Technical Buyer

Kalagadi; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Kalagadi in Hotazel, Northern Cape, is seeking a Technical Buyer to execute technically competent procurement of goods and services to support production continuity.

The role manages the full buying process from requisition to delivery, ensuring requirements are understood, competitively sourced, and delivered on time. You will interface between SCM and Operations, drive cost efficiency, and uphold procurement governance.

Qualifications

• National Diploma in Purchasing or related procurement qualifications (NQF 5/6) – essential/minimum.
• Relevant Mining or Engineering buying experience preferred.
• Certificate in Procurement or CIPS qualifications or B.com degree – beneficial.
• Recognised SAQA accredited qualification in purchasing in an engineering or mining environment.
• Five years minimum experience in Buying/Procurement.
• Computer literacy with ERP software (Oracle/JD Edwards or SAP) – advantage.
• Good communications skills.
• Good negotiations skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage RFQ process for assigned technical procurement categories in accordance with the Procurement Procedure.
• Source technical goods, equipment, spares, services and maintenance requirements.
• Develop understanding of technical requirements for assigned categories.
• Review and interpret technical specs, BOMs, datasheets and other technical information.
• Ensure suppliers understand requirements and provide comparable quotations.
• Identify technically suitable alternatives and solutions.
• Conduct commercial comparisons of quotations.
• Identify opportunities for standardisation and spec optimisation.
• Apply judgement on commercial implications of technical requirements.
• Ensure technical requirements are understood before placing orders.
• Act as procurement interface between SCM and Operations.
• Participate in Production, Engineering and Maintenance meetings to understand procurement needs.
• Identify requirements impacting production, maintenance, or plant operations.
• Communicate supply risks and delays to stakeholders.
• Work with technical personnel to define and source procurement needs.
• Challenge specifications or urgency from commercial/ procurement view.
• Ensure Engineering and Operations own technical specs and acceptance.
• Obtain competitive quotations.
• Assess supplier capability, capacity, lead times and ability to meet requirements.
• Develop alternative suppliers for critical needs.
• Maintain supplier relationships with professional boundaries.
• Monitor supplier performance on price, quality, delivery, service.
• Escalate recurring performance issues.
• Negotiate prices and commercial terms.
• Consider total cost of ownership in decisions.
• Benchmark pricing and identify cost-reduction opportunities.
• Analyze price increases and challenge escalations.
• Identify and implement procurement savings.
• Assist in significant or complex purchases.
• Ensure procurement aligns with company contracts.

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Planning

Education

National Diploma in Purchasing or related procurement qualifications (NQF 5/6) – essential

Certificate in Procurement or CIPS qualifications or B.com degree – beneficial

SAQA accredited qualification in purchasing in mining/engineering

Tools

ERP software (Oracle/JD Edwards or SAP)

Job description

Location: Hotazel, Northern CapeDepartment: Supply Chain / ProcurementReporting line: Procurement SuperintendentPURPOSE OF THE ROLEThe Technical Buyer is responsible for executing effective and technically competent procurement of goods and services for assigned procurement categories. The role manages the complete buying process from approved Purchase Requisition through to purchase order and delivery, ensuring that operational and operational requirements are properly understood, competitively sourced and delivered within the required timeframe.As the key interface between Supply Chain Management and Operations, the Technical Buyer must apply sufficient technical knowledge and commercial judgement to support production continuity, equipment availability, cost reduction, working-capital discipline and effective procurement governance.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Buying

• Manage the RFQ process for assigned technical procurement categories in accordance with the Procurement Procedure.
• Source technical goods, equipment, spares, services and maintenance requirements.
• Develop a sound understanding of the technical requirements applicable to the assigned categories.
• Review and interpret technical specifications, equipment descriptions, bills of materials, datasheets and other relevant technical information.
• Ensure that suppliers understand the technical requirement and provide comparable quotations.
• Identify technically suitable alternative products, suppliers and solutions where appropriate.
• Conduct commercial comparisons of technically acceptable quotations.
• Identify opportunities for standardisation and specification optimisation.
• Apply sound judgement when assessing the commercial implications of technical requirements.
• Ensure that technical requirements are sufficiently understood before placing orders.

Engineering, Maintenance and Operations Interface

• Act as the procurement interface between SCM and Operations.
• Participate in relevant Production, TMM, Engineering and Maintenance meetings to understand current and anticipated procurement requirements.
• Proactively identify procurement requirements that could impact production, maintenance execution, equipment availability or plant operations.
• Communicate supply risks, delays and potential operational impacts to relevant stakeholders.
• Work closely with technical personnel to ensure that procurement requirements are clearly defined and commercially sourced.
• Challenge specifications, quantities, suppliers or urgency where appropriate from a commercial and procurement perspective.
• Ensure that Engineering and Operations retain responsibility for technical specifications, technical suitability and technical acceptance.

Sourcing and Supplier Management

• Ensure that purchases are made only from approved suppliers in accordance with the Vendor Control Procedure.
• Obtain competitive quotations in accordance with procurement thresholds and requirements.
• Assess supplier capability, capacity, lead times and ability to meet technical requirements.
• Develop alternative suppliers for critical or single-source requirements.
• Maintain effective relationships with suppliers while ensuring appropriate professional and commercial boundaries.
• Monitor supplier performance relating to price, quality, delivery and service.
• Escalate recurring or material supplier performance issues.

Commercial Management and Negotiation

• Negotiate competitive prices and commercial conditions with suppliers.
• Ensure that procurement decisions consider total cost of ownership rather than purchase price alone.
• Benchmark supplier pricing and identify opportunities for cost reduction.
• Analyse price increases and challenge unsupported supplier escalations.
• Identify and implement procurement savings and cost-avoidance opportunities.
• Support the Procurement Manager with commercial negotiations for significant or technically complex purchases.
• Ensure that the Company’s financial interests are appropriately considered when making procurement recommendations.

Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders

• Verify that the requested goods or services, quantities and specifications are properly reflected in the procurement process.
• Ensure that all required approvals are obtained in accordance with the Delegation of Authority before processing purchase orders.
• Ensure Purchase Orders accurately reflect negotiated prices, quantities, specifications, delivery dates and commercial terms.
• Communicate confirmed orders and delivery requirements to suppliers.
• Ensure that changes to orders are appropriately authorised and documented.
• Prevent order splitting or other practices intended to circumvent procurement requirements or approval thresholds.

Critical Spares and Operational Requirements

• Identify and prioritise procurement requirements based on operational criticality.
• Work with Maintenance, Engineering and Warehousing to identify critical and long-lead items.
• Proactively identify potential stock-outs or supply interruptions.
• Escalate potential delays that could impact production or equipment availability.
• Assist in identifying alternative sourcing options for critical items.
• Consider existing stock before initiating procurement of additional items.
• Support appropriate inventory levels while avoiding unnecessary or excessive purchases.

Contract and Commercial Compliance

• Ensure procurement activities comply with approved contracts and commercial agreements.
• Confirm applicable contract pricing and terms before placing orders.
• Identify purchases that should be made under existing contracts or agreements.
• Escalate instances of supplier non-compliance with contractual terms.
• Support the Procurement Manager in identifying opportunities for contract consolidation and improved commercial terms.
• Ensure that procurement activities comply with the Company’s Group Contracts Management Procedure.

Procurement Governance and Risk

• Comply with all SCM policies, procedures and Delegation of Authority requirements.
• Identify and elevate procurement risks, opportunities and potential control weaknesses.
• Ensure that emergency procurement is undertaken only in accordance with the approved emergency procurement process.
• Maintain appropriate procurement documentation and audit trails.
• Comply with vendor onboarding and vendor governance requirements.
• Identify and report potential conflicts of interest or irregular procurement practices.
• Maintain high standards of integrity and ethical conduct.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of procurement policies, processes and controls.

Key Performance Areas

The Technical Buyer will be measured against the following key outcomes:

• Technical procurement capability: quality of technical understanding, interpretation of requirements, technical-commercial quotation evaluations, identification of acceptable alternatives and engagement with Engineering and Operations.
• Procurement efficiency: RFQs and Purchase Orders processed within agreed turnaround times, compliance with procurement procedures, complete procurement documentation and effective management of outstanding Purchase Orders.
• Commercial performance: procurement savings achieved, cost-avoidance opportunities implemented, competitive pricing and effective total cost of ownership management.
• Operational support: timely procurement of critical spares and technical requirements, reduced procurement-related disruptions, effective escalation of supply risks and contribution to improved equipment and plant availability.
• Governance: compliance with Procurement Policy and Delegation of Authority, a reduction in non-compliant procurement and appropriate procurement audit trails.
• National Diploma in Purchasing or related procurement qualifications (NQF 5/6) – essential / minimum.
• Relevant Mining or Engineering buying experience preferred
• Certificate in Procurement or CIPS qualifications or B.com degree – beneficial.
• Recognised SAQA accredited qualification in purchasing in an engineering or mining environment.
• Five years minimum experience in Buying/Procurement
• Computer literate (Google sheet/Excel, Google docs/Word) with speed and accuracy.
• Competence with ERP software, especially Oracle/JD Edwards or SAP is an
• advantage.
• Good communications skills
• Good negotiations skills

Knowledge, Skills And Competencies

• Honesty, integrity and ethical conduct.
• Strong planning, time management and ability to meet deadlines under pressure.
• Relationship building and stakeholder management.
• Collaboration and cooperation across departments.
• Self-motivation, self-awareness and personal accountability.
• Clear verbal and written communication.
• Cost-conscious decision-making and continuous improvement mindset.