- Title: Procurement Specialist
- Location: Portland, OR (Hybrid: 3 days/week onsite; remote considered for PST or MST time zones)
- Contract: W2 only, 6-month contract with potential for extension or conversion to full time with the client
- Pay: $60-65/hour + optional medical, dental, vision, 401(k) match
Overview
As a Category Manager (Procurement Specialist – P3), you will lead strategic procurement initiatives across complex and high-impact categories. You will own category strategy development end-to-end, drive value creation across the enterprise, and serve as a strategic advisor to stakeholders through sourcing, negotiations, and supplier management.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead development of comprehensive bid packages (RFP/RFQ/RFI), including scope definition, pricing structures, evaluation criteria, and commercial terms for complex sourcing initiatives.
- Drive end-to-end sourcing events, facilitating cross-functional evaluations, analyzing commercial and risk factors, and leading supplier negotiations to achieve optimal total value.
- Draft, negotiate, and finalize contracts across a range of complexity levels, ensuring alignment with sourcing strategy, risk mitigation standards, and business objectives.
- Oversee contract lifecycle management, including renewals, amendments, and terminations, ensuring timely execution, system workflow compliance, and audit readiness.
- Maintain rigorous contract documentation and governance standards to support regulatory and internal controls.
- Serve as strategic point of contact for suppliers, managing commercial relationships and ensuring alignment with performance expectations and contractual obligations.
- Evaluate supplier capabilities, financial stability, and risk exposure as part of sourcing and ongoing performance management.
- Lead performance reviews, address service or delivery gaps, and implement corrective action plans in partnership with Category Managers and business stakeholders.
- Support supplier onboarding and ensure compliance with governance, safety, and operational standards.
- Collaborate with senior business stakeholders to define requirements, assess demand, and translate operational needs into sourcing and contracting strategies.
- Provide expert guidance on procurement methods, market dynamics, and contracting approaches to drive informed decision-making.
- Influence stakeholders through data-driven insights, cost modeling, and risk analysis to support strategic outcomes.
- Develop and execute sourcing strategies aligned with enterprise objectives, market conditions, and risk tolerance.
- Apply advanced knowledge of procurement methodologies, contract structures, and negotiation strategies to solve complex or recurring business challenges.
- Ensure full compliance with procurement policies while identifying opportunities to enhance processes, improve efficiency, and optimize total cost of ownership.
Required Skills
- 5+ years in supply chain, category management/strategic sourcing or related field.
- Excellent organizational work management skills
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Supply chain procurement and contracting experience
- Advanced knowledge of inventory control practices and systems (depending on area of specialization)
- Advanced knowledge of contracting and procurement methods, standards, procedures and processes
- Intermediate knowledge of business practices and market conditions applicable to program and technical requirements sufficient to evaluate bids, contractor responsibility and contractor performance
- Intermediate skills in formulating sourcing strategies that accomplish performance and savings goals, anticipate potential threats or opportunities and are consistent with company goals and policies
- Intermediate skills in negotiating contracts for goods and services
- Intermediate computer skills using Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and enterprise resource-planning systems and record systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, SharePoint, eRecords)
Required Education
- Requires a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business, finance or other related field.
Preferred Skills
- 6 + years in procurement, sourcing, or contract management.
- Experience developing strategies, managing RFx and negotiating contracts for complex categories.
- Strong experience with ERP/Procurement systems and procurement workflows
- Preferred Certifications: CPSM, CIPS, or similar procurement credentials.
- Utility experience
- Familiarity with the Oracle software system
- Project management experience
- The organizational structure is such that the position will report directly to the Senior Manager with one immediate peer. However, the position is located within the Supply Chain department with a headcount of approximately 100 individuals. The initiative/deliverable involves the analysis of supply chain contracts, negotiating and maintaining relationships with suppliers, and maintaining electronic systems with supplier data.
- For this position to be successful, they must have a proficiency relating to the analysis of supply chain contracts, negotiating and maintaining relationships with suppliers, and maintaining electronic systems with supplier data on day 1 and will need to ramp up familiarity with client contracts and electronic systems quickly.
- Utilities Experience required: No
Why Should I Apply?
Join a high-impact procurement function where you can lead complex sourcing and contracting initiatives while influencing enterprise-wide value, risk, and supplier performance outcomes.
About CEI:
As a trusted technology partner, CEI delivers solutions that help our customers transform their business and achieve meaningful results. From strategy and custom application development through application management - our technology and digital experience services are tailored to meet each unique need of our customers. Our staffing solutions bring specialized skills to complement our customers' workforce and project requirements.
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