Procurement Specialist

Job Description

Job Requisition ID: 16390

Additional Locations: Remote, Boston, Orlando

ROLE SUMMARY

The Procurement Specialist will support the day to day procurement operations for the Indirect Procurement (IP) team and supported Function/ Lines of Businesses. This role requires strong business acumen and procurement process knowledge to ensure stakeholder satisfaction on sourcing activity requests and related processes; meeting deadlines and established metrics. This position will also act as a key point of contact for the HMH’s stakeholders for targeted sourcing activities. Excellent communication, customer service and problem solving skills are required in this role to quickly resolve issues or escalate to appropriate business stakeholders and owners. This role will be challenged to lead several improvement efforts with a goal of achieving processes that are efficient, accurate, and effective as possible.

Primary Responsibilities

Strategic sourcing and negotiation using procurement strategies for sourcing activities up to $25k:

• partner with stakeholders to initiate, plan and manage sourcing activities from inception through contract execution
• ensure strategic sourcing activities and negotiations follow standard procedures and business controls
• lead required reviews with critical partners; technology solutions groups (TSG), legal, risk management, information security
• analyze opportunities for consolidation and negotiating best terms
• recommend alternative product and/or source alternate suppliers in the event of out of stock situations
• identify supplier diversity sourcing opportunities
• coordinate execution of supplier contracts; addressing all applicable terms and conditions
• provide project status updates for executive management, identifying potential risks
• communicate effectively with internal stakeholders to build collaborative relationships and increase spend sourced through the IP department

Execute purchase orders (PO) supporting IP and Shared Services organizations:

• generate POs and output to supplier with payment instructions
• assist executive management with proper approval authority workflow
• follow-up on pending approvals to meet PO issuance deadlines/ metrics

Reporting & processes management:

• IP contract management database (CMDB) administration & management; supporting IP and stakeholders with CMDB reporting, storage and contract retrieval
• analyze decentralized spend data and recommend purchases to bring into IP management
• Monitor and action invoices submitted, ensuring correct stakeholder approval and procurement processes are followed
• lead, research and drive to resolution issues identified via goods receipt/ invoice receipt and r-block reports
• develop reporting and process to monitor PO activity and continuously close POs no longer in use
• improve and manage IP corporate card monthly reconciliation process
• develop reporting and process to monitor sourcing activity requests
• track achieved savings against targets
• document processes and cross-train identified back-up(s) eliminating single source of failure and work disruption
• back-up for all distribution center supply purchases

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Procurement, Finance or related field
• Knowledge of procurement processes and contract terms and conditions
• Advanced computer skills (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Adobe, Electronic Signature software)
• Strong analytical skills, decision making and problem solving skills
• Experience working with executives at VP and above level
• Builds and maintains lasting cooperative partnerships with internal and external stakeholders and leverages relationships to meet division/organizational objectives
• Effectively expresses ideas verbally and in writing, in individual or group situations
• Detail oriented, flexible and able to work in a fast-paced organization
• Ability to balance conflicting priorities; able to handle multi-task projects and sustain multiple workflows
• Quickly adapt to changes and be able to reinforce changes within stakeholders
• Self-starter, with capability of working autonomously across multiple procurement projects

Physical Requirements:

• Might be in a stationary position for a considerable time (sitting and/or standing)
• The person in this position needs to move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine and computer printer
• Must be able to collaborate with colleagues via face to face, conference calls and online meetings

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ABOUT US:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (NASDAQ:HMHC) is a global learning company dedicated to changing people’s lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. As a leading provider of pre-K–12 education content, services, and cutting-edge technology solutions across a variety of media, HMH enables learning in a changing landscape. HMH is uniquely positioned to create engaging and effective educational content and experiences from early childhood to beyond the classroom. HMH serves more than 50 million students in over 150 countries worldwide, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world.
For more information, visit http://careers.hmhco.com

PLEASE NOTE:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is an equal employment opportunity employer and participates in E-Verify. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, or other protected group status.