Senior Purchasing Specialist

Bechtel Corporation; Lompoc (CA); On-site; USD 91,000 - 138,800; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Supply Chain professional in Lompoc, California. This role involves managing contracts and purchase orders, preparing for bidding activities, and ensuring compliance with regulations. The ideal candidate holds a bachelor's degree with relevant experience in contract management or supply chain. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential for successful collaboration with project teams and suppliers. This position offers a competitive salary range of $91,000 to $138,800 annually based on qualifications.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of relevant experience or 9-12 years of relevant work experience.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage purchasing activities and meetings.
• Form and administer contracts and purchase orders.
• Evaluate and negotiate bids.
• Ensure compliance with contract terms.
• Monitor supplier performance.

Skills

Fixed-price contracts knowledge

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Developing contract terms

Change management

Engineering/construction contracting

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

Requisition ID: 293069

Relocation Authorized: National - Accompanied

Telework Type: Full-Time Office/Project

Work Location: VandenbergAFBCA

Salary Range: $91,000 - $138,800 annually (Determined by function, education, experience, and qualifications of the applicant.)

Project Overview

Bechtel is the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) partner on the Northrop Grumman team to deliver the Sentinel Program, which is modernizing the ground‑based leg of the U.S. nuclear deterrent triad, including intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems and launch infrastructure. Bechtel’s scope of service in Sentinel’s current Engineering & Manufacturing Development phase focuses on the ground infrastructure component of the program.

Job Summary

Requires some supervision during performance of purchasing activities. Prepares and organizes assigned Supply Chain sponsored meetings, such as bid clarification and post-award meetings, for the purpose of ensuring complete understanding and agreement between Bechtel and supplier on contractual matters. After reviewing plan and agenda with supervisor, conducts meetings and prepares and issues meeting notes delineating important statements, required actions and schedules. Monitors billing for compliance. Participate in planning, proposing, and potentially implementing solutions to meet project requirements. Supports Supply Chain activities for the project including new agreements and BCard purchases. Assists Supply Chain team when instructed in solving and attending to administrative problems on commitments involving high monetary expenditure or risk, engineered technical specifications or supplementary commercial conditions. Highly skilled in working with and communicating effectively both orally and in writing and independent of supervision with other project functional groups, primarily Engineering, Construction, Project Management and other services. Monitors activities by Engineering and other project functions to ensure compliance with the Order terms. Initiates follow‑up actions with the supplier or internal functional group to ensure performance in accordance with Order terms and conditions. Informs or works with other Supply Chain personnel as assigned to administer Orders. Analyzes and distributes supplier information specified in the Orders. Communicates with suppliers as necessary to achieve required service and results from potential and actual suppliers to meet project needs.

Major Responsibilities

• Performs tasks involved in the formation and administration of contracts and purchase orders.
• Prepares bidder pre‑qualification, bidder lists, bid solicitation, bid analysis, makes commitments and administers purchase orders.
• Maintains working relationships with other Supply Chain personnel and other project personnel in order to perform assigned duties.
• Maintains working relationships with those bidders and suppliers involved with the performance of assigned tasks.
• Prepares bidders’ lists and prequalifies bidders.
• Forms bid packages and issues bid requests.
• Communicates with suppliers and personnel within Bechtel to establish clear definition of requirements and to assure performance to terms and conditions.
• Evaluated bids commercially; recommends and secures approvals in accordance with established procedures.
• Directs negotiations in the commitment of purchases, following review and approval of proposed negotiating plan by the designated supervisor and other project approvals.
• Prepares and maintains control and status reporting documents.
• Establishes files and controls for all outgoing and incoming correspondence on each assigned order.
• Monitors supplier performance for conformance to commercial terms.
• Executes orderly performance and completion of commitments through the several steps of bidding, evaluation, award, administration, and closeout, in accordance with established policies and Supply Chain procedures.
• Communicates with requestors to assist, guide, and plan the processing of material requisitions, services requisitions, and consulting service agreement requests for the project.
• Provides training and guidance to other Supply Chain personnel regarding all aspects of formation and administration of purchasing forms, procedures and buying goods.
• Assists in cross‑functional efforts and initiatives such as project improvement initiatives, pilot program testing, and development of project procedures.
• Other duties as assigned:
  • Reviews and comments on special payment billings.
  • Participates with Engineering and supplier representatives in discussions held to clarify purchase order documents and/or specification requirements.
  • Identifies, defines, and secures agreement regarding potential changes.
  • Initiates and processes revisions that establish scope and effects on cost and schedule of agreed upon changes.

Education And Experience Requirements

• Requires bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent) and 5‑8 years of relevant experience or 9‑12 years of relevant work experience

Required Knowledge And Skills

• Proficient knowledge of fixed‑price and flexibly priced family of orders with stated experience according to supply chain regulations, policies and practices.
• Proficient administrative and organizational skills.
• Proficient oral and written communication skills.
• Proficient experience in developing various agreement types and contract terms.
• Proficient experience in developing and recommending potential solutions to contractual problems and concerns to management.
• Proficient knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).
• Proficient experience in change management requirements.
• Proficient knowledge of engineering/construction industry contracting practices.

Additional Information

Bechtel is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, disability, citizenship status (except as authorized by law), protected veteran status, genetic information, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Applicants with a disability, who require a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, may e‑mail their request to [e-mail].