Procurement Specialist

About the Role

How you will contribute

• Purchase indirect materials and services, capital equipment, packaging, MRO, and other categories of items as assigned, ensuring lowest total cost is achieved.
• Maintain thorough knowledge of categories assigned, functions as an expert for internal customers.
• Support and enable regional strategies for specific categories where applicable, participate and lead cross functional teams as appropriate to bring continuous improvements to projects.
• Support annual cost reduction strategies, including but not limited to: negotiate pricing ensuring the lowest price up-front, source new business per the regional category strategy, identify potential category and/or supplier opportunity areas (e.g. standardization, supplier consolidation, etc.), communicate potential opportunities internally, and initiate activities to assemble appropriate resources to pursue opportunity areas.
• Work on ERP utilization in the purchasing function, create and maintain all material documents, info records, purchasing contracts and lease agreements in ERP or risk database, and utilize ERP reports to track costs and monitor spending.
• Train and support Plant Lead Requisitioners on all purchasing processes, procedures, and on SAP in regards to all required transactions and reports.
• Perform purchasing audits at plants to insure Plant Lead Requisitioners are following all processes and procedures.
• Travel to new business launch sites when required to support purchasing processes/functions until permanent position is filled, trained and functioning.
• Travel to sites with concern status with regards to a purchasing related issue/opportunity and/or the purchasing processes and resolve/stabilize.
• Other duties as assigned

Your Key Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Business, Supply Chain or similar field of study
• Knowledge of program and project management, experience within automotive or technology industries is desirable. Experience within SAP is preferred.
• Ability to negotiate as an agent on the company’s behalf, ensuring the company is represented in the best possible way.
• Ability to work well in cross-functional teams that include internal and external customers, and suppliers.
• Firm understanding of the Procure to Pay process, request for quotation (RFQ) process, as well as cost reduction and supply base rationalization. 
• Able to complete strategic actions and initiatives in a timely manner while adhering to project budgets.
• Ability to travel to sites for startup initiatives and to train and work with site purchasing professionals.