Position Summary

The Purchasing Agent will support the procurement team in sourcing, purchasing and managing suppliers. This role is responsible for purchasing a wide variety of commodities and services which requires extensive knowledge and experience in purchasing.

The Purchasing Agent will work closely with various stakeholders and suppliers to negotiate purchases that ranges from medium-high levels of risks, complexity and dollar value to ensure compliance to MSU policies and other public regulations.

Position Duties:

1. Sourcing and Purchasing

• Sources suppliers by selecting the appropriate procurement methodology (such as strategic contracts, bid solicitations, sole source) in alignment with Procurement & Payment System (PPS) department and university business policies and procedures.
• Manages the procurement process by preparing and issuing requests for information/proposals/quotations (RFIs, RFPs, and/or RFQs), directs the evaluation process by preparing bid analyses, and approves vendor selection.
• Reviews, consolidates and incorporates stakeholder requirements (ranges from medium to high levels of complexity and dollar value) into RFXs before publishing.
• Uses procurement experience and technical knowledge to evaluate purchase requisitions for appropriateness, content, compliance, and clarity.
• Reviews purchase requisitions and process in accordance with policies before issuing purchase orders to suppliers.

2. Negotiation and Supplier Management

• Demonstrates strong negotiation skills, including strategy development, while partnering with MSU legal and risk management offices and other applicable departments to negotiate agreements with suppliers.
• Provides compliance management and risk mitigation measures when assessing suppliers, including collaboration on policy development. 
• Employs broad procurement expertise and analytical skills to manage supplier relationships and assess supplier performance using measurement tools and decision modeling practices.

3. Stakeholder Engagement and Customer Service

• Collaborates with university stakeholders and subject matter experts to obtain the best value on medium to high complex commodities in support of world-class research and education at Michigan State University.
• Participates in a team of procurement professionals who provide the MSU community expertise and financial stewardship while maintaining high-level performance on individual work assignments.
• Collaborates closely with the Accounts Payable department to resolve invoice discrepancies and other payment issues to maintain positive supplier and stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrates superior customer service and professional communications to internal and external partners, both written and verbal, as this is core to our Michigan State University service mission. 
• Communicates frequently and effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and suppliers, to always foster positive relationships.

4. Miscellaneous

• Participates in and/or leads projects including process improvement initiatives to best serve the university community.  
• Supports the procurement team using extensive knowledge and experience and serves as a resource and mentor to colleagues. 
• Demonstrates honesty and integrity to serve the mission of MSU and UPL and add value to the procurement process while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and university policies, laws, and regulations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Salary is commensurate with experience within posted range.

This position is "remote-friendly", with the expectation of on-campus presence periodically. This is typically referred to as "Hybrid", with the flexibility of regular remote work mixed with in-office work as mutually agreed upon with the supervisor.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Business or Communications with relevant course work in Purchasing, Materials Management and Inventory Control or related field; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in purchasing and economic and accounting business methods; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree in supply chain, business, STEM or law field.
• Willingness to learn, grow and be collaborative with a team of Procurement professionals.
• Ability to provide outstanding customer service while holding values of compliance and risk mitigation.
• Sound procurement negotiations and contract management skills, along with the use of ethical and regulatory-based decision-making in high-pressure situations.  
• Effective interpersonal skills to facilitate and resolve situations with differing objectives.  
• Knowledge in supply chain compliance, risk management, and import/export regulations.  
• Experience in using ERP systems.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

Resume, cover letter, and three professional references.

Special Instructions

Salary is commensurate with experience within posted range.

This position is "remote-friendly", with the expectation of on-campus presence periodically. This is typically referred to as "Hybrid", with the flexibility of regular remote work mixed with in-office work as mutually agreed upon with the supervisor.

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

https://upl.msu.edu

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Bidding eligibility ends December 2, 2025, 11:55 PM

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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