Purchasing Associate

Zoetis Veterinary Medical Research & Development (VMRD) team in Zaventem is looking for a Purchasing Associate.

The Purchasing Associate (PA) is responsible for interfacing across VMRD to assist with the purchasing of goods and services. They are responsible for managing the end-to-end procure-to-pay (P2P) process for key suppliers and outsourced services.

This role provides purchasing expertise to the organization across multiple teams and disciplines to ensure execution of operational objectives.

They work closely with other PAs, Category Sourcing Managers (CSMs) and Contract Managers (CMs), as part of the Vendor & Contract Management (VCM) team and collaborate with project coordinators to support expense management of key projects across the portfolio. This role partners closely with the Finance, Legal, Compliance and Procurement Departments to ensure that all purchases are made within budget and in compliance with corporate Finance, Legal and Procurement policies.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Determine appropriate purchasing method (PO, Ariba ePay, PCard, Meeting Card, Non-PO Invoice, One-Time Payment, Down Payment etc.) based on Zoetis purchasing and accounting policies.
• Determine proper account coding for each purchase including accurate legal entities, plant codes, cost centers, general ledger accounts, and SAP WBS based on the chart of accounts.
• Follow-up and confirmation of Invoice payment and resolution of any issues.
• Set up vendors and update vendor information by working closely with the Vendor Management Team and Accounts Payable. Work closely with Category Sourcing Managers for orders over thresholds and for new vendors and vendor reactivations.
• Create and deliver training to VMRD users of PO Request system, Ariba, and SAP to ensure external R&D portfolio activities move quickly and accurately throughout the purchasing process. Manage process gaps between requestors and suppliers, and the Zoetis Financial Systems teams.
• Manage regular process changes and guidance provided from functions such as: Legal, Compliance, Tax,  Accounts Payable, Procurement Support Center, Zoetis Financial Services and VMRD Finance.
• Provide subject matter expertise on all aspects of the Procure-to-Pay space including system and policy changes related to procurement and compliance activities.
• Create training documents and act as trainer for PAs and other PA roles at other sites. Provide training to newly integrated sites to establish consistency of process across the VMRD organization.
• Foster a collaborative relationship with Project Coordinators and Finance to ensure an efficient end-to-end process for project spending.

Requirements:

• Exceptional attention to detail is essential
• Ability to manage a large volume of varied requests and to creatively solve issues that arise
• High School Diploma and additional training and/or direct experience with accounting, procurement or finance tracking tools and practices. 
• Experience desirable with the following programs:  Ariba, SAP
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively within an aligned team are critical for this position.