Procurement Associate I

POSITION SUMMARY
The Procurement Associate I provides essential administrative and operational support to the OmniTRAX Supply Chain team. This role is responsible for managing purchase orders, coordinating vendor documentation, supporting contract workflows, and assisting with procurement-related reporting. The position is ideal for a detail-oriented professional with strong organizational skills and a desire to grow within the procurement and project management field.

The Procurement Associate demonstrates and adheres to the company values of safety, honesty, ownership, respect, and teamwork to ensure successful partnership with customers and employees that result in OmniTRAX’s continued success.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work with field locations to identify needs, research and evaluate products: ordering materials and services from suppliers; maintain and administer purchasing programs for site specific locations or lines of business as needs arise
• Qualify and vet new vendors and products: negotiate pricing and programs with suppliers focused on cost reduction and cost avoidance to meet budget and company goals
• Work with the legal and risk department with Service Agreements, Supply Agreements, Terms & Conditions and Certificate of Insurance requirements
• Draft Request for Quotes (RFQ’s) and Request for Purchase (RFP’s) on behalf of field operations and project managers; monitor responses from suppliers; evaluate bids to secure the most competitive bid; place orders with awarded suppliers and contractors
• Coordinate and track the submission, review, and execution of procurement agreements between the various internal and external parties.
• Make purchase decisions in accordance with company policies, procedures, regulations, and budget requirements
• Explore opportunities with suppliers for financially beneficial supply programs and rebate programs
• Subject Matter Expert (SME) in National Account vendor programs such as Safety, Uniform, Office Supply, Travel and Lodging, Rental Car, and Logistics programs
• Risk mitigation: develop secondary sources for high runner parts and critical vendors
• Manage purchase order processes: corrections, additions, order changes, order entry, task orders, purchase order maintenance and reporting tools
• Develop and prepare reports and presentations to various levels of management; create and send Procurement reports and data analysis to the Director of Sourcing and other levels of management
• Participate in supplier scorecard process: prepare presentations for meetings
• Initiate, coordinate, and actively participate in procurement-related contract processes: MSA’s, Supply Agreements, Confidentiality Agreements, IP Agreements, COI development with suppliers; process contracts through legal and risk departments.
• Train and clarify purchasing policies and procedures to other Company employees and Suppliers

OTHER DUTIES

• Meet with vendor representatives, both in-person and virtual, on a regular basis; discuss performance and pricing issues
• Perform other duties and projects as assigned

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• None

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor’s Degree, Associate’s Degree, or Equivalent Experience & Demonstrated Skills
• Railroad Procurement experience 2-4 years
• Knowledge of procurement, purchasing, or supply chain
• Ability and comfort with reading, understanding, and interpreting contract documents.
• Skill and comfort with negotiation and confrontation, as it would relate to interacting with suppliers.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; effectively converse with all levels of the company, business associates and suppliers
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills to interact with internal executives efficiently and effectively, external business leaders, suppliers, and various stakeholders
• Strong organizational skills, working with very large task lists
• Ability and willingness to scale work hours and days to meet business needs.
• Work independently with limited direction and ambiguous information, while managing competing deadlines and multiple projects; anticipate needs and deliver results in high volume environment
• Intermediate computer skills in MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and relational databases
• Professional integrity and accountability
• Work in fast-paced, collaborative environment

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REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES

• None

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Previous experience in Rail Transportation, Supply Chain Logistics, Manufacturing and/or Oil and Gas industries
• Previous experience in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain management
• Bachelor’s Degree in Procurement, Supply Chain, Logistics, Finance or Business Management
• NetSuite, SAP, Oracle ERP systems background
• Advanced skills in MS Excel – VLOOKUPs, Pivot Tables, Formulas, Macros, VBA and other Data Analysis tools.

PREFERRED CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES

• Certified Purchasing Professional Certification (CPP), Certified Professional in Supply Chain Management (CPSM), or Certified Supply Chain Professional Certification (CSCP)

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work in a climate-controlled office and routinely use standard office equipment
• Occasional on-site audits and field visits

COMPENSATION

• Estimated Starting Annual Salary: $70,046.00
• Exact starting salary is determined by merit; seniority; geographic location; education, training, and/or experience related to job duties and responsibilities
• FLSA Status: Exempt, Not Eligible for Overtime
• Eligible for Participation - Annual Discretionary Bonus

BENEFITS

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• AD&D insurance
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Mental wellbeing resources
• Paid Maternity leave
• Paid Parental leave
• Referral program
• Relocation assistance
• Sick time
• Vacation time
• Vision insurance

TRAVEL

• 15% Travel, as required for business needs: to vendors, OmniTRAX business locations, and trade shows

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Physical Requirements % of Work Time
Remain in a seated position 80%
Speak and hear clearly 100%
Lift office products and supplies, up to 20lbs. 20%
Stoop, kneel, bend and reach 10%
Dexterity to write and manipulate keyboard and mouse 100%