For this first employee portrait, we interviewed Camille LETERRIER, Lead Buyer. This portrait is the first of a long series: #MeetTheTeam.
What’s your background within Kersia?
I began my Kersia adventure in 2019 as part of my final internship for my Masters in Purchasing at Rennes School of Business. I was able to understand all the different aspects of the role of a buyer in a vibrant, dynamic and, above all, international environment.
The adventure has continued after my graduation in December 2019 as Raw Materials Buyer for France and at Corporate level, starting my career in an economic, geopolitical and health context that is certainly uncertain, but nonetheless stimulating, motivating and a real source of daily challenges.
How would you describe your role in 3 words?
Curiosity, tenacity and anticipation.
Talk us through a day in the life of a buyer at Kersia.
The primary role of a buyer at Kersia is to ensure the continuity of supplies in order to guarantee production and delivery to our customers, and at the best prices. We’re a key part of securing our margins.
We’re responsible for negotiating with our suppliers, for the proper execution of purchasing contracts, and for managing any potential commercial disputes. To do all this, you first have to build close and solid relationships with your partners. Transparency is therefore a key driver in building long-term relationships.
Negotiating and making sure you buy at the right price also means buyers need to have perfect knowledge of the materials they’re buying, as well as user industries, geographic production zones and the manufacturing process itself, alongside keeping yourself informed on a daily basis of the latest news and events that could have an impact on activity in terms of availability and prices. Staying up to date means you can anticipate any potential difficulties and seek out solutions to meet internal needs.
Across the Group, communication is also at the heart of our business, both internally and externally. It’s important to share information and market trends and give visibility to other departments, as well as sharing all the elements to local buyers to implement various actions.
Monitoring figures and setting up purchasing KPIs is an essential part of achieving our objectives. Being a buyer at Kersia requires having an “appetite” for numbers so you can identify the relevant performance indicators. As Corporate, we’re also responsible for monitoring subsidiaries in terms of what we call strategic materials, supporting them and giving them the tools and keys they need to successfully do their work.
What would you say to someone thinking of becoming a buyer at Kersia?
I’d tell them the global context is tense and that they’ll need to demonstrate resilience and perseverance, but the role is full of opportunities to learn. The Purchasing team in which you will develop is constantly evolving and adapting with the organisation all the time. Acquiring knowledge and expertise is constant and allows you to nurture your ambitions.
Why join Kersia?
The Group is one that’s growing, with an international dimension that offers so many opportunities and possibilities. Kersia advocates personal qualities and gives opportunities to more junior profiles.
The Group also has strong ambitions in terms of development and a strategy that responds to the challenges of tomorrow, and particularly the environment.
Joining Kersia as a buyer means growing professionally in a dynamic market, pushing yourself and your expertise further and stepping up to various challenges linked to the growth of the business.
We would like to thank Camille for this interview!
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