Senior Supply Chain Coordinator

ABOUT AUSTIN REGIONAL CLINIC:

Austin Regional Clinic has been voted a top Central Texas employer by our employees for over 15 years!   We are one of central Texas’ largest professional medical groups with 35+ locations and we are continuing to grow. We offer the following benefits to eligible team members: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts, PTO, 401(k), EAP, Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, Tuition Reimbursement, Child Care Assistance, Health & Fitness, Sick Child Care Assistance, Development and more. For additional information visit https://www.austinregionalclinic.com/careers/

PURPOSE

The overall role of the Senior Supply Chain Coordinator is to ensure that appropriate products and services for Austin Regional Clinic, Covenant Management Systems, and related entities (“organization”) are acquired in the most timely, cost effective, and efficient manner.  Drives cost saving initiatives for the organization by negotiating best contract pricing and terms with major suppliers and ensures the application of best practices that meet or exceed industry standards.  Coordinates RFPs and projects with other members of the Purchasing staff, including Purchasing Coordinators, to ensure the organization is consistent in its purchasing policies and its approach to achieving best prices and practices with all suppliers.  Responsible for creation and implementation of new supplier contracts, including project management with supplier, coordination of Oracle or identified system setup, and end-user communication and training.  Develops and prepares routine and ad hoc reports for the organization as needed.  Develops and maintains ongoing supplier performance evaluations to ensure optimum service and value for the organization in all supplier relationships.  Maintains excellent customer service with all departments within the organization and with external suppliers.  Carries out all duties while respecting patient confidentiality and promoting the mission and philosophy of the organization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• In collaboration with the Purchasing Manager, provides strong leadership in driving cost savings initiatives for the organization. Identifies opportunities for cost savings for supplies and services, as well as in effective and efficient internal processes.  Coordinates the implementation of these initiatives with the organization’s internal customers while providing strong project management.  Identifies, tracks, and reports cost savings results to the Purchasing Manager.
• Leads supply chain projects such as RFPs, vendor evaluation, new contract implementation, etc. Coordinates internal projects such as new clinic openings with the organization’s designated project managers. 
• Manages both local and GPO (Group Purchasing Organization) contracts for Purchasing. Serves as coordinator to receive and communicate contract information as necessary.
• Maximizes the use of available contracts including the utilization of GPO contracts. Evaluates potential alternatives when available including use of generics, substitutes, or value-added services. Works proactively with appropriate Operations personnel on the acceptance and use of generics by explaining cost savings and industry acceptance of product.
• Communicates with all parties as to the status of products and services required for the organization to maintain an efficient and effective operation and to support and facilitate ongoing quality patient care.
• Collaborates with internal customers to understand operations and their needs. Together with Purchasing management, works to align supply chain support for those operations with the organization’s strategic direction to ensure maximization of efficiency and overall cost effectiveness.
• Receives requests for specific products or services from within the organization and determines if the request is appropriate. Based on the needs assessed in collaboration with internal customers, identifies and researches prospective suppliers.  Obtains price quotes for final products or services and initiates a purchase order.
• Prepares and evaluates Requests for Proposals (RFP) for suppliers, as needed. Assists Purchasing Manager in review of proposals and in negotiation of pricing and terms.
• Collaborates with the organization’s project managers on projects. Coordinates supply chain operations to ensure all required products and services have been properly identified and ordered.  Manages timely delivery of products or services in accordance with project timeline.
• Prepares and places purchase orders with suppliers. Tracks orders to ensure that they are received timely so as to avoid disruption of operations and patient care.  Coordinates with suppliers to ensure timely and accurate delivery of ordered supplies/services, expediting and resolving related problems as necessary.
• Assists in extracting data, providing analysis, and preparing reports related to the Oracle purchasing system and various supplier systems including departmental usage information and overall buying trends.
• Serves as point of contact for ad hoc purchasing and usage data requests from other internal departments. Provides information and analysis that assists those departments in their functions/tasks.
• Reviews purchase requests to ensure appropriate coding and authorization.
• Responsible for the returns/credits process with suppliers as needed and coordination with Accounts Payable to ensure all credits are received timely.
• Coordinates with Accounts Payable, the Purchasing Manager, and suppliers to resolve match-hold problems. Identifies systematic problems leading to recurring match-hold issues and proposes process improvements to reduce error and to achieve a more efficient result.
• Identifies, researches, and resolves back-order discrepancies. Works proactively to avoid shortages by expediting orders or sourcing authorized alternative products to meet the organization’s needs.
• Participates in the development of goals and objectives as well as policies and procedures. Makes recommendations for changes and improvements to existing standards.  Participates in the implementation of approved policies and procedures and monitors work activities and system performance/output to ensure compliance.
• Coordinates special assigned projects as needed.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides excellent customer service to internal and external individuals.
• Appropriately greets suppliers and sales representatives.
• Participates in field visits as appropriate.
• Interfaces with organization’s leaders.
• Answers telephones when necessary.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

Required:  Bachelor’s degree and three (3) years of experience in a related position, preferably in healthcare.

Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Access, Outlook, and Word applications. Experience working with a computerized perpetual inventory system.

Preferred:  Experience working with Oracle preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must possess excellent social skills for effective interpersonal interaction within Purchasing, with other departments within the organization, and with outside vendors.
• Excellent understanding of contract pricing and budgets.
• Knowledge of competitive bidding statutes, purchasing procedures and best industry practices.
• Ability to develop spreadsheets, including utilization of formulas and functions, retrieve data from relational databases, and prepare word processing documents.
• Strong organizational abilities including a penchant for documentation.
• Self-starter capable of working productively with minimum supervision.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills in order to communicate clearly and effectively to all levels of staff and the public.
• Excellent keyboard and ten-key skills.
• Ability to perform accurate data entry.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Excellent interpersonal & problem solving skills.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time at a computer workstation.
• Ability to engage others, listen and adapt response to meet others’ needs.
• Ability to work in a team environment including aligning own actions with those of other team members committed to common goals.
• Ability to manage competing priorities.
• Ability to perform job duties in a professional manner at all times.
• Ability to understand, recall, and communicate, factual information.
• Ability to understand, recall, and apply oral and/or written instructions or other information.
• Ability to organize thoughts and ideas into understandable terminology.
• Ability to apply common sense in performing job.
• Ability to research and resolve problems.