Buyer

Conair is the largest, privately owned, fixed-wing aerial firefighting company in the world, operating a fleet of 70 specialized aircraft to fight forest fires. We have been supporting government agencies around the globe for over 50 years, with a reputation for providing service excellence, making us an industry leader. We are aerospace engineering experts, creating 15 different airtanker types, converting hundreds of aircraft into airtankers. We are aviation maintenance experts, performing repair, maintenance, and overhaul on our fleet. And we are operators, providing airtankers, crew and maintenance on contract over fire seasons to government agencies including Canada, the US, Australia, and France. The culture at Conair is built on a teamwork, with a commitment to people, safety, and service. We are proud of who we are, what we do and how we do it, protecting our world from wildfires.We currently have an opening for a full-time permanent Buyer based in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada.The Buyer position is responsible for the procurement of parts and commodities to support Maintenance and Production for the entire Conair fleet. This individual will be conversant with all commodities and capable of performing all purchasing and sourcing functions. This position requires the ability to work with minimal supervision, prioritize work to meet maintenance schedules, customer demand, and resolve problems of defective parts or materials.In this role your duties will include the following:Launch RFP, RFQ, obtain written quotations for purchases. Analyze quotes to provide the best TCO for Conair. Identify possible alternates and determine actual need of requested parts, issue and place purchase orders and follow-up orders, communication with requisitioner on an exception basis;Manage the entry of purchase order information and work within multiple databases ensuring customer inventory and purchase requirements are segregated and expensed accordingly;Manage the flow from the point of purchase to successful receipt of parts or services. Responsible for the resolution of all claims or problems to acquire conforming product and escalation or consultation with management in unusual or particularly difficult situations;Manage schedules and shortages to understand where expediting is required. Communicate proactively to internal and external customers the status of outstanding parts or services;Perform sourcing activities including conducting research into vendors and potential vendors;Coordinate with Engineering on product improvements, providing solutions to time-sensitive issues, change requests, and projects as they arise; Provide AOG support to the fleet by coordinating with the team to respond to part, service, quality, or technical requests. With 24/7 AOG support provided, there is a rotational schedule where being on-call to manage AOGs will be required; Manage supplier communication as a primary point of contact including phone calls, conference calls, email support, and direct inquiries amongst other pertinent stakeholders within the organization;Perform other related duties as required.We are looking for someone with:Knowledge of policies, procedures, and best purchasing practices as they apply to Material Management;Ability to review existing practices, procedures and recommend changes to support long term company business plans and build KPI’s;Ability to maintain detailed records;Well-developed negotiating skills acquired through experience and formal training;Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships and work effectively with individuals at all organizational levels;Strong knowledge of MS Office programs, namely Excel, and prior experience operating within ERP systems and business intelligence tools is a distinct asset; Ability to work under pressure, resolve problems and effectively manage several projects at the time.Training/Education:Completion of Grade 12Some CollegePrevious purchasing experience, preferably in the aviation industry;APICS, SCMA, or other Supply Chain Management designation is a plus; If you are qualified and interested in this position, please submit your resume to with Buyer in the subject line.