Job Description: 

Our client is seeking a Operations Buyer, who will be part of the Procurement Operations group and works with internal customers and suppliers to procure and realize savings for goods and services. The position requires management of purchasing strategies at assigned locations, whether implementing existing strategies or developing new partnerships with stakeholders. The position will adhere to and communicate Procurement policies and procedures during the purchasing process. The position will reconcile service and technical issues with vendors and manage relationships between internal customers and vendors. The operational buyer will assist in procurement of project materials.

Essential Job Functions (List in order of priority):

• Purchasing SME and first level of resource & potential technical help to field operations staff.
• Review purchase requisitions for completeness and place orders with approved suppliers.
• Foster close working relationships with branches and departments including Sales, MFG, Engineering, Production, Parts and Service.
• Works with stakeholders to solicits, evaluate, negotiate, and decides upon proposals for goods and services not covered under existing contracts.
• Manage relationship between internal customers and suppliers.
• Process requisitions to create PO according to current SOP’s and distribute accordingly.
• Complies with contract & sourcing strategies from procurement managers for execution of purchases.
• Identifies consolidation and savings opportunities of local spend.
• Participate when necessary to negotiate price, delivery, quality and service.
• Follow up on project purchase orders until completion.
• Relay cost change information to appropriate stakeholders.
• Resolve pricing discrepancies or other requisition / PO issues.
• Receive, analyze, and resolve supplier inquiries, service issues, disputes, and payment discrepancies.
• Perform one-off exception purchases, negotiate final pricing terms, and select suppliers based on demand.
• Participate in supplier performance and feedback assessments

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Knowledge of Oracle ERP and Ariba Procure-to-Pay systems or equivalent systems.
• Demonstrated working ability to work with direct and cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated knowledge of purchasing key fundamentals.
• Able to lead by ensuring adherence to purchasing practices, compliance and guidelines.
• Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills required in interacting with both internal and external resources.
• Must have analytical skills necessary to evaluate the cost effectiveness of purchasing options and planning for major commodities.
• Must be able to read, and interpret, terms and conditions of contracts.
• Ensure supplier compliance and policies are met.
• Perform day-day purchasing operations functions.
• Advisors management of opportunities to improve cost, performance or process using facts, research & analysis.
• Gather, update and distribute reports.
• Special projects assigned by management.

Salary/Rate: $25-$28/HR (depends on experience level). This is a contract position with candidates expected to work 40 hours/ week.

About Us

Peterson Technology Partners (PTP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating a transparent, inclusive, and human-centered hiring experience.

For more than 28 years, PTP has operated as one of the top IT staffing and recruiting firms in the USA—built on trust, long-term partnerships, and technical excellence.

Based in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, IL, our team of more than 500 employees and consultants is dedicated to:

• Helping every client make the best hiring decisions possible
• Matching professionals with the right IT jobs and career opportunities

As part of that commitment, we believe in providing clear information about how our hiring technologies work and how your data is used. The following section outlines our AI-assisted interview process and your rights as a candidate.

AI-Assisted Interview Experience (Pete & Gabi – Rebecca):

To provide a consistent, fair, and flexible experience for all candidates, we use AI-assisted tools to support parts of the interview process. This includes our proprietary AI platform Pete & Gabi, which includes AI recruiter Rebecca.

These AI hiring tools help us:

• Conduct recorded video interviews
• Transcribe interviews
• Summarize candidate responses
• Generate job-related insights
• Streamline communication and scheduling

Please note that:

• The AI does NOT make hiring decisions; all decisions are made by our human recruiters, hiring managers, or client partners.
• The AI does not evaluate facial expressions, emotions, or physical traits; it is used only to support fairness, consistency, and efficiency.

If you prefer a non-AI interview format, we will gladly provide an alternative.