National Purchasing Specialist

The National Purchasing Specialist (NPS) is responsible for the procurement of assigned vertical and horizontal costs for work constructed as it relates to the specific trades in the category they’re assigned to manage.

The NPS will serve on a national category management team where they will work with their peers to manage costs at a national level.

This includes identifying new trades, performing due diligence and working with Division OPS leaders to qualify, approve and onboard new Trades.

The National Purchasing Specialist is responsible for competitive bidding, analyzing, negotiating, and awarding contracts to Trades who are approved by both Purchasing and Division OPS leaders.

In addition to procurement duties, the NPS is responsible for assembling and maintaining budgets, preparing documents for inclusion into trade contract agreements, and other duties related to the purchasing process.

Purchasing Offices provide important services to the divisions; it is the National Purchasing Specialist’s responsibility to respond timely to division needs and perform in keeping with established service standards and metrics.

Summary of Position Requirements :

Purchasing Strategy

• Maintain a bidding workload schedule for all communities. Determine a competitive bid schedule for new communities. Determine when it is appropriate to bid out or re-price contracts for in-progress communities.
• Collaborate with Division OPS leaders to Identify those trades critical to achieving operational objectives and engage in discussions (when the market conditions warrant) to secure necessary trade capacity (Strategic Trade Relationships STR) in order to achieve start and closing goals.
• Inform Division Business Leaders of the prevailing purchasing strategy and gain their concurrence.

Specifying

• For each new community, collaborate with Division associates on the development of feature specifications commensurate with the competitive market requirements
• Prepare and confirm with National Purchasing Director all specifications, amenities and options for a community or series of homes
• Whenever possible, participate in value engineering, preliminary architectural reviews, feature & specification meetings, and model walks
• Develop Product Specifications for the project
• Always pursue the objective of simplicity (good base house, better option level #1, best option level #2) when specifying features, materials, etc.
• After the contract is awarded, assemble and distribute the product specifications to the Division

Budgeting

• Assist in the preparation of the proforma direct construction cost estimate.
• Assemble information necessary to complete the indirect cost estimate.
• Prepare the Pre-bid line item budget estimate at a cost code level.
• Provide cost and trade information to Purchasing Administrator to maintain accurate budgets in E1 and report budget adjustments to the division or business unit.
• Review budgets and maintain a Revised Budget estimate (based on actual costs to date) compared to the Original Budget (at time of contract award) with the National Purchasing Director and Division Business Leaders.
• Update monthly the Direct Construction Cost (DCC) report and provide a 30 / 60 / 90 cost outlook.

Bidding

Maintain bid list with multiple qualified bidders per trade. Review qualified vendor list with OPS Leaders served by purchasing.

For a specific community or series of homes, using the qualified bidders list, assemble a bidders list. OPS Leader to approve community / series bid list.

• Establish and hold trades accountable for meeting bid due dates.
• Prepare and distribute all onsite bid sheets and packages, including latest architectural plans, consultant reports, cover letter with bid due date, standard trade requirements, list of options, specific trade requirements, material specifications and sequence sheet.
• Obtain unitized pricing to include material quantities, SKU pricing, labor rates and standard labor hours to complete the scope of work.
• Obtain written bids for all quotations including production, option and alternate pricing, bid concessions, model home discounts, and sales complex upgrades.
• Obtain, analyze and negotiate option costs before awarding base house contracts.

Analyze, Qualify, Negotiate

• Spread and compare bids for the cost of base house and optional offerings using historical or projected product mix and option frequencies to determine weighted average costs associated with each bid.
• Identify and resolve bid discrepancies with each bidder.
• Review and consider proposed substitutions.
• Obtain Division approval for all substitutions, revise and update scopes and feature specifications to incorporate approved substitutions.
• Review all substitutions or scope of work changes with each bidder.
• Identify lowest qualified bidder and compare to line item budget estimate.
• Negotiate with Trades to achieve costs that are at or below budget.

Award Contract

Prepare bid analysis / award recommendation summarizing the final bids for each qualified bidder. Review award recommendations with the National Purchasing Director.

Approve and obtain National Purchasing Director approval to achieve the required two person sign off.

• Advise successful trade of award decision, notify all other bidders of award decision.
• Transmit complete and accurate award package to the contract administrator for processing.
• Prepare and review for accuracy all contract documents.
• Forward contract documents to responsible manager for counter signature.

Contract Management

• Assemble required information to process contract change orders for substitutions, scope of work changes, code updates, etc.
• Transmit complete and accurate change order package to purchasing administrator for processing.
• Forward change order documents to responsible manager for counter signature.

Cost Reduction / Management

• Track costs for needed building materials, services, prevailing labor rates, and other related cost components for each assigned trade contract category.
• Update bid sheet to accurately reflect the cost components of each assigned trade contract category.
• Evaluate and compare bids to current and prevailing prices (for the items outlined in #1 above) for the region and across the company.
• Qualify and negotiate trade costs based upon prevailing prices.
• When specifying, review and apply all exclusive national accounts.
• Advise National Purchasing Director immediately of substantive changes or variation from the approved Direct Construction Cost and Indirect Construction Cost budget.

Administrative

• Obtain required information (cut-sheets, samples, specs, etc.) from manufacturers, suppliers, and trades to facilitate the work of purchasing administrators, sales, field supervision, and others served by the NPO.
• Check all work products for accuracy.

Trade Relations

• Identify trade contractors whose performance and capacity make them strategically important to the division.
• Assist construction management in resolving Trade issues.
• Maintain professional, win-win working relationships with Trades through honest and open exchange of information and ideas.
• Participate in Trade / Safety Council meetings and committees as required.
• Assist SHPIP administrator in gaining Trade adherence to insurance requirements.

Performance Standards

• Achieve objectives and goals as outlined by the VP of Purchasing and National Purchasing Director.
• Complete personal goal objectives.
• Complete on time and in keeping with quality requirements the work associated with all of position requirements listed above.

Knowledge / Experience

• College degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Previous experience in a continuous improvement environment.
• Mainframe and personal computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office Suite : Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, E1.
• Five years’ experience in the homebuilding industry.
• Three years’ experience in residential purchasing.
• Field construction experience a plus.

Skills / Abilities

• Must have a passionate drive to learn and improve. Self-motivated.
• Professional demeanor : projects positive and professional image.
• Productivity : excellent attendance, excellent work quantity and quality, positive contributor; ability to work successfully in a team environment, strong people skills, works well with others at all levels.
• Innovation : seeks new opportunities and growth challenges, contributes ideas, helps resolve problems, and develops new procedures and methods.
• Honesty : truthful and trustworthy, does what needs to be done and what is right; is fair and objective, has personal integrity and treats others in a mature, responsible manner.
• Loyalty : has commitment toward the goals and values of the organization, respects its efforts, defends its good name, and gives the job the best effort and sincerity.
• Initiative : ability to think, work and make independent decisions based on sound judgment.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Understanding of basic measurement and team tools and continuous process improvement methodology and practices.
• Must possess a strong internal / external customer service orientation / commitment.
• Excellent time management, organization and follow-up skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and assignments.
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment where continuous improvement is expected.
• Must be able to consistently achieve high work standards.
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability to rapid change.
• Creates good will within department and interdepartmentally.
• Ability to read, understand and apply the requirements of architectural and consultant drawings and reports, including : Title 24 reportsAcoustical reportsSoils reportsPost tension drawingsPrecise grading plans
• Ability to understand construction terminology.
• Ability to define and apply specific and standard trade requirements.
• Ability to analyze Trade bids for accuracy and completeness.
• Ability to comprehend construction processes and sequence of work.
• Ability to understand consumer expectations within defined market segments and relate to specification levels.
• Ability to negotiate win-win agreements.
• Ability to understand and utilize Shea measurement tools.

Physical Demand / Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to talk and hear.

The associate frequently is required to walk and sit, and occasionally is required to stand. The associate must occasionally lift and / or move up to approximately 25 pounds.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.

Professional Development Statement

This position is expected to maintain a program for his / her own professional development and shall do so by creating, maintaining and executing his / her Professional Development Plan per company standards.

Shea Homes is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, or Vietnam era, or other eligible veteran status, or any other protected factor.

EOE / M / F / D / V