Senior Purchasing Agent

Position Summary

Procurement is seeking a remote-friendly Senior Purchasing Agent to join our team. Procurement is an integral piece of the end-to-end supply chain at MSU with a role in maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders. This role will advance MSU’s mission of teaching and research through the successful and strategic procurement of goods and services.

This role is responsible for purchasing a variety of high risk or complex commodities requiring extensive knowledge and expertise. The Senior Purchasing Agent negotiates and executes complex, large-dollar purchases.

What You'll Do

• Collaborate with university stakeholders and subject matter experts to obtain the best value on high risk or complex commodities in support of world-class research and education at Michigan State University.

• Demonstrate honesty and integrity to serve the mission of MSU and add value to the procurement process while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and university policies, laws, and regulations.

• Participate in a team of procurement professionals who provide the MSU community expertise and financial stewardship while maintaining high-level performance on individual work assignments.

• Use procurement expertise and technical knowledge to evaluate purchase requisitions for appropriateness, content, compliance, and clarity.

• Manage the procurement process by writing, issuing, and soliciting requests for information, proposals, and/or quotations (RFIs, RFPs, and/or RFQs). Assemble stakeholder specifications for complex, unique, and large-scale purchases, determine suppliers to be solicited, evaluate proposals, and prepare bid analyses.

• Source suppliers by selecting the appropriate procurement methodology (such as strategic contracts, bid solicitations, sole source) in alignment with Procurement department and university business policies and procedures.

• Communicate frequently and effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and suppliers to ensure supporting document needs are met, requirements are clear, and positive relationships are fostered.

• Employ broad procurement expertise and analytical skills to manage supplier relationships and assess supplier performance using measurement tools and decision modeling practices.

• Demonstrate strong negotiation skills, including strategy development, while partnering with MSU legal and risk management offices to negotiate supplier contracts and agreements.

• Provide compliance management and risk mitigation measures when assessing suppliers, including collaboration on policy development.

• Uphold a mentality of stewardship, sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion as these are integral themes of the MSU Strategic Plan.

• Partner with the Accounts Payable department to resolve invoice discrepancies in order to preserve positive supplier and stakeholder relationships.

• Demonstrate flexibility by covering other commodities and duties as needed to provide the highest level of service to university stakeholders.

• Demonstrate 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.

• Participate in and/or lead large, complex projects including process improvement initiatives to best serve the university community.

• Support the procurement team using extensive knowledge and experience and serve as a resource and mentor to colleagues.

• Draft policy and procedure development.

• Other duties as assigned.

Work Modality

This position is "remote-friendly" within Michigan, with the expectation of a regular on-campus presence. 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.

Salary Expectations

Salary is commensurate with experience.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Business Administration with relevant coursework in marketing, business law, finance, public relations and computer science; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in sales, purchasing/buying and accounting; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated sound procurement negotiations and contract management skills, using ethical and regulatory-based decision-making in high-pressure situations.

• Effective interpersonal skills to facilitate and resolve situations with differing objectives.

• An advanced degree in supply chain management, business, STEM, or law field.

• Demonstrated knowledge in supply chain compliance, risk management, and import/export regulations.

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

To be considered for this position, your application must include all of the following:

• Cover Letter

• Resume

• Three Professional References

Applications that do not include all required materials will not be considered.

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

https://procurement.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 November 10, 2026 at 11:55 PM