Lead Buyer, Procurement

FINRA • Rockville, MD

22h • Hybrid

About The Position

Join Us in Driving Strategic Value Through Procurement Excellence Are you a procurement professional ready to make an impact at a leading regulatory organization? In this dynamic role, you'll be a trusted business partner, working collaboratively across FINRA to understand diverse business needs and deliver strategic sourcing solutions. You'll lead the end-to-end procurement process—from evaluating suppliers and negotiating competitive pricing to sourcing the goods and services that keep our organization running efficiently. Your expertise will be essential in managing complex contractual transactions, working closely with FINRA's Commercial Transactions Group to ensure seamless, timely execution of critical agreements. Beyond sourcing, you'll play a key role in asset lifecycle management, partnering with our Asset Management team to optimize how we acquire, maintain, and manage FINRA's physical assets. This position offers the autonomy to drive decisions while providing the collaborative environment and resources you need to excel. If you're looking for a role where your procurement skills directly contribute to organizational success and regulatory mission, we want to hear from you.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, supply chain management, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Minimum of seven (7) years of hands-on procurement or strategic sourcing experience, preferably in financial services or regulatory environments
• Demonstrated experience executing end-to-end sourcing projects independently
• Highly skilled in negotiation, contract management, and vendor relations
• Proficiency with large ERP systems and integrated supplier and procurement business processes
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management abilities.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills

Nice To Haves

• Experience in financial services or regulatory environment
• Workday experience is a plus
• Knowledge of financial industry regulations and compliance requirements
• Professional procurement certification (CPSM, CPM, CPIM, or equivalent)
• Formal project management training or certification (PMP, CAPM, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Sourcing & Negotiation Identifies and evaluates potential suppliers.
• Partner closely with internal business customers on assigned end-to-end RFx, selection, and procurement processes, ensuring business needs are understood and execute sourcing activities to meet their needs; oversee competitive bid process.
• Draft, review, and conduct negotiations to establish favorable contracts, and pricing terms and agreements with vendors to maximize value and minimize risk.
• Procurement Process Management Manages the full purchase cycle (requests for proposals to purchase orders), ensuring compliance with strict adherence to FINRA's procurement policies and applicable regulatory requirements, , and budgetary constraints.
• Manage the competitive bid process.
• Proactively identify, recommend, and implement improvements in procurement processes and vendor management strategies.
• Partner with legal and technology teams to coordinate integration between procurement and contract management systems.
• Supplier Relationship Management Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers to ensure quality, cost, delivery standards are met.
• Collaborate with Supplier Management on review and evaluation of suppliers’ performance.
• Monitor and track contract lifecycle of suppliers, initiating timely, value-add activities in renewal, replacement, and terminations of contracts.
• Collaborate with legal and compliance teams on contract reviews and risk assessments.
• Analysis & Cost Control Monitors market trends and commodity pricing to identify cost-saving opportunities and prepare budgetary reports.
• Analyze spending patterns and identify cost-saving opportunities within assigned business customers.
• Demonstrate FINRA’s values.
• Collaborate, both in-person and virtually, in furtherance of FINRA’s mission of investor protection and market integrity.
• Provides guidance, training to junior team members.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.
• Non-exempt employees are also eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal, state, or local law.
• As part of its dedication to employee wellness, FINRA provides comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance.
• Additional insurance includes basic life, accidental death and dismemberment, supplemental life, spouse/domestic partner and dependent life, and spouse/domestic partner and dependent accidental death and dismemberment, short- and long-term disability, long-term care, business travel accident, disability and legal.
• FINRA offers immediate participation and vesting in a 401(k) plan with company match and eligibility for participation in an additional FINRA-funded retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, commuter benefits, and other benefits that support employee wellness, such as adoption assistance, backup family care, surrogacy benefits, employee assistance, and wellness programs.
• Time Off and Paid Leave FINRA encourages its employees to focus on their health and wellness in many ways, including through a generous time-off program of 15 days of paid time off, 5 personal days and 9 sick days, unless otherwise required by law (all pro-rated in the first year).
• Additionally, we are proud to support our communities by providing two volunteer service days (based on full-time schedule).
• Other paid leave includes military leave, jury duty leave, bereavement leave, voting and election official leave for federal, state or local primary and general elections, care of a family member leave (available after 90 days of employment); and childbirth and parental leave (available after 90 days of employment).
• Full-time employees receive nine paid holidays.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level