Procurement Specialist

Beloit College•Beloit, WI

About The Position

The Procurement Specialist coordinates Beloit College’s purchasing, accounts payable, and College credit card programs and administers the systems supporting these functions. Reporting to the Controller, the position helps departments obtain goods and services efficiently, ensures timely and accurate payments, maintains reliable vendor and card records, and supports compliance with College policies and funding restrictions. The specialist combines careful transaction processing with practical training and responsive service to faculty, staff, and vendors. The position manages operational workflows for purchasing, accounts payable, and College credit cards and serves as the functional administrator of the systems supporting these activities. It coordinates with departments, vendors, cardholders, technology staff, and contract owners. Actions are taken within approved access and delegated authority; budget approval, contract execution, payment release, and policy exceptions remain with authorized College personnel. The role influences the accuracy and timeliness of vendor payments, the value obtained from College purchases, and protection against unauthorized spending or payment errors. Success includes accurate, timely processing; complete vendor documentation; scheduled card reconciliation; authorized, documented, and appropriately tested system changes; and timely campus assistance and training.

Requirements

Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in accounts payable, procurement, expense administration, or accounting operations.
Experience with transaction systems, spreadsheets, reconciliations, and detailed financial records.
Ability to manage high transaction volume and deadlines with accuracy, discretion, and strong customer service.
Clear communication, sound judgment, and ability to apply policies consistently across departments.
Knowledge of accounts payable, purchasing workflows, vendor onboarding, expense reimbursement, and commercial credit card administration.
Skill in invoice review, account and fund coding, reconciliation, payment documentation, and identifying duplicate or unusual transactions.
Ability to administer financial system workflows and approved user access, test changes, and coordinate technical issues with technology staff and vendors.
Ability to apply procurement and restricted funding requirements, recognize exceptions, and preserve segregation of duties.
Skill in training users, resolving vendor concerns, organizing transaction volume, and communicating purchasing requirements clearly.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, supply chain, or a related field.
Experience in higher education or a nonprofit organization, including grant and restricted fund purchasing.
Experience administering procurement, accounts payable, expense, or commercial card platforms and improving workflows.

Responsibilities

Manage the accounts payable workflow from invoice receipt and coding through approval, payment preparation, reconciliation, and record retention.
Review invoices, expense reimbursements, and supporting documentation for accuracy, authorization, account and fund coding, duplicate payments, and applicable restrictions; resolve exceptions with departments and vendors.
Maintain vendor records and tax documentation, and support required information reporting and payment controls in coordination with the Controller.
Monitor open invoices, payment terms, aging, and month-end accruals; reconcile accounts payable activity to the general ledger and prepare audit support.
Coordinate requisitions, purchase orders, vendor onboarding, sourcing documentation, and receiving or invoice matching under College policy and delegated approval limits.
Guide departments on purchasing methods, competitive quotes, preferred vendors, budget checks, documentation, and purchasing with grant or donor-restricted funds.
Maintain procurement records and help track supplier performance, renewals, and opportunities to improve value and service; route agreements to appropriate contract review and signing authorities.
Identify potential conflicts of interest, unusual transactions, or policy exceptions and escalate them to the Controller.
Administer issuance, changes, suspensions, and closure of College cards under approved authorization; maintain cardholder agreements and limits.
Monitor card transactions, receipts, coding, approvals, reconciliation, and timely statement submission; follow up on missing support and exceptions.
Train cardholders and approvers on permitted use, documentation, security, and dispute procedures; coordinate fraud alerts and disputed charges with the card issuer and Controller.
Prepare card activity reports and recommend control or policy improvements based on recurring issues.
Serve as functional administrator for purchasing, payables, expense, and card management systems, including workflow configuration, user setup and access changes under approved controls, data maintenance, and routine troubleshooting.
Coordinate system updates, testing, integrations, vendor support, and user training with technology partners and the Controller; document procedures and change approvals.
Maintain dashboards or reports for cycle times, outstanding approvals, card compliance, spending, and vendor activity; safeguard sensitive financial and personal data.
Respond promptly to campus and vendor questions and explain procedures clearly while preserving segregation of duties and approval requirements.