Procurement Planner — Business Process Professional

MSU Internal Job Postings Details • East Lansing, MI

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Procurement Planner gathers, analyzes, documents, and optimizes business processes associated with institutional procurement planning to improve operational efficiency, strengthen strategic sourcing outcomes, and support the University’s long-term financial and operational goals. Serving as the front door for campus purchasing plans and major anticipated needs, the role is a strategic liaison between academic and administrative units and the central procurement office. It translates departmental budget insights, multi-year spending projections, and programmatic plans into a structured, forward-looking procurement pipeline, which may include alternatives to a requisition.

Through proactive outreach and structured engagement, the Planner improves enterprise visibility into upcoming sourcing events, contract renewals, and major purchases, helping shift the institution from reactive buying to coordinated strategic planning. The position provides high-touch, consultative service to campus units, particularly those with limited administrative capacity. By reviewing planned purchases and funding timelines, the Planner identifies procurement channels, contract lifecycle milestones, consolidation opportunities, sourcing requirements, supplier-risk considerations, cooperative contract usage, and potential revenue-share or partnership opportunities.

The role ensures procurement is engaged months ahead of critical deadlines, reducing emergency contracting, strengthening compliance, and enabling more effective negotiations. Embedded in a procurement structure that includes Buyers, Expediters, Supplier Risk Analysts, and subject matter experts, the Planner focuses on planning, coordination, and process optimization rather than transactional execution. The position does not have signature authority and requires expertise comparable to a seasoned sourcing professional, particularly in stakeholder engagement, contract lifecycle planning, business process analysis, and strategic forecasting. Its initiatives are intended to streamline procurement workflows, enhance cross-functional coordination, strengthen supplier-risk management, align campus purchasing with institutional priorities, improve operational predictability and departmental service delivery, and support broader University objectives.

The position is remote-friendly within Michigan, with weekly on-campus presence. Regular remote work and in-office work are arranged with the supervisor. Work hours are standard 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Requirements

• Knowledge equivalent to completing a four-year college degree program in a business-related field or a field corresponding to the department, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in office procedures and administration, or in responsibilities related to the operational activities of the employing unit.
• Experience with word processing, database, spreadsheet, presentation software and/or desktop publishing, and web page software, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, business operations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service while ensuring compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Experience analyzing data to support planning and decision-making, including working with budgets, spend reports, dashboards, and forecasting tools.
• Proficiency with spreadsheets and reporting systems, such as Excel and data visualization tools.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across teams.

Responsibilities

• Gather, analyze, document, and optimize business processes associated with institutional procurement planning.
• Serve as a strategic liaison between academic and administrative units and the central procurement office.
• Translate departmental budget insights, multi-year spending projections, and programmatic plans into a forward-looking procurement pipeline.
• Engage campus units proactively to improve visibility into upcoming sourcing events, contract renewals, and major purchases.
• Provide high-touch, consultative service to campus units, particularly those with limited administrative capacity.
• Review planned purchases and funding timelines to identify procurement channels, contract lifecycle milestones, consolidation opportunities, sourcing requirements, supplier-risk considerations, cooperative contract usage, and potential revenue-share or partnership opportunities.
• Engage procurement months in advance of critical deadlines to reduce emergency contracting, strengthen compliance, and enable effective negotiations.
• Coordinate planning and process optimization with Buyers, Expediters, Supplier Risk Analysts, and subject matter experts.
• Streamline procurement workflows, enhance cross-functional coordination, strengthen supplier-risk management, and align campus purchasing with institutional priorities.

What This Job Offers

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