JOB DESCRIPTION:
Audubon is currently seeking an Equipment Rental Specialist to join our team in our Houston TX Office. The Equipment Rental Specialist serves as the central point of coordination for rental equipment across active projects. This office-based role manages rental requisitions, purchase orders, vendor sourcing, rental-period tracking, and closeout activities so project teams have timely equipment and clear visibility into rental commitments. The position works closely with Operations, Project Management, Procurement, Project Controls, Accounts Payable, and approved rental vendors to control cost, prevent avoidable extensions, and keep rental exposure aligned with project needs.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Manage rental equipment requisitions and purchase orders from issuance through closeout, including changes, extensions, supporting documentation, and final release.
- Maintain a master equipment rental log across all active projects, including project, vendor, equipment type, rental rate, start date, anticipated off-rent date, PO value, and rental duration.
- Monitor rental periods and proactively notify Project Managers and Operations as equipment approaches its anticipated off-rent date, planned duration, or approved PO limit.
- Coordinate purchase order increases when equipment is required beyond the original duration, helping prevent rental commitments from exceeding approved PO values.
- Source rental equipment and obtain competitive pricing, availability, delivery terms, pickup terms, and other commercial information from approved vendors.
- Compare rental rates, terms, minimum periods, delivery charges, damage waivers, and related conditions to support cost-effective vendor and rental-structure decisions.
- Monitor equipment durations and identify equipment that appears idle, underutilized, or on rent beyond the planned need; escalate findings to the appropriate project stakeholders.
- Provide Operations and Project Management with regular visibility into current rental exposure, upcoming off-rent dates, open commitments, approaching PO limits, and expected extensions.
- Coordinate with Project Controls and Accounts Payable to maintain accurate commitment information, support invoice review, and resolve discrepancies between rental activity, purchase orders, and invoices.
- Maintain organized procurement records, vendor communications, rental confirmations, delivery and pickup documentation, approvals, and closeout records.
- Support vendor performance reviews and issue resolution related to availability, delivery, pickup, billing, equipment condition, service, and contract or rental-term compliance.
- Identify opportunities to consolidate rentals, standardize terms, improve utilization, and reduce avoidable rental cost across projects.
Health, Safety, and Environmental Responsibilities:
- All employees are responsible for supporting Audubon Companies' Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) policies and procedures. This includes:
- Performing duties in a manner that protects personal and team health and safety
- Participating in required HSE training, meetings, and reporting activities
- Identifying and reporting hazards, near misses, and unsafe conditions
- Following safe work practices and complying with applicable regulatory requirements
EXPERIENCE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS:
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
- Experience in purchasing, procurement, equipment rental coordination, materials coordination, project administration, or a related field.
- Experience supporting EPC, engineering, construction, oil and gas, industrial, energy, or other project-based work preferred.
- Familiarity with purchase orders, requisitions, vendor quotations, rental agreements, invoice review, and procurement documentation.
- Strong organization, follow-up, communication, and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple projects, vendors, deadlines, and changing equipment needs in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Outlook.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working with heavy equipment, construction equipment, temporary facilities, vehicles, tools, or other project rental categories.
- Ability to analyze rental rates, minimum terms, delivery and pickup costs, utilization, committed costs, and total rental exposure.
- Working knowledge of project schedules, cost codes, budgets, forecasts, commitments, and off-rent planning.
- Ability to build and maintain accurate Excel-based tracking logs and reports across multiple projects.
- Experience comparing vendor proposals and negotiating pricing, availability, rental terms, extensions, and service requirements.
- Ability to identify idle equipment, approaching rental risks, budget variances, and opportunities to reduce costs.
- Experience with Acumatica or a similar enterprise resource planning and procurement system.
- Strong documentation, reporting, and cross-functional coordination skills.
Physical/Work Requirements
- This role is office-based and requires working in the office five days per week.
- The position requires regular communication with project teams, vendors, and internal support functions.
- Occasional travel to supplier locations, project sites, client offices, or company locations may be required as needed.
- Extended hours may occasionally be required during critical project deadlines, urgent equipment needs, month-end or reporting cycles, and major project milestones.
No Recruiters, please!
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled