Sr Buyer

Colonial Pipeline Company; United States; On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Total Rewards program

Job summary

Colonial Pipeline Company is seeking a Senior Buyer to manage up to $150 million in annual strategic purchase orders and coordinate bidding for materials and services across pipeline operations.

You will partner with senior leaders, project managers, and suppliers to deliver cost-effective procurement solutions while ensuring safety, compliance, and timely delivery. The role emphasizes strategic sourcing, supplier performance, and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Five or more years of experience in procurement or supply chain management, preferably in energy, pipeline, construction, or manufacturing.
• Experience negotiating contracts, managing vendor relationships, and conducting market analysis with favorable results.
• Experience developing sourcing strategies that deliver competitive advantage to the business.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement procurement strategies and negotiate pricing, delivery schedules, and terms.
• Negotiate long-term agreements and purchase orders to support projects and operations.
• Evaluate quotes, vet suppliers, analyze market trends, and align with budgets and timelines.
• Monitor supplier performance for contract and PO compliance and quality requirements.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory standards.
• Partner with engineering, operations, project management and senior leadership.
• Resolve delivery delays, quality concerns, and invoice discrepancies with relevant departments.
• Provide guidance, mentoring, and training to Buyers and Associate Buyers.
• Travel to work sites and supplier facilities, including remote locations.

Skills

Strong negotiation

Clear communication

Analytical thinking

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business / Supply Chain / Engineering

Tools

Oracle procurement software

Job description

Colonial has provided a wide range of opportunities for job candidates who are highly qualified, skilled, motivated and team players. Employees find exciting opportunities to grow and develop their careers at a stable company which offers a generous compensation and benefits package that includes annual incentive bonuses, retirement plans, insurance coverage and a host of other features that support a happy, active, productive and rewarding life. Come to Colonial, a great place to work, where people matter most, and where safety 24/7 is paramount. Ready to work for Colonial Pipeline Company? Are you intrigued by the thought of being part of revolutionizing the energy industry and a new era in the pipeline industry? Do you want to be a part of a company that is obsessed with excellence in everything we do? A company growing and expanding our business that is full of opportunity? If so, we are seeking smart, safety focused, and energetic professionals to join our team to help us to the next level of excellence! What is it that we do at Colonial Pipeline Company? Colonial Pipeline is the largest refined products pipeline in the United States, transporting more than 100 million gallons or 2.5 million barrels per day. Colonial transports various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, jet fuel, and fuels for the U.S. military through a pipeline system. Colonial transports approximately 45 percent of all fuel consumed on the East Coast, providing refined products to more than 50 million Americans.

About the Senior Buyer Position

The Senior Buyer plays a strategic role in supporting Colonial Pipeline Company by managing up to $150 million in annual strategic purchase orders and coordinating structured bidding and procurement activities for a broad range of materials and services. This position partners regularly with senior management, functional leaders, district operations, project managers, subject matter experts, third-party contractors, suppliers, and vendors to deliver timely, cost-effective, and high-quality procurement solutions. In this role, you will source, negotiate, purchase, and manage the goods and services needed to operate and maintain pipeline infrastructure and operations. You will also negotiate contracts and develop category strategies in partnership with Strategic Sourcing and Category Managers, with a strong focus on risk mitigation, cost savings, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and supplier performance. You will conduct your work in compliance with Colonial’s safety policies and procedures while demonstrating our core values of Respect, Accountability, Innovation, Safety, and Excellence, or R.A.I.S.E.

What You Get to Do

• Develop and implement procurement strategies, evaluate suppliers, and negotiate the best possible pricing, delivery schedules, and commercial terms for materials and services.
• Negotiate long-term agreements and purchase orders that support pipeline projects and ongoing operations.
• Strategically evaluate supplier quotes and bids, vet suppliers, analyze market trends, pricing, and product quality, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure alignment with budgets and project timelines.
• Monitor and evaluate supplier performance to confirm compliance with contract and purchase order terms, service expectations, and product quality requirements.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, industry standards, and applicable safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Partner with engineering, operations, project management, senior leadership, and other stakeholders to meet business and operational needs.
• Resolve delivery delays, quality concerns, vendor performance issues, and invoice discrepancies in collaboration with the appropriate departments.
• Serve as a Procurement subject matter expert and provide guidance, mentoring, and training to Buyers and Associate Buyers.
• Travel to work sites, including construction zones and remote locations as well as travel to supplier facilities.
• Support the business in emergency response efforts when assigned, which may include training, short-term travel, or backfill duties.

What You Bring to the Table

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Five or more years of experience in procurement or supply chain management, preferably within the energy, pipeline, construction, or manufacturing industries.
• Experience negotiating contracts, managing vendor relationships, and conducting market analysis with demonstrated favorable results.
• Experience developing and implementing sourcing strategies that deliver a competitive advantage to the business.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on cost reduction and process efficiency.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously with strong attention to detail.
• Proficiency with procurement software, such as Oracle or a similar platform, and Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to travel approximately 10%.

Skills That Set You Apart

• Master of Business Administration degree.
• General knowledge of energy pipeline operations, materials, and procurement processes related to the energy sector.
• Experience in the pipeline or broader energy industry.
• Professional certification in procurement, supply chain, or project management, such as CPSM or APICS.

Advantages of Working at Colonial Pipeline Company

• Getting to work for a company that helps to meet our country’s energy needs and keeps us moving!
• Team members who care about each other while accomplishing remarkable things.
• Highly competitive benefits - Check out Colonial’s Total Rewards.

Colonial Pipeline is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other reason prohibited by federal, state or local law.

Statement to all Third-Party Agencies and Similar Organizations: Colonial Pipeline accepts resumes only from agencies with which we formally engage their services. Please do not forward resumes to our applicant tracking system, Colonial Pipeline employees, hiring managers, or send to any Colonial Pipeline facility. Colonial Pipeline is not responsible for any fees or charges associated with unsolicited resumes.

Colonial Pipeline Company operates the world’s largest pipeline of its kind. It delivers refined petroleum products – gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, jet fuel and fuels for the U.S. military – through a network of 5,500 miles of underground pipe buried under more than 3,000 miles of right of way in the Southern and Eastern United States. A vital part of the nation’s infrastructure, Colonial places the highest emphasis on safe operations that protect its employees as well as the communities in which we live and serve, and the environment along the pipeline route.