Procurement Specialist

Job Description

The Procurement Specialist is responsible for overseeing procurement operational and administrative functions across the Direct and Indirect spend space in support of all Production Plants, Regional Sales Centers, and Corporate departments. This role is involved with the full procurement lifecycle, including Vendor Master Data (VMD) setup, purchase order (PO) creation through payment processing, and the sourcing and management of products and services across categories such as Commercial, Transportation, Facilities, IT, Warehouse, G&A, MRO, Fleet, and related Indirect areas. The position works directly with suppliers and internal stakeholders to ensure compliance with company procurement policies, procedures, and data integrity standards. Responsibilities include planning, scheduling, initiating, monitoring, and ensuring quality assurance of procurement activities while supporting day-to-day operational needs across all locations by providing guidance and training to internal stakeholders as needed. The role requires independent, professional judgment and is performed under the general direction of the Procurement Manager.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of the Procurement Specialist include but are not limited to:

• Demonstrates personal initiative by maintaining integrity, accountability, effective communication, and teamwork
• Sets work objectives and maintains accurate data in support of Procurement directives and company standards
• Provides basic-level technical and administrative guidance to company associates related to Procurement and Procure-To-Pay (P2P) processes
• Conducts group and one-on-one training to support procurement activities and operational needs
• Serves as the primary P2P point of contact supporting all Bedford Corporate departments
• Runs Direct raw material forecasts using SAP and Alteryx to support production and planning
• Serves as the system administrator for the Ariba procurement platform and the company’s travel management platform, providing user support, basic configuration maintenance, training, and issue escalation as needed
• Creates and maintains CAPEX purchase orders in accordance with company policies
• Runs the Open Delinquent Purchase Order report weekly and issues follow-up communications to internal stakeholders
• Reviews, vets, and processes vendor setup and change request forms, including W-9 and EFT verification
• Follows up with branches and vendors to ensure complete, accurate, and compliant information is captured during vendor setup
• Collects, reviews, and submits vendor catalog information as required
• Manages the P2P shared email inbox by categorizing, prioritizing, and assigning incoming requests
• Monitors and escalates P2P-related ServiceNow tickets as needed to ensure timely resolution 
• Ensures procurement records are accurately maintained and documented from origination through completion
• Schedules meetings, supplier visits, and training events to support procurement operations
• Coordinates with cross-functional departments to ensure effective and timely collaboration in procuring goods and services
• Exhibits a strong sense of urgency and sound judgment while managing workload, making decisions, and allocating resources in a cost-efficient manner

Job Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

The ideal candidate will have at least 3-5 years' experience in a fast-paced environment. The ability to meet deadlines and flexibility in handling changing priorities are essential to be successful in this position.

• Strong change management mindset and implementation of continuous improvement
• Strong computer skills and word processing. Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SAP (preferred)
• Good mathematical & analytical experience
• Ability to prioritize and work efficiently independently as well as in a group
• Ability to listen, communicate (written and verbal) and follow up effectively
• Flexibility to adapt to all situations and work varied hours, possibly work weekends or evenings
• Ability to perform at high levels in a fast-paced, ever-changing work environment
• Ability to anticipate work needs and follow through with minimal direction
• Some travel required

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: The preferred candidate will possess an associate or bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Contract Management or a closely related field and have entry-level experience in Procurement / Supply Chain Management. Candidate must possess a working knowledge of Procurement, invoice processing and payment functions in a large corporate ERP environment, preferably SAP.

COMPUTER SKILLS: Experience with word processing, spreadsheets, Internet software, email and/or database software preferred. Microsoft Office skills are required. SAP highly desired. SharePoint is a Plus!