Purchasing Agent - Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network : Job Details

Purchasing Agent

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network

Job Location : Allentown,PA, USA

Posted on : 2025-08-07T07:15:22Z

Job Description :

JOB SUMMARY
- To acquire goods and services in accordance with Good Shepherd's mission, values and policies while maintaining the critical balance between organizational, financial and patient care objectives. Also provide a variety of medical and non-medical supplies and equipment and other materials by pricing and negotiations.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- DEVELOPS SOURCES FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF SUPPLIES, SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT
  - Makes initial contact with potential vendors for the purpose of determining their ability to provide goods and services.
  - Attends vendor fairs, demonstrations and educational workshops when available for the purpose of evaluating potential vendor provided products and services.
  - Reviews professional publications for new provider sources, trends and other developments which have the potential to impact the decisions of the organization in vendor selection.
  - Establishes and maintains a professional network of relations with vendor account representatives for the purpose of maintaining an orderly exchange of information with regard to organizational relations.
- PROCURES SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT
  - Reviews requisitions for accuracy, completeness and compliance with policy.
  - Keeps alert for unusual patterns of usage, spikes in demand, or other potentials for supply disruption.
  - Confers with vendors regarding ability and availability of products and services to fulfill demand.
  - Selects between approved products and equipment by determining the lowest total cost of ownership.
  - When making one time high dollar purchases, as defined by established procedures, uses a comparative bidding process to determine the most advantageous acquisition.
  - Determines the best method of acquisition on an ongoing basis.
  - Facilitates the expedited purchases as required to fulfill clinical needs.
  - Purchases supplies using a corporate Procurement Card.
- PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING SUPPLY, SERVICE AND EQUIPMENT SELECTION
  - Participates in the Request for Proposal/Quote/Pricing process as deemed required by internal customers, management and organizational goals or directives.
  - Processes requests for information from GSRN internal customers and locations, revising and clarifying as necessary before transmitting to vendors.
  - Facilitates material substitutions by coordinating conditional approvals as necessary.
  - Provides information and analysis necessary for decision making regarding product standardization.
  - Investigates potential vendors in regard to business practices, performance and customer satisfaction to provide for sound decision making by the Good Shepherd representative.
  - Acquires samples, schedules training sessions and facilitates implementation of new product lines as necessary to provide for a coordinated process of product replacement.
  - Maintains a representative voice in committees and groups involved in equipment, product, service and vendor selection processes throughout the organization, delegating that representation to others within Materials Management as necessary.
  - Coordinates all rental equipment, tracks , reviews, and calls for return pick-up as appropriate.
  - Tracks consigned equipment and coordinates repairs to them.
  - Coordinates and facilitates returns of medical and non-medical supplies and equipment.
  - Monitors NRAC national recall communication to check for recalled supplies or equipment previously purchased by GSRN or GSPP.
- FACILITATES VENDOR SELECTION AND CONTRACTING PROCESSES AS PART OF A MULTIFUNCTIONAL TEAM
  - Obtains customer needs pertaining to product/equipment/service specifications and requirements
  - Researches market and vendor choices by utilizing all available tools
  - Analyzes results concerning each vendor's products and/or services with regard to their value to customer
  - Initiates negotiation process with each selected vendor with focus on pricing, services and terms
  - Assists in selecting vendor based upon best overall advantage to Good Shepherd, patients and clinical outcomes
  - Obtains approval of contract and facilitates implementation
- MONITORS QUALITY OF SUPPLIES, SERVICE AND EQUIPMENT
  - Ensures adherence to established quality standards.
  - Documents, investigates and discusses occasions of defective or unacceptable goods, services or equipment with internal customers, vendors, management, professional groups, regulatory agencies and legal counsel as necessary.
  - Performs process analysis to determine root causes of insufficient fulfillment of the needs of the internal customers, devising and implementing corrective actions as required.
  - Acts as an initial arbiter of disputes regarding equipment, products and services, initiating the involvement of other interested parties as necessary to resolve the dispute.
- SUSTAINS COMPETITIVE COST PROFILES
  - Analyzes available contract pricing from Group Purchasing Organizations and other cooperative sources.
  - Negotiates advantageous pricing and disposal costs.
  - Researches new sources for competitive pricing profiles.
  - Looks for opportunities for cost reductions based on usage profiles and disposal methods.
  - Documents cost savings in accordance with annual goals.
- ASSURES PROPER PRICING
  - Uses the most advantageous available pricing structure when interacting with vendors.
  - Ensures the negotiated price is invoiced by verifying and authorizing invoices for payment whenever a discrepancy may arise.
  - Ensures correct pricing in MMIS database.
- TRACKS PATIENT RELATED EQUIPMENT RENTALS AND LEASES
  - Tracks rentals and leases in MMIS.
  - Tracks on/off dates, room numbers and PO numbers in MMIS.
- KEEPS CUSTOMERS INFORMED AND EDUCATED
  - Educates customers regarding Purchasing policies and the customer role within these policies.
  - Invites customers to participate in the vendor selection process whenever possible.
  - Confirms and clarifies orders and communicates essential information to the requestor.
  - Notes shipping dates or back-order delays by entering expected delivery into the MMIS.
  - Keeps customer informed of any pertinent information regarding their requests.
  - Assists internal customers with remedial training necessary to perform informational input tasks.
- TAKES NECESSARY STEPS WITH VENDORS FOR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
  - Contacts vendors based on product need to ensure their support during an emergency or event.
  - Ensures vendor has dedicated emergency contacts, their response time and requested product.
  - Obtain and maintain vendor's emergency plan / procedure.
  - Compiles a list of vendors with emergency numbers, response time and products purchased / rented from those vendors.
- MAINTAINS RECORDS
  - Enters purchase information into MMIS.
  - Files documents for retention as established by procedure.
  - Assists Auditors, Finance and Risk Management representatives as appropriate in providing requested information for the purpose of providing necessary documentation for completion of the audit.
- SUPPORTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT TEAM
  - Mentors other members of the department by providing guidance and resources as appropriate.
  - Attends programs, seminars and educational workshops to assure proficiency and expertise for the management of products, services and equipment.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  - Education
    - Bachelor's degree required OR
    - Previous, significant experience may be substituted
  - Work Experience
    - 5-7 years of experience with hospital purchasing, materials management, or directly related field such as supply and distribution required
  - Licenses / Certifications
    - Professional certification in Materials Management, Procurement or related field preferred

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