Buyer

Responsible for executing day-to-day tactical and operational procurement within the civil engineering business. The primary focus is to secure civil construction materials, heavy plant hire (yellow metal), earthworks components, and site subcontracts at the most competitive price, ensuring continuous site production while protecting corporate financial margins. The role requires maintaining high compliance under South African construction regulatory bodies and procurement scorecards.

3. Key Responsibilities & Duties

· Material Sourcing & Negotiation: Source key civil materials including concrete, rebar, pipes, aggregates, cement, and road-marking essentials. Negotiate competitive prices, credit limits, and delivery lead times with bulk vendors.

· Plant Hire & Logistics: Coordinate external short- and long-term rental frameworks for heavy earthmoving machinery, small tools, and site support fleets. Align deliveries with engineering project timelines.

· Subcontractor Procurement: Compile and issue Requests for Quotations (RFQs) based on engineering drawings and Bills of Quantities (BOQ). Review subcontractor bid submissions for technical and commercial alignment.

· Tender & Estimation Pricing: Collaborate closely with estimating teams during bid submission phases to extract current, accurate market-related material pricing updates from reliable local suppliers.

· Inventory & Site Store Governance: Oversee material receipt processes alongside site store controllers. Verify delivery dockets against purchase orders to eliminate shortfalls and control shrinkage.

· Supplier Performance Auditing: Monitor on-time delivery metrics, product quality standards, and overall reliability. Flag underperforming vendors and build out strong supply chain redundancies.

4. South African Regulatory & Compliance Mandates

· B-BBEE Preferential Sourcing: Actively track and execute purchasing metrics aligned with the Amended Construction Sector Charter. Source from black-owned, women-owned, and local Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) or Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs).

· CIDB Grading Structures: Ensure all engineering and site subcontractors possess matching, verified registrations from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) prior to contract award.

· OHS Act Adherence: Verify that vendors providing site-based services, transport, or dangerous materials comply fully with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, presenting up-to-date letters of good standing.

5. Experience & Qualifications Required

· Academic Credentials: National Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Quantity Surveying, or Civil Engineering.

· Industry Experience: 3 to 7 years of dedicated buying/procurement experience inside a South African civil engineering, roadworks, bulk earthworks, or heavy construction firm.

· Professional Association: Registered student or full membership with the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) or SAPICS is highly advantageous.

· Mobility: A valid South African Code B driver's license and a reliable personal vehicle are strictly required due to compulsory site visits.

6. Technical Systems & Systems Proficiency

System Category

Preferred Software

Functional Purpose

Construction ERP

BuildSmart / SAP / JDE

Processing purchase orders, managing supplier approvals, and handling cost center matching.

Tendering & Costing

CCS Candy / Ribbon Prism

Comparing incoming supplier rates against bulk project budgets and material take-offs.

Financial Admin

Sage Pastel / Oracle

Reconciling supplier invoices with delivery notes for seamless accounting workflows.

Data Analysis

Advanced MS Excel

Creating multi-vendor quote comparison matrices, tracking spending patterns, and running pivot sheets.

Pay: R10 000,00 - R40 000,00 per month

Work Location: In person