Technical Buyer (Transport & Fleet Maintenance)
The Technical Buyer will drive operational uptime for the Transport Department's mixed fleet of heavy and mobile machinery by rapidly and accurately procuring critical technical spare parts, components, and associated maintenance services. This is a specialized technical parts-procurement role rather than a general transactional buying function.
Key Responsibilities
Spare Parts & Component Sourcing: Procure OEM, genuine, and aftermarket spare parts, replacement/wear items, GET/bucket teeth, engine/powertrain/electrical components, and undercarriage parts driven by active fleet breakdowns.
Maintenance & Service Contracting: Source mechanical/hydraulic repairs, component/machine rebuilds, engine overhauls, final-drive/transmission repairs, and field-service coordination.
Fleet Support & Equipment Sourcing: Support selective sourcing of trucks, forklifts, yellow equipment, and mobile plant as operational needs dictate.
Inventory & ERP Control: Maintain appropriate stockholding levels and collaborate with plant buyers/storemen to ensure SAP accurately reflects physical inventory.
Vendor & Commercial Management: Manage local and international vendors, negotiating contracts, pricing, and delivery terms to balance cost, lead times, and uptime.
Compliance & Technical Traceability: Ensure adherence to procurement policies, support routine audits, and attach spec sheets, photographs, and VIN/make/model details to material numbers.
Key Requirements
Minimum 5 years in technical procurement focusing on mobile equipment and spare parts.
Domain Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of yellow equipment, earthmoving machinery, heavy mobile plant, trucks, and forklifts.
Ability to evaluate and procure parts/components technically rather than relying blindly on catalogue descriptions.
Proven hands-on experience in SAP or equivalent ERP environment.
Core Competencies: Technical negotiation, cross-functional stakeholder communication, vendor performance management, and breakdown-response agility.
This role will suit an experienced technical buyer with hands-on procurement experience for spare parts/components used in yellow equipment, earthmoving/ heavy mobile machinery, and with broad multi-brand exposure.
This is a full time office based role in Germiston.