Purchasing Analyst

PCA • Lake Forest, IL

3d • $62,400 - $78,000

About The Position

As a Fortune 500 company, Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) is an ideas and solutions company. Our corrugated packaging business seeks to be the leader in helping our customers — large and small — package, transport and display products of all kinds. Our white paper business delivers Paper With Purpose by providing the highest level of customer service and operational excellence. We have approximately 15,000 team members in more than 100 locations in the United States that strive to meet the local needs of our customers. Our mission is to serve the needs of our customers, today and tomorrow, with products and services that exceed expectations for performance and environmental responsibility.

People • Customers • Trust
Position Purpose Summary:
The Purchasing Analyst is responsible for providing analytical and operational support to the initiatives of the Corporate Purchasing group. The Purchasing Analyst may be responsible for purchasing program administration, research and analysis on bids, purchasing agreement management (Supporting our Energy Buying Function), and assistance to other members of the department as directed.

Requirements

• Education equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in business or procurement preferred. Two or three years specific experience and an associate degree is acceptable.
• Two or three years of previous work experience in a corporate purchasing support or analyst role preferred.
• Prior familiarity with Energy related work content, invoicing and terminology preferred.
• Project Management tools and techniques: scope, schedules, resources, quality, time, cost, etc.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft applications including Word, SharePoint, and Excel, PowerPoint. Proficiency should be at an intermediate to advanced level with the ability to design and create presentations and spreadsheets, and databases using Excel.
• Strong working knowledge of Excel and related functions such as VLOOKUP, nested IF AND & OR statements, advanced Pivot Tables functions, etc.
• Ability to work with disparate data sources.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact with individuals throughout the company as well as build relationships with vendors.
• Strong math and numerical data analysis skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Able to work independently, prioritize assignments, and achieve desired results.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple requests simultaneously.
• Strong organizational skills for daily work projects as well as with paper and electronic files.
• Able to travel to various locations as necessary.
• Previous experience working in a team environment preferred, or a strong understanding of the importance of open communication and information sharing among co-workers.

Responsibilities

• Providing departmental project and research support. Specific categories will include analytics for natural gas, sustainable initiatives, electricity and various other projects and support as needed. Analyst will assist with data tracking and reporting, and learn the process for managing, bidding and negotiating and learning the function and do some smaller buying activities.
• Preparing assigned departmental reports. This includes collecting all necessary data, reviewing data for accuracy, and providing documented explanations as necessary.
• Providing functional and some administrative support to the department, as assigned, and may include maintaining certain commodity files, preparing presentations, and assisting with projects.
• Knowing and following policies and procedures of the company, for sharing information that would benefit other members of the team; and for finding ways to improve the delivery of service to our customers. This includes supporting our Commitment to Service which involves doing what’s right for our customers; focusing on strategies that add value and support growth; and keeping the promises that we make.
• Gather relevant information; identify key issues and relationships; compare data from different sources; identify cause-effect relationships; and recommend solutions/alternatives.
• Build solid working relationships with individuals in these areas in an effort to improve overall reporting and operations, and effect positive change as needed.
• Build relationships with vendors and current suppliers in order to have channels to obtain information and resolve issues.

Benefits

• Within the first 30 days of employment, an employee (and their dependents) is eligible to enroll in certain benefit coverages -- medical, dental, and vision – and are automatically enrolled in life, AD&D, and disability coverages.
• Upon hire, an employee is automatically enrolled in the 401k plan. The plan offers both pre-tax and Roth contribution options along with employer provided matching contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees