A detective on the case…

By Sylvie Lemieux

Jean-Pierre Blainville, who is responsible for managing the supply chain at Teraxion, spends a part of his day making purchases. He is the one who orders everything the company needs, from fifty-cent pencils to a testing and measuring device that costs $500 000.

Jean-Pierre ensures that the products, components, materials and supplies arrive in sufficient quantities and within the necessary timeframes. Jean-Pierre must provide for the needs of all corporate departments, check inventory levels and reply to requests submitted to him. Once he has found everything he's looking for, he negotiates the best prices, drafts purchase orders and ensures that the merchandise received corresponds with what was ordered. He also supervises the work of the personnel in the Receiving and Shipping Department and that of the Customs Manager.

His eyes are always open

Jean-Pierre spends approximately 70% of his time on the telephone to maintain contact with suppliers or to find new ones. Furthermore, he always has one eye on the computer screen consulting the Internet, a highly instrumental search tool, and the other perusing the latest in specialized magazines or information documents.

"I have to be up on the latest trends in the industry," Jean-Pierre explained. "It is also important to have a great network of contacts. Since the world of photonics is small, we end up knowing people at many companies, and they can be a great source of information. At the same time, it is important to be careful not to say too much and give away industry secrets."

Detective Skills

According to Jean-Pierre, to succeed in this trade, it is important to have detective skills. "At a company like TeraXion, requests often pertain to new products or technologies," he explained. "You need to conduct a great deal of research in order to find exactly what the internal client is looking for - and to find it quickly. It takes determination and a great deal of patience."

Since requests are often urgent, the buyer must have a high stress tolerance. "We are rarely able to plan far in advance since we manufacture according to our clients' orders. Their needs are often pressing."

With a Bachelor of Administration degree, Jean-Pierre completed his education with a certificate in supply management. He also took development courses in his field. In his opinion, numerous companies assign the buyer position to an engineer. In the course of his duties, he often interacts with these types of professionals. "They expect me to have a certain level of technical knowledge, and to know what I'm talking about," he said. "It is therefore necessary to demonstrate curiosity and a thirst for knowledge in order to appreciate the complexity of the products available on the market."

Owing to the fact that suppliers are located all around the world, expertise in French and English is important in order to succeed in this line of work. Self-reliance and a keen sense of organization are other qualities required to perform the duties of the Senior Buyer. You have to know how to manage your time so that you are as effective as possible," he continued. "In the high tech sector, we have to expect to work long hours. My days start early, often at 6:30, and they normally end at 5 p.m."

The Senior Buyer holds a strategic position in the organization. "Thanks to effective management of the supply chain, a company can save a lot of money," Jean-Pierre confirmed. Moreover, next to the Human Resources Department, the Buyer is the individual who has the most contact with all personnel. "Accordingly, this individual has to know all the divisions of the company he or she works for and quickly become a resource person. He or she also serves as company representative for suppliers," he concluded.