Buyer- Indirect Spend and CapEX

AFL manufactures industry-leading fiber optic cable, connectivity and accessories and provides engineering and installation services for some of the largest telecom customers in the world. Our company was founded in 1984 with a single fiber optic cable and today, we manufacture thousands of products, generate an excess of $2B in revenue, and employ approximately 11,000 associates worldwide. At AFL, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset. We hire and train each individual, investing in them to ensure success in their careers. With a commitment to professional development and growth, let us connect you to your next career opportunity.What We OfferA hybrid in office schedule for qualifying employees Flexible time off policy 401K Company match (up to 4% - dollar for dollar)Professional development, training, and tuition reimbursement programsExcellent medical, dental, vision, and life insurance policy optionsOpportunities for career advancement with an industry leading company!Job SummaryThe Indirect Spend Buyer is responsible for facilitating indirect procurement process at AFL with heavy emphasis on procurement of capital equipment, facility upgrades, and related services. This role develops sourcing strategies, negotiates contracts, and ensures timely delivery of CapEx projects while optimizing total cost of ownership and mitigating risk. The Buyer partners closely with Engineering, Operations, Finance, and other stakeholders to align procurement activities with project timelines and budget requirements. Key responsibilities include supplier performance management, contract negotiation, financial analysis, compliance with company policies, and driving continuous improvement in CapEx purchasing processes.ResponsibilitiesStrategic Sourcing & Category ManagementPerform standard purchase order management duties - placement, acknowledgement, follow up with suppliers, communication with stakeholders (requestors, receiving function, AFL PMO team, etc.)Build and execute category strategies for capital equipment and critical indirect services in accordance with communicated requirements from various AFL functions – leveraging market intelligence, should‑cost analysis, and TCO models.Create multi‑year roadmaps for preferred suppliers, standardization, and technology refresh cycles to reduce complexity and cost.Other Duties as assigned by Supply Chain Management TeamSupport the CapEx Procurement LifecycleLead sourcing, RFx (RFI/RFP/RFQ), commercial analysis, and award recommendations for capital equipment, tooling, facility upgrades, engineering services, etc.Develop and manage procurement plans aligned to project timelines, budget approvals, and stage‑gate processes.Coordinate pre‑install site readiness, logistics, commissioning, and warranty/after‑sales support planning.Supplier Identification, Evaluation & PerformanceIdentify and pre‑qualify OEMs and integrators; run competitive events; coordinate the evaluation of technical fit, capacity, lead times, and lifecycle support.Work with AFL user functions to onboard AFL selected suppliersNegotiate commercial terms, payment milestones, warranties, service levels, and performance guarantees; monitor supplier KPIs (OTD, quality, uptime, etc.)Contracting & Risk ManagementWork with AFL PMO team to draft and negotiate contracts, MSAs, SoWs, and equipment purchase agreements in partnership with AFL Legal team.Mitigate risks via milestone‑based payments, acceptance criteria, liquidated damages, spare parts strategies, and IP/technology protection.Ensure compliance with AFL company policies, audit requirements, and applicable regulations (e.g., safety, environmental, cybersecurity for connected equipment).Financial Stewardship & AnalyticsBuild cost models and business cases; perform TCO and ROI/NPV analyses; benchmark pricing and total lifecycle costs.Track and report savings (hard and soft), cost avoidance, cash flow timing, and capitalization vs. expense treatment in alignment with Finance.Validate invoices against milestones and deliverables; manage change orders and variance controls.Cross‑Functional CollaborationPartner with Engineering, Operations, Facilities, IT, EHS, and Finance to translate technical requirements into commercial outcomes.Facilitate design‑to‑cost and standardization decisions and equipment specification finalization.Drive consensus in vendor selection through structured scorecards and risk/benefit trade‑off reviews.Project & Stakeholder ManagementCollaborate closely with AFL PMO team to align procurement workstreams for multiple CapEx projects to timelines/dependencies with clear line of sight to critical path.Communicate status, risks, and mitigation actions to stakeholders; escalate issues proactively to enable on‑time commissioning.Data Integrity & SystemsMaintain accurate records in ERP (quotes, POs, contracts, assets); ensure item and supplier master data quality.Use dashboards to monitor budgets, commitments, forecasted cash out, and supplier performance; drive data‑backed decisions.Sustainability & ComplianceIntegrate ESG criteria into sourcing (energy efficiency, end‑of‑life recycling, supplier CSR practices).Ensure alignment to safety and regulatory requirements throughout equipment lifecycle.Continuous ImprovementIdentify opportunities to streamline CapEx purchasing, standardize specifications, and reduce total lifecycle cost.Lead post‑implementation reviews to capture lessons learned; institutionalize best practices and templates.Personal QualitiesCompelling and persuasive communicator with excellent interpersonal skillsAbility to analyze relevant metrics with good grasp of technical requirementsWorks well under pressure/stressHigh attention to detailQualificationsBachelor's Degree or Master's Degree PreferredProficient with MS Office Products; Excel specifically.Prior office related experience in Supply Chain functions requiredMinimum of 3 years experience with Indirect Spend and CapEx purchase negotiationsCPM, CPIM is a plusProject Management experience is a plusWorking ConditionsThe physical environment requires the employee to work indoors under climate controlled conditions. Employee may on occasion be required to work overtime.