The Purchasing Agent is an on-site position located in Downers Grove, Illinois, at the CITGO Refinery Support Center. This role provides procurement support for assigned locations in accordance with Company policies, procedures, and business objectives. Responsible for the creation, administration, and maintenance of purchase orders, outline agreements, and other procurement contracts. Utilize strategic sourcing tools and industry best practices to identify, evaluate, qualify, solicit, negotiate, and manage suppliers to obtain materials and services that deliver the best overall value to CITGO while meeting safety, quality, reliability, cost, and delivery requirements. Establish and maintain vendor records within SAP, foster effective supplier relationships, support competitive sourcing initiatives, and conduct market and industry research to identify sourcing opportunities, mitigate supply risk, and support informed procurement decisions.

 

Review and Process Requisitions

• Review customer requisitions and issue Purchase Orders in SAP to procure materials and services at the best overall value while meeting requirements for cost, quality, safety, reliability, and delivery in support of assigned CITGO business units.
• Establish and maintain reliable sources of supply for required materials and services.
• Collaborate with customers to evaluate supplier and contractor performance and identify opportunities for alternative sourcing.
• Negotiate, execute, and administer contracts, including purchase orders, outline agreements, leases, and national agreements.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, contractors, Legal, Risk Management, and Accounts Payable, to ensure the effective development, execution, and administration of contracts.
• Maintain and support an approved supplier base capable of meeting the organization's procurement requirements for assigned commodities and services.

Establish and Maintain Contracts

• Utilize strategic sourcing tools to establish and maintain contracts, including Outline Agreements, based on customer requirements, product specifications, and service scopes of work.
• Negotiate pricing, delivery terms, quality standards, and other commercial terms with qualified suppliers to secure the best overall value for CITGO.
• Develop and implement long-term agreements with high-performing suppliers based on quality, value, and business needs.
• Administer contracts throughout the agreement lifecycle, including change order execution, validation of price and rate adjustments, and monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Monitor market conditions and conduct value, cost, and quality analyses to support sourcing decisions and procurement strategies.
• Identify and execute strategic sourcing opportunities by analyzing procurement spend, supplier performance, and purchasing patterns to drive cost savings and improve supply reliability.
• Leverage available procurement and market intelligence tools to establish strategic agreements that optimize total value and support business objectives.

Manage Vendor Base

• Conduct market research and analysis to identify, evaluate, and qualify new suppliers capable of meeting business requirements.
• Manage the supplier base by establishing and maintaining relationships with new and existing vendors and identifying opportunities to enhance supplier performance and value.
• Participate in supplier networking events, industry outreach activities, and market engagement initiatives to identify qualified sourcing opportunities.
• Collaborate with customers and cross-functional stakeholders to evaluate and select suppliers through prequalification, bidding, and strategic sourcing processes.
• Partner with Optimization, Compliance, and other internal groups to vet prospective suppliers, assess risk, and monitor supplier performance to ensure alignment with CITGO standards and requirements.
• Monitor market conditions and supplier-related developments, communicating significant supply risks or events that may impact the availability of goods and services.
• Recommend and implement improvements to procurement practices, sourcing strategies, and departmental procedures to enhance efficiency, strengthen supplier performance, mitigate risk, and generate cost savings.

Solicit and Evaluate Bids

• Utilize strategic sourcing tools and procurement best practices to solicit formal and informal bids for materials and services.
• Develop and execute competitive sourcing events, including Requests for Proposal (RFPs), Requests for Quotation (RFQs), reverse auctions, and other value-added sourcing strategies.
• Evaluate supplier proposals and negotiate pricing, commercial terms, and contract conditions to achieve the best overall value while ensuring a fair and competitive sourcing process.
• Analyze bid results and identify opportunities for additional bidding rounds or alternative sourcing approaches to improve cost, quality, delivery, and service outcomes.
• Prepare, issue, and manage all documentation required to support sourcing and bidding activities.
• Partner with internal customers to develop clear specifications, scopes of work, and objective technical evaluation criteria to support supplier selection and award decisions.

Resolve Purchasing Issues

• Serve as the primary point of contact for resolving procurement-related issues for internal customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Investigate and resolve purchasing, invoicing, payment, and contract-related issues to ensure timely delivery of materials and services and maintain positive supplier relationships.
• Coordinate with Accounts Payable, suppliers, and internal business units to resolve invoice discrepancies, unblock invoices, and facilitate timely vendor payments.
• Provide expediting support to monitor and improve order fulfillment, delivery schedules, and supplier performance.
• Manage disputes related to contract scope, pricing, change orders, service levels, and supplier performance, working collaboratively with stakeholders to achieve effective resolutions.
• Identify root causes of recurring procurement issues and recommend process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and improve customer service.

Support Special Projects

Provide On-Call Procurement Support