Procurement Specialist

Job Summary

The Procurement Specialist is responsible for the facilitation of material and service purchases for the organization. This includes facilitating Requests for Information, Quotes, Bids, Proposals (RFX) processes, developing contracts, supporting vendor negotiations, and ensuring purchasing activities occur in a timely manner while adhering to CORE policies and regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Facilitates the process for various RFX activities by partnering with internal stakeholders. This includes a strong knowledge of various procurement activities such as requests for bids, proposals, information, quotes, etc.
• Capable of effectively partnering with various levels and teams within the organization to facilitate purchasing activities.
• Supports and develops forecasting processes and review mechanisms for future inventory requirements (e.g. new consumer projects, system improvements, etc.). This role must collaboratively work across the organization to confirm material needs and place requisitions to ensure material is ordered and received ahead of material requirement dates.
• Reviews forecasted demand and supply with stakeholders, vendors, and suppliers to ensure material availability, project needs, and internal demand is met.
• Maintains updated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system training material for the Supply Chain Department. Supports testing and documentation of new software upgrades and patches for ERP system.
• Supports contract development and vendor negotiation strategies to ensure the organization receives the best possible value from vendors.
• Supports contract administration. This includes enforcing contract compliance, service level agreements, pricing structures, amendments, and a variety of other responsibilities.
• Actively seeks opportunities to leverage different purchasing strategies that better support the organization.
• Knowledgeable about various types of contracts, amendments, and agreements and able to apply them in appropriate situations. This includes the ability to provide consultation, best practices, and ensure CORE policies are met.
• Executes various purchasing documents including PR’s, PO’s, PA’s, product specifications, etc. in a manner that meets cost, schedule, and quality goals. This includes ensuring purchasing, receiving, invoicing and various other master data is accurate and updated in CORE’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
• Supports inventory management, forecasted purchasing coordination, and supply chain improvement initiatives.
• Capable of establishing vendor performance metrics and holding vendors accountable through regular vendor performance meetings and standards. Ensures contract compliance, service level, price mechanisms, and key performance indicators (KPI’s) are met.
• Works with vendors and suppliers proactively to identify supply chain risks including delays related to transportation, manufacturing, natural disasters, and any other reasonably expected risks.
• Supports department and company KPI reporting.
• Identifies opportunities to reduce non-essential inventory. This includes proactively identifying deadstock, excess, and obsolete inventory and seeking approval to dispose of or sell non-essential inventory.
• Responsible to contribute to a positive work environment by treating others with honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and professionalism. Promptly address challenges with courtesy and respect.
• Demonstrates the ability to troubleshoot, follow-up, mitigate, and ensure that barriers and obstacles are actively managed and accounted for and managed throughout.
• Performs other duties as directed.

Minimum Qualifications of Position

• Associates degree in Supply Chain Management, Inventory Management, Business Administration or similar. Willing to consider relevant years of experience in lieu of degree.
• Two years of inventory and purchasing related experience.
• Demonstrated ability and understanding of various purchasing mechanisms, contract types, and pricing models.
• Strong negotiating skills and attention to detail to ensure CORE receives the best possible value for all materials and services.
• Experience with ERP Enterprise Resource Planning software system in the fields of inventory master data, warehousing, accounts payable or purchasing.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite - specifically Excel, Outlook, Word, Teams, and SharePoint.

Preferred Qualifications of Position

• Bachelors degreein Supply Chain Management, Inventory Management, Business Administration or similar. Willing to consider relevant years of experience in lieu of degree.
• Supply Chain industry certifications; APICS or ISM/CPSM.
• Two years’ experience in electrical utility operations.
• Experience in data analytics and capable of recommending and driving solutions.
• Experience writing contracts or technical documents.
• Experience with the NISC ERP software.
• Experience in inventory forecasting and project material support.

Knowledge and Skills

Job Specific Skills and Knowledge

• Owns purchasing life cycle from PR to delivery
• Vendor onboarding and management
• Market research and price benchmarking
• Strong technical writing capabilities
• Provides expertise on proposal scoring and assessments
• ERP/WMS system proficiency

Professionalism & Integrity

• Demonstrates a high degree of integrity, honesty, and discretion in all interactions
• Maintains confidentiality and objectivity in complex and sensitive situations
• Communicates clearly and professionally in both written and verbal formats

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

• Practices active listening and demonstrates social perceptiveness to understand others’ perspectives.
• Uses diplomacy and tact when interacting with team members, vendors, and stakeholders
• Effectively delivers presentations and conveys information to groups
• Applies persuasion and negotiation techniques to influence outcomes and resolve conflicts
• Exhibits a strong service orientation, proactively seeking ways to support others

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

• Applies logic and reasoning to evaluate options and make sound decisions
• Identifies and solves both routine and complex problems using structured approaches
• Capable of multi-tasking, managing competing priorities, and deadlines.
• Demonstrates judgment in weighing costs, benefits, and risks of potential actions

Collaboration & Leadership

• Self-motivated, takes initiative and ownership of responsible tasks.
• Coordinates effectively with others to achieve shared goals
• Instructs and mentors team members to build capability and knowledge
• Manages time efficiently, both individually and across teams
• Leads projects with defined scope, timelines, and deliverables

Analytical & Technical Competence

• Monitors performance metrics and uses data to drive improvements
• Conducts systems analysis and evaluations to optimize operations
• Understands technology design and adapts tools to meet user needs

Learning & Development

• Selects appropriate learning strategies for self and others
• Well organized and able to manage multiple tasks in various stages of the process
• Documents processes and demonstrates continuous improvement mindset
• Demonstrates active learning and adapts quickly to new processes or systems

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

The duties and tasks involve sedentary work and require the ability to lift a maximum of 25 pounds.  Physical demands also include good manual dexterity.  Working conditions are predominantly in an inside environment but would require occasional vendor and site visits. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Note: This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned.