What are the responsibilities and job description for the Procurement Operations Specialist position at ektello?
Procurement & Operations Specialist
Location: Plano, TX - Onsite
Duration: 12 month contract to (hire multi-extension capability)
Rate: 42.00 /hr. W2
Position Overview
We are seeking a detail-oriented, analytical Procurement & Operations Specialist to support sourcing, vendor management, and business operations across functional teams. In this role, you will independently manage end-to-end procurement activities, drive RFP processes, maintain vendor compliance, and support key marketing procurement initiatives.
Sitting above an administrative level, you will serve as a critical operational bridge—tracking budgets, executing tactical negotiations, analyzing data metrics, and ensuring cross-functional alignment across internal business units and external vendors.
Key Responsibilities
Procurement & Sourcing Execution
Location: Plano, TX - Onsite
Duration: 12 month contract to (hire multi-extension capability)
Rate: 42.00 /hr. W2
Position Overview
We are seeking a detail-oriented, analytical Procurement & Operations Specialist to support sourcing, vendor management, and business operations across functional teams. In this role, you will independently manage end-to-end procurement activities, drive RFP processes, maintain vendor compliance, and support key marketing procurement initiatives.
Sitting above an administrative level, you will serve as a critical operational bridge—tracking budgets, executing tactical negotiations, analyzing data metrics, and ensuring cross-functional alignment across internal business units and external vendors.
Key Responsibilities
Procurement & Sourcing Execution
- Independently manage sourcing and procurement processes, including bids, quotes, and tactical negotiations for marketing procurement activities.
- Manage start-to-finish Request for Proposal (RFP) processes with minimal oversight for simple-to-medium complexity projects (market research, RFP drafting, and bid communications).
- Encourage adoption of corporate procurement guidelines and Procure-to-Pay (P2P) best practices across internal business units to mitigate operational risk.
- Support vendor sourcing portal workflows (BQMS), facilitating onboarding and conducting training for both internal teams and external suppliers.
- Maintain strong supplier relationships and serve as a liaison across business units, external vendors, and third-party partners.
- Evaluate and validate vendor compliance through periodic reviews, resolving sourcing discrepancies and contract issues as they arise.
- Review contracts, cost proposals, and contract supplements to ensure alignment with organizational standards and budgets.
- Build and maintain central data repositories to track project statuses, metrics, and communications data.
- Analyze complex datasets using advanced Excel capabilities (macros, formulas) to identify trends, generate audit metrics, and present actionable insights to all levels of management.
- Track project budgets, transaction controls, and expenditures against established financial baselines.
- Assist the team lead in creating operating manuals, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and work breakdown structures to improve workflow efficiency.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Supply Chain, or a related field required.
- Experience: 2–4 years of experience in Purchasing, Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Audit, or Business Operations.
- Technical Skills:
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including Macros, VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and data modeling).
- In-depth knowledge of SAP or similar Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.
- Proficient in MS Project, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Analytical & Financial Acumen: Strong mathematical and analytical skills with a proven ability to analyze business trends, forecast expenses, and execute data-driven problem solving.
- Communication & Collaboration: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and maintain positive relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
- Professional Integrity: Keen sense of ethics, discretion, and financial oversight to anticipate potential conflicts of interest and ensure proper control over expenditures.
- Highly organized with superior attention to detail and time-management skills to prioritize multiple assignments in a fast-paced environment.