Procurement Specialist

Signode•Hanover Park, IL

11d•$70,000 - $91,000

About The Position

The Procurement Specialist supports procurement execution, supplier follow-up, and material availability for Operations in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment. The role manages purchase order execution, RFQ support, supplier communication, order acknowledgements, and shortage recovery to support customer service, production schedules, and inventory objectives. The Specialist actively manages assigned suppliers and purchasing activity, focusing on supplier accountability, date accuracy, material readiness, and timely issue resolution. The position also identifies and evaluates new and alternative material suppliers and develops sourcing options for management review.

Requirements

Associate degree required; equivalent experience may be considered.
At least 3 years of experience in purchasing, buying, procurement, inventory planning, supplier management, or manufacturing support.
Experience working with ERP systems, purchase orders, MRP messages, supplier follow-up, and shortage management.
Ability to analyze supplier quotes, lead times, MOQ requirements, and delivery performance to support award recommendations.
Strong communication skills with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Intermediate Excel skills and ability to use reports to manage exceptions and supplier performance.
Functional success drivers: excellence, attention to detail, sense of urgency, communication, perseverance, analysis skills, and problem solving.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or a related field.
Manufacturing, industrial products, engineered parts, or high-mix, low-volume experience.
Experience sourcing machined, fabricated, mechanical, or industrial components.

Responsibilities

Create, release, and maintain purchase orders in accordance with ERP demand signals and business requirements.
Manage order acknowledgements, supplier due dates, promise dates, pricing, quantities, and delivery commitments.
Maintain accurate purchase order information to support production planning, customer communication, and inventory visibility.
Solicit quotes from approved suppliers for new, infrequent, or repeat parts as required.
Compare supplier quotes based on price, lead time, MOQ, capacity, quality risk, and responsiveness.
Recommend supplier award decisions based on total operational and commercial value.
Serve as the primary operational contact for assigned suppliers.
Monitor supplier on-time delivery, acknowledgement compliance, responsiveness, and past-due orders.
Follow up with suppliers to confirm commitments, resolve issues, and support supplier performance improvement.
Identify recurring supplier performance issues, document corrective actions, and escalate unresolved risks.
Identify supply risks before production, service, or customer impact occurs.
Expedite critical materials and confirm recovery plans with suppliers.
Coordinate shortage recovery actions with Supply Chain, Operations, Customer Service, Logistics, Quality, Engineering, and Receiving.
Research and recommend alternative sources when existing suppliers cannot meet production or service requirements.
Identify and research potential suppliers for machined and fabricated components.
Source new, repeat, and difficult-to-obtain parts to support production and aftermarket needs.
Prepare supplier comparisons and sourcing recommendations for review and approval by the purchasing manager or designated approved authority.
Coordinate supplier qualification and onboarding with Engineering, Quality, and other relevant departments.
Execute releases against blanket agreements, stocking agreements, kanban arrangements, or other supplier replenishment models.
Support supplier agreement setup by providing demand history, usage patterns, supplier feedback, MOQ concerns, and lead-time information.
Maintain purchasing inputs in ERP, including supplier assignment, lead time, MOQ, order multiple, price, and blanket reference information as assigned.
Identify opportunities to improve order quantities, lead times, replenishment practices, and excess inventory exposure.
Follow procurement standard work and support improvements in purchasing processes, ERP data accuracy, supplier communication, and escalation cadence.
Use reports and KPIs to identify past-due orders, recurring late suppliers, quote delays, expedite activity, and data accuracy issues.
Support improvements in material availability, supplier reliability, customer service, transaction efficiency, and inventory control.