in Boston is seeking an experienced Senior Buyer to manage end-to-end purchasing across departments, balancing compliance and cost efficiency while supporting Berklee's mission.

You will lead strategic sourcing, contract management, and supplier relations, leverage Workday Financials, and advise campus stakeholders to optimize procurement workflows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• 8–10+ years of progressive experience in purchasing, strategic sourcing, and contract administration.
• Advanced proficiency with computer software; direct experience using the Workday Financial System is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated analytical, project management, and contract negotiation skills; ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Sourcing & Contract Management: Prepare bid specs, RFPs, RFQs, and POs; evaluate bids and negotiate terms.
• Vendor Strategy & Relations: Identify quality supply sources, establish contracts, maintain vendor relationships.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Contract negotiation

Analytical skills

Project management

Vendor relations

Financial acumen

Customer service orientation

Communication skills

Procurement systems

Workday

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Workday Financial System

Job description

Job Description:

Procurement and Campus Business Services is seeking an experienced, analytical, and customer-focused Senior Buyer. Reporting to the Senior Director of Procurement and Campus Business Services, you will manage the end-to-end purchasing lifecycle for goods, equipment, and services across all administrative and academic departments. Operating as an internal strategic consultant and principal supplier liaison, you will balance regulatory compliance and cost efficiency to keep operations running seamlessly. At Berklee, your work directly supports the next generation of creative leaders.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing & Contract Management:

• Bidding & RFP Execution: Prepare detailed bid specifications, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), and purchase orders. Evaluate supplier bids to negotiate favorable pricing and contract terms.
• Vendor Strategy & Relations: Identify quality sources of supply, establish institution-wide commodity contracts, and maintain active vendor relationships to ensure high product and service standards.
• Risk Mitigation & Compliance: Review college contracts to ensure clear terminology, minimize institutional liability, protect physical and financial resources, and monitor vendor compliance.

Operational Oversight & Financial Automation:

• Lifecycle Order Management: Expedite ordering and delivery processes. Monitor transactions from PO initiation through goods receipt, invoice auditing, and vendor payment reconciliation.
• Systems Optimization: Leverage automated procurement systems—specifically Workday Financials—and modern technology tools to streamline purchasing workflows and enhance departmental customer service.
• Internal Advisory & Training: Serve as a trusted consultant to campus stakeholders, assisting with item sourcing, dispute resolution, returns for credit, and training staff on procurement policies.

What You’ll Bring

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Experience: 8–10 or more years of progressive experience in purchasing, strategic sourcing, and contract administration.
• Technical Expertise: Advanced proficiency with computer software; direct experience using the Workday Financial System is highly desirable.
• Core Competencies: Demonstrated analytical, project management, and contract negotiation skills. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
• Mindset: A strong customer-service orientation, excellent interpersonal and communication habits, and absolute discretion when handling complex financial information.

Why Choose Berklee?

• Mission-Driven Impact: Build the operational foundation that equips world-class faculty, staff, and students with essential tools and resources.
• Cultural Access: Enjoy nightly, unrivaled access to world-class music, theater, and dance performances across our campus venues.
• Total Rewards: Outstanding health and dental packages, a 403(b) retirement system with matching contributions, generous PTO, tuition assistance, and a paid winter break to rest and recharge.

Hiring Range: $95,000 to $112,000 ; salary dependent on experience and education.

Please visit the Total Rewards page to learn more about our benefits.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee:

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance. Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at [e-mail] or call 617-747-2375.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*

Employee Type:

Staff