Procurement Operations Specialist - INTERNAL POSTING FOR CURRENT KSU EMPLOYEES ONLY

Kent State • Kent, OH

11d • $42,357 - $47,919 • Onsite

About The Position

This position assists with the administration of activities involved in the procurement of goods and services. The role involves developing formal RFI/RFQ/RFP solicitations, evaluating and developing contracts, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and university policies, procedures, and regulations. Responsibilities also include resource development and training materials, ongoing support, and maintenance of the contract repository. This role serves as the department’s primary resource for reporting, analytics, and data management, reporting to the Director of Procurement.

Requirements

• Associate degree or equivalent college coursework in relevant field and three years of experience in supply chain/procurement business, finance or a related field.
• Knowledge of sourcing, procurement, contracting, and supplier management processes.
• Knowledge of transactional and procurement best practices.
• Skill in written, verbal and interpersonal communication.
• Skill in project management.
• Skill in critical thinking.
• Skill in adhering to scheduled deadlines and deliverables.
• Skill in Microsoft Office 365 applications.
• Ability to learn and apply new technical skills, business concepts, and development techniques.
• Ability to apply innovative solutions to make departmental improvements.
• Ability to work cross functionally in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to travel from building to building and off campus occasionally.
• Must pass a security check.

Nice To Haves

• Professional experience in higher education procurement or related administrative operations.
• Experience with e‑procurement platforms and university financial/ERP systems such as Banner.
• Familiarity with and experience in the use of reporting tools, such as Power BI or Cognos.
• Experience with data management, reporting, and process‑automation tools to support procurement operation.

Responsibilities

• Perform buying responsibilities within the University’s e‑procurement system as required to include processing, preparing, and monitoring requisitions and purchase orders for good and services.
• Develop, issue, and manage RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs as assigned by the Director of Procurement.
• Support the development of specifications, requirements, and evaluation criteria for competitive bidding processes.
• Review and assess university purchasing requests and historical spend for alignment with purchasing standards and best value.
• Engage vendors and suppliers to gather information on pricing, quality, delivery, and service levels.
• Serve as the primary administrator of the Procurement Department’s contact repository.
• Administer, maintain, and monitor existing contracts, ensuring accurate documentation and compliance.
• Develop resources and training material for procurement related items.
• Review and process requests for price adjustments, term extensions, amendments, and other contract modifications.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance procurement dashboards, metrics, and recurring reports to support departmental and university‑wide decision‑making.
• Analyze spend patterns, vendor performance, contract usage, cycle times, and category trends to identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements.
• Create and manage electronic forms used within the Procurement Department, ensuring accuracy, usability, and process alignment.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree