Technical Buyer – Procurement & Sage X3

CFW Fans (Pty) Ltd, an SABS ISO 9001 certified company, holds a prominent market position in Southern Africa, specialising in the design, manufacture, and distribution of fans for the industrial, mining, power generation, and HVAC sectors.

Since its founding as Continental Fan Works in 1966, CFW has built extensive expertise and knowledge, establishing itself as a trusted supplier of industrial fans to leading corporations both within South Africa and internationally.

The company employs a diverse workforce with a strong skill set in engineering. We are currently seeking a

Technical Buyer - Procurement & Sage X3 to join our team.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Technical Buyer is responsible for the effective procurement of technical components, raw materials, manufactured parts, services and consumables required to support the company's manufacturing and project requirements.

The role combines technical procurement knowledge, supplier management and ERP capability, with particular emphasis on accurate purchasing, cost control, material availability and maintaining reliable procurement information .

The successful candidate must be able to understand engineering drawings, specifications, BOMs and technical requirements, communicate effectively with suppliers and internal departments, and ensure that materials are purchased at the right quality, specification, price and delivery date.

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Technical Procurement

• Review purchase requisitions, BOMs, drawings and technical specifications prior to procurement.
• Source and purchase mechanical, electrical, fabrication and general manufacturing components.
• Identify suitable suppliers based on technical capability, quality, price, capacity and lead time.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier quotations and negotiate commercial terms.
• Compare technical and commercial quotations and identify cost-saving opportunities.
• Ensure purchased materials conform to approved specifications and drawings.
• Liaise with Engineering/Drawing Office where technical clarification is required.
• Source alternatives for obsolete, unavailable or long-lead components, subject to technical approval.
• Develop and maintain approved supplier and alternative-source options.
• Support procurement of locally manufactured and imported components.

• Sage X3 - Procurement & ERP

• Create and maintain purchase orders within Sage X3.
• Process purchase requisitions and convert approved requirements into purchase orders.
• Maintain accurate supplier, item, pricing and purchasing information in Sage X3.
• Ensure correct item codes, descriptions, units of measure, prices and delivery dates are captured.
• Monitor outstanding purchase orders and update expected delivery dates.
• Follow up overdue purchase orders and maintain accurate ERP delivery information.
• Assist with supplier and item master-data accuracy.
• Monitor purchasing transactions and resolve discrepancies between requisitions, purchase orders, goods receipts and supplier invoices.
• Generate procurement reports and use Sage X3 information to support purchasing decisions.
• Assist with ERP process improvements and standardisation within the procurement function.

• Supplier Management

• Develop and maintain professional relationships with key suppliers.
• Conduct regular supplier follow-ups on pricing, lead times, quality and delivery.
• Escalate potential supply interruptions before they affect production.
• Monitor supplier performance against agreed delivery and quality requirements.
• Assist with supplier evaluations and performance reviews.
• Identify opportunities for supplier consolidation, dual sourcing and cost reduction.
• Support supplier negotiations and annual/periodic price reviews.
• Ensure supplier price increases are properly communicated, reviewed and approved before implementation.

• Production & Material Availability

• Work closely with Production Planning, Stores, Engineering, Sales and Projects to ensure material availability.
• Review upcoming production requirements and identify potential procurement risks.
• Prioritise critical and long-lead materials based on production requirements.
• Monitor material shortages and provide realistic delivery dates to internal stakeholders.
• Assist with expediting critical components.
• Support production planning by maintaining accurate supplier delivery information.
• Identify procurement constraints that may affect manufacturing schedules.

• Cost Management

• Obtain competitive pricing and maintain market awareness of key commodities and components.
• Conduct price comparisons and maintain procurement cost records.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction through alternative suppliers, materials, specifications or purchasing strategies.
• Monitor historical pricing and supplier increases within Sage X3.
• Assist with should-cost analysis and supplier price negotiations.
• Ensure purchases are made within approved budgets and delegated authority levels.

• Quality & Compliance

• Ensure purchased materials comply with required technical, quality and regulatory specifications.
• Request and verify certificates of compliance, material certificates and other required documentation.
• Assist with supplier-related NCRs and quality issues.
• Liaise with Quality and Engineering departments on supplier non-conformances.
• Assist in recovering costs associated with supplier quality failures where applicable.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company procedures and ISO 9001 requirements.

• INTERNAL INTERFACES

The Technical Buyer will work closely with:

• Procurement / Supply Chain
• Engineering / Drawing Office
• Production
• Production Planning
• Stores / Warehouse
• Quality Assurance
• Finance
• Sales & Projects
• Senior Management

The position requires strong communication across departments to ensure that procurement decisions support the overall manufacturing schedule and business requirements.

• MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Grade 12 / Matric.
• Diploma, certificate or relevant qualification in Procurement, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• 3-5 years' purchasing/buying experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment.
• Practical experience using Sage X3, preferably within procurement, purchasing, inventory or manufacturing.
• Experience purchasing technical or engineered products/components.
• Ability to read and understand engineering drawings, specifications and BOMs.
• Experience with supplier negotiations and quotation comparisons.
• Strong Excel and Microsoft Office skills.

Advantageous:

• Experience within an OEM, industrial manufacturing, fabrication or engineering environment.
• Exposure to MRP/ERP-driven production environments.
• Experience with imported materials and international suppliers.
• Knowledge of electrical and mechanical components.
• Understanding of ISO 9001 procurement requirements.
• Technical qualification or engineering-related experience.
• Experience with Sage X3 stock, purchasing and supplier modules.

• TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

Sage X3

• Purchase requisitions
• Purchase orders
• Supplier management
• Item/master data
• Stock availability
• Delivery-date management
• Procurement reporting
• ERP data accuracy

Technical Procurement

• BOM interpretation
• Engineering drawings
• Material specifications
• Component identification
• Supplier technical comparisons
• Manufacturing processes
• Raw materials
• Mechanical and electrical components

Commercial

• Supplier quotation analysis
• Price negotiation
• Cost comparison
• Lead-time analysis
• Payment terms
• Cost-saving initiatives
• Supplier performance management

• KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

Performance will be measured against:

• Purchase order accuracy.
• On-time material availability.
• Supplier on-time delivery performance.
• Procurement cost savings and cost avoidance.
• Supplier price competitiveness.
• Reduction in production stoppages caused by material shortages.
• Purchase order and Sage X3 data accuracy.
• Purchase order turnaround time.
• Reduction in overdue purchase orders.
• Supplier quality performance.
• Effective management of critical and long-lead items.
• Compliance with procurement procedures and delegated authority.

• PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate should be:

• Commercially aware and cost-conscious.
• Technically minded and comfortable working with engineering information.
• Highly organised and methodical.
• Detail-oriented with strong data accuracy.
• Proactive in identifying supply risks.
• Confident when negotiating with suppliers.
• Able to work under pressure without compromising accuracy.
• Strong in follow-up and task ownership.
• Comfortable working across multiple departments.
• Able to distinguish between genuine production-critical requirements and routine purchasing requirements.
• A problem solver who takes ownership of procurement issues through to resolution.

• ROLE EXPECTATION

The Technical Buyer is expected to move beyond transactional purchasing and provide procurement value-add to the business.

This includes actively identifying:

• Cost reduction opportunities
• Alternative suppliers
• Alternative materials/components
• Supply-chain risks
• Long-lead items
• Supplier performance issues
• Inventory optimisation opportunities
• Process improvements
• ERP/data improvements

The role should contribute to creating a procurement environment where materials are available when required, at the correct specification, quality and commercial value, while maintaining accurate and reliable information in Sage X3.

• AUTHORITY & ACCOUNTABILITY

The Technical Buyer is accountable for the accuracy and effectiveness of procurement activities within their delegated authority.

Purchasing decisions must comply with:

• Approved supplier requirements
• Company procurement procedures
• Delegated purchasing limits
• Approved budgets
• Engineering specifications
• Quality requirements
• Sage X3 processes and controls

Any technical substitution, specification change or deviation from an approved requirement must receive the appropriate internal technical approval before purchase.