Senior Procurement Specialist

Overview:

TekWissen is a global workforce management provider headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan that offers strategic talent solutions to our clients worldwide. Our client is a leading biotechnology company that combines technological insight with world-class manufacturing, scientific expertise, and process excellence and helps its customers deliver new and innovative medicines that help treat a wide range of diseases. Our client specializes in pharmaceutical ingredients, bioscience, biopharmaceuticals, custom manufacturing, biotechnology, life science ingredients, nutrition, microbial control, agriculture, materials science, personal care, and cell and gene therapy.

Job Title: Senior Procurement Specialist
Location: Vacaville, CA 95688
Duration: 6 Months
Job Type: Temporary Assignment
Work Type: Onsite

Summary

The Buyer II / Senior Procurement Specialist responsible for proactively managing raw material supplier performance to ensure the Material Requirements Plan (MRP) can be realized. This role maintains Procurement Master Data in SAP, supports category managers and strategic buyers in implementing supply strategies, collaborates with Accounts Payable to resolve invoice queries, maintains procurement data, analyzes procurement information, and manages day-to-day purchasing operations in a GMP-regulated environment.

Responsibilities

• Proactively manage the performance of raw material suppliers to support MRP requirements.
• Maintain and audit purchasing records, purchase orders, supplier master data, material master data, and outline agreements in SAP.
• Monitor and track supplier performance and provide feedback to strategic buyers and category managers.
• Support the implementation of supplier changes and procurement initiatives.
• Manage vendor escalations, including delivery confirmation dates, MRP-driven delivery push-outs and pull-ins, late or missing purchase order confirmations, pricing discrepancies, and delivery or shipping issues.
• Drive improvements in vendor on-time delivery, quality conformance, and compliance performance.
• Manage vendor returns, including RMAs, replacements, and cost recovery activities.
• Conduct regular open-order review meetings with vendors.
• Manage Accounts Payable inquiries and resolve invoice-related issues.
• Handle supplier complaints and resolve delivery, fulfillment, and invoice discrepancies.
• Support onboarding and approval activities for new raw materials and suppliers.
• Lead competitive bid processes and execute RFx sourcing activities.
• Conduct supplier negotiations for low-value contracts.
• Pull, manipulate, and analyze procurement data to create actionable reports.
• Manage day-to-day purchasing workflows independently with minimal supervision.
• Train, mentor, and support new and junior team members.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Adhere to GMP requirements and report regulatory inspections, GMP deficiencies, product defects, and related actions.
• Follow all health and safety procedures, attend required safety training, promote workplace safety, report incidents, and comply with company safety policies.

Required Skills

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree preferred in Business, Economics, Engineering, Procurement, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in operational procurement or supply chain, including purchasing of direct/raw materials and PR-to-PO processes.
• Experience conducting competitive bid and RFx processes.
• Experience managing suppliers and negotiating low-value contracts.
• Proficiency in SAP ERP within a purchasing or procurement environment.
• Advanced Excel and/or BI tool data manipulation skills.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Office applications.
• APICS or equivalent MRP Planner certification preferred.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Customer-service mindset with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Self-directed, detail-oriented, and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to understand process flows and identify factors influencing processes.
• Ability to read and follow SOPs, policies, and GMP procedures.
• Ability to identify, communicate, and escalate non-routine events and risks in a timely manner.
• Proactive, action-oriented, and adaptable to change.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with vendors.
• Ability to mentor, train, and support team members.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-workload environment while managing multiple projects and priorities.

TekWissen Group is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer (m/f/d/v) supporting workforce diversity.