Buyer - Alternate Material Development

Job Description & Qualifications

• Perform duties in alignment with company Vision, Mission, Core Values, procurement policies, and ethical sourcing requirements.

• Identify and prioritize alternate-source and substitute-material opportunities for critical, high-spend, single-source, and supply-risk raw and packaging materials.

• Source, evaluate, recommend, and accredit local and international suppliers in accordance with company requirements.

• Obtain samples, quotations, technical data sheets, safety data sheets, certificates of analysis, regulatory documents, and other requirements for technical evaluation.

• Coordinate with R&D, QA, Production, Planning, and end users on laboratory testing, production trials, evaluation results, corrective actions, and material approval.

• Maintain an alternate-material development tracker covering priorities, samples, testing stages, target dates, responsible persons, risks, and approval status.

• Prepare commercial comparisons covering price, total landed cost, minimum order quantity, lead time, payment terms, capacity, quality, and supply continuity.

• Negotiate trial quantities and commercial terms, execute PR-to-PO conversion in ERP, and monitor sample, trial, and commercial deliveries.

• Support material qualification, specification updates, change-control requirements, and supplier performance evaluation .

• Deliver validated cost savings, cost avoidance, and supply-risk reduction without compromising product quality, regulatory compliance, or production continuity.

• Prepare project updates and savings reports, escalate delays or technical issues, maintain complete records for audit and QMS compliance, and perform other duties assigned by the immediate superior.

Qualifications & Educational Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field.

• At least two years of purchasing, sourcing, or material-development experience, preferably in chemicals, adhesives, coatings, or manufacturing.

• Experience in supplier sourcing, commercial evaluation, cost analysis, negotiation, and alternate-supplier development.

• Ability to understand technical data sheets, safety data sheets, certificates of analysis, material specifications, and basic regulatory documentation.

• Working knowledge of laboratory evaluation, production-trial coordination, change control, and cross-functional material approval processes.

• Familiarity with ERP purchasing processes, procurement controls, project tracking, and supplier-performance management.

Skills

• High degree of professionalism, integrity, confidentiality, and accountability.
• Strong analytical, research, problem-solving, and project-management skills.
• Strong negotiation, cost-comparison, supplier-development, and commercial judgment skills.
• Effective oral and written communication and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Organized, detail-oriented, persistent, and able to manage multiple testing and sourcing projects under pressure.
• Proficient in MS Office, ERP or purchasing systems, data analysis, and management-report preparation.