Purchasing Specialist

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Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, United States of America

Starting Salary Range: $45k-$58k

Scheduling Requirements:
Monday-Friday 7am-6pm, varied day shifts with occasional weekends and nights for inventory

Under limited supervision, responsible for purchasing and inventory management for pharmacy. Ensures pharmacy has sufficient supply of inventory to meet operational needs while maintaining targeted inventory levels. Contributes to the achievement of budgeted margin target through cost‑effective purchasing.

• Work Ethic/Integrity – must possess intrinsic drive to excel coupled with values in line with company philosophy
• Leadership – ability to lead project teams to deadlines, while maintaining strong team orientation
• Relational – ability to build relationships with business unit management and become “trusted advisor”
• Strategy and Planning – ability to think ahead, plan and manage time efficiently
• Problem Solving – ability to analyze causes and solve problems at both a strategic and functional level
• Team Oriented – ability to work effectively and collaboratively with all team members

• Continuously manage and maintain appropriate levels of inventory in response to ongoing utilization, shortages, backorders, recalls, and waste prevention.
• Review purchasing dashboards and run reports to monitor purchasing metrics. Interpret and analyze data to identify opportunities to maximize cost savings and improve inventory turns.
• Navigate, review, and evaluate data provided in Surecost purchasing system to assess purchasing options. Place daily orders for medication and supplies in an accurate and timely manner. Manage purchasing spend to maximize margin and ensure compliance with generic and warehouse purchasing targets.
• Review, update, and maintain drug file to ensure clean and accurate formulary. Identify issues/errors and update NDCs in a timely manner. Audit for accuracy.
• Under direction from Support Services Purchasing, respond to and manage brand purchases in advance of price increases and generic events, to minimize inventory impact and maximize margin.
• Communicate relevant updates and problem resolution concerning product availability, pricing, and alternative products to pharmacy staff.
• Coordinate returns of overstocked/mis‑ordered items to appropriate vendor in a timely manner to ensure full credit when possible.
• Process and arrange for expired and recalled inventory to be returned for credit or disposal.
• Coordinate and organize quarterly physical inventory. This includes quarterly updates to review turns, cycle count accuracy, purchase versus dispense reporting, and par level updates.
• Perform audit counts to maintain perpetual reordering system.
• Ensure accurate processing of purchase orders and invoices.
• Attend monthly calls and in person annual meeting with Support Services Purchasing to stay abreast of updates and current issues related to purchasing. Uses information, reporting and tools provided to effectively manage purchasing spend.
• Maintain all policies and procedures for functional area.
• Work independently and exercise independent judgement to resolve issues and deliver deadlines.
• Other essential functions and duties may be assigned as needed.

• High School Diploma or GED required;
  Bachelor's Degree (Math, Economics, Statistics, Business, or similar) preferred
• Pharmacy Technician license/certification/registration per state requirements;
  National Certification preferred (PTCB)

• 1+ years of related experience (advanced degree may substitute for experience)
• Advanced proficiency in pharmacy operations system (Sure Cost/Frameworks/QS1) preferred.
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel
• Ability to work independently and deliver to deadlines.
• Ability to solve problems with minimal direction.
• Great attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to excel in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented environment working on multiple tasks simultaneously, while adhering to strict deadlines
• Quality minded; motivated to seek out errors, inquire about inaccuracies and resolve as…