Maintenance Procurement Specialist

Job Summary

The Maintenance Procurement Specialist is responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and vendor management activities for maintenance materials, equipment components, PPE, safety supplies, maintenance chemicals, sanitation supplies, and other indirect plant purchases. This position serves as the primary procurement resource for maintenance and plant support operations, managing competitive bidding, supplier relationships, cost-reduction initiatives, purchase order administration, and procurement process compliance. The role exercises independent judgment in purchasing decisions and works closely with Maintenance, Operations, Finance, and Corporate Procurement to ensure the timely and cost-effective acquisition of goods and services that support safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations.

Essential Functions

• Serve as the primary procurement resource for maintenance materials, replacement parts, indirect plant supplies, PPE, safety products, maintenance chemicals, sanitation supplies, and operational consumables, ensuring uninterrupted availability to support maintenance and plant operations.
• Research, source, evaluate, and procure materials, equipment, components, and supplies while considering quality, availability, lead times, service levels, and overall cost effectiveness.
• Obtain, analyze, and compare supplier quotations; manage purchasing activities within assigned spend categories; and make procurement decisions in alignment with company policies, approval requirements, and operational objectives.
• Identify and implement cost-saving and continuous improvement opportunities through strategic sourcing, supplier consolidation, product standardization, volume purchasing, spend analysis, and process enhancements.
• Create, process, and manage purchase requisitions and purchase orders, ensuring accuracy, proper coding, timely approvals, complete documentation, and effective monitoring of open orders through delivery.
• Coordinate with suppliers and cross-functional, including Finance, Maintenance, Operations, and Corporate Procurement, to resolve purchasing discrepancies, invoice issues, pricing variances, delivery concerns, and supplier-related matters.
• Maintain accurate supplier records, pricing information, procurement documentation, and purchasing data within ERP, CMMS, and other applicable systems.
• Evaluate and monitor supplier performance related to quality, delivery, responsiveness, pricing, and service; analyze purchasing and supplier performance metrics; and provide recommendations for improvement to management.
• Ensure compliance with company purchasing policies, internal financial controls, food safety programs, and regulatory requirements, including SQF, GMP, HACCP, Quality Assurance, and Safety standards.
• Communicate procurement activities, supplier issues, cost-saving initiatives, and material availability risks to management through clear and effective verbal and written communication.
• Maintain a positive attitude, contribute to a quality-focused work environment, and demonstrate excellent regular attendance.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: N/A

Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must work in a safe and efficient manner and follow all safety procedures, including the use of required safety equipment.
• Must demonstrate sound judgment and independent decision-making when carrying out procurement and sourcing responsibilities.
• Must possess a strong understanding of purchasing, sourcing, vendor management, and procurement processes.
• Must be able to research, evaluate, and source maintenance materials, replacement parts, indirect plant supplies, and operational consumables.
• Must be able to utilize ERP, CMMS, and other business systems to process, track, and analyze purchasing activities.
• Must have the ability to analyze quotations, pricing, lead times, supplier performance, and total cost considerations to support purchasing decisions.
• Must be organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Must possess strong problem-solving skills and demonstrate persistence in resolving purchasing, supplier, and material availability issues.
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively with vendors, maintenance personnel, operations personnel, finance personnel, and management.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Must maintain accurate records and documentation while ensuring compliance with company purchasing policies and procedures.
• Must possess strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Must be able to work effectively with limited supervision in key areas of responsibility.
• Must be willing to seek guidance or assistance when business requirements, procedures, or purchasing decisions are unclear.
• Demonstrated experience sourcing maintenance materials, replacement parts, indirect plant supplies, and supplier management activities.
• Experience obtaining quotations, evaluating bids, negotiating pricing, and supporting cost-reduction initiatives.
• Experience utilizing CMMS, ERP, inventory management, or procurement systems to support purchasing and operational activities.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound business decisions independently.
• Advanced computational and data analysis skills required.
• Must demonstrate good judgement when carrying out duties as assigned.

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Procurement, or a related field required; or a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in maintenance purchasing, procurement, sourcing, inventory management, maintenance planning support, or related supply chain functions within a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 3 years food, beverage, or dairy industry experience is required.

Language Skills

English is required as the written and spoken language. 

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: N/A

Driving Requirements

Must possess or be able to acquire a state issued Driver’s License.

Equipment

Personal protective equipment including, but not limited to: hearing protection, bump caps, hair and beard nets, gloves, and safety glasses must be used in the performance of duties will be required when working in our manufacturing sites.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The company will make reasonable accommodations that do not cause an undue hardship if such an accommodation enables individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.  This role is primarily working in an office setting; but on occasion will travel to manufacturing sites.

ADA/FEHA

The Company will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act.

EEO

The Company is an equal employment opportunity employer.

Physical Demands

The physical requirements outlined here represent those necessary for successful performance of this position's core responsibilities. Upon request, the company will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these fundamental job duties, provided such accommodations do not create an undue burden on the organization.

• Sitting/Standing/Walking:  Each work day the office personnel spend about 75% of their time sitting at their desk while performing computer or manual accounting and other clerical duties.  They walk short distances to retrieve and replace files, to photocopy or fax documents, and to interact with other office personnel.
• Lifting/Carrying:  Each work day the office personnel rarely carry items weighing over 15 to 20 lbs.  Most items would be files or documents weighing less than 10 lbs., and most would be carried short distances.  They are directed to seed assistance for heavier items such as a full box of photocopy paper.
• Pushing/Pulling:  Each work day the office personnel may occasionally push or pull files, stacks of documents, or boxes of documents, which may be in files or on shelves at any height.  They are directed to seek assistance for anything heavy.
• Bending/Stooping:  Each work day the office personnel frequently squat or kneel to retrieve and replace files and documents in file drawers or on lower shelves.
• Squatting/Kneeling/Crawling:  May assume any combination of these positions during clean-up duties, including kneeling on the floor and crawling under equipment.  He/she may squat to use legs for leverage when using a large wrench to open product presses.
• Twisting/Turning:  Each work day the office personnel extensively twist, turn and move their head, neck, shoulders, arms and hands at various angles performing heavy computer input, and comparing information from their computer monitor with paper documents.  While standing or sitting at their workstation, they occasionally twist or turn to retrieve or replace something form an area beside their workstation.
• Climbing/Balancing:  Each work day the office personnel may need to walk up and down stairs several times throughout a day.
• Reaching:  Each work day the office personnel may reach overhead to retrieve or replace files or documents on high shelves.
• Grasping/Manipulating:  Each work day the office personnel need full range of motion in both hands for heavy computer input and for using other office equipment including calculators, typewriter, and fax machines as well as for sorting through and organizing large stacks of documents.