National Procurement Specialist

ALDI is one of the fastest-growing retailers in the nation. We're growing, and we're charting an aggressive growth course to become one of the top 3 grocery retailers in the US by store count. How can you play a part? By joining our Procurement team. The team will engage in the sourcing and tendering of the non-merchandise equipment, fixtures, supplies and displays that support our operations. Helping us grow can translate into a great move for your career.

As a National Procurement Specialist, you will have an exciting opportunity to support the sourcing, procurement, contracting, and supplier relationship management of non-merchandise products and services that support the store and business operations, both nationally and internationally. An ideal candidate will have experience in administrative coordination, project management, procurement of goods and/or services and have an educational background in Supply Chain Management or a business-related field. The objective of this role is to bring value to the company through sourcing and category management strategies.

Position Type: Full-Time
Starting Wage: $73,500 per year
Wage Increases: Year 2 - $76,500 | Year 3 - $79,750 
Work Location: Batavia, IL
This role is eligible to participate in ALDI’s Hybrid Work Program, which allows remote work up to 3 days per week (i.e., work remotely up to 3 days per week; work in-office at least 2 days per week).

Duties and Responsibilities:
Must be able to perform duties with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Drives development of team strategy while consulting leadership. 
• Consults with internal and external parties to ensure timely and efficient communication flow.
• Keeps informed on external best practices and relevant changes within their area of responsibility and communicates updates to leadership.
• Conducts negotiations and leads vendor meetings per agreed tender timelines.
• Implements contracts and communicates contract and vendor updates both externally to the supply base as well as internally to the stakeholders.
• Recommends process improvements for area of responsibility.
• Develops procurement plans that aligns with the overall sourcing strategy.
• Creates category plans and strategy in consideration of market data and spend analyses. 
• Identifies and executes cost-saving opportunities that directly impact the profitability of the company.
• Utilizes procurement levers to reduce total cost of ownership and optimize performance, quality, and service within department categories.
• Interprets market data and evaluates spend analysis to drive category planning.
• Conducts all source to contract activity, supporting the development and approval of sourcing strategies, market testing, negotiation, and contract finalization.
• Makes decisions and awards contracts to suppliers in consideration of optimizing cost and value to Aldi. 
• Maintains accurate procurement documentation and records for relevant non-merchandise categories.
• Monitors supplier relationship management functions for relevant categories, including sourcing new suppliers, ensuring supplier compliance to contracts, and supplier performance.
• Creates and analyzes department-specific reporting as required to develop overall planning and strategy.
• Trains and cross-trains with other employees.
• Complies with industry regulations and legal requirements pertaining to non-merchandise categories.
• Leads the completion of sourcing projects and administration of contracts. 
• Oversees completion of work by other team members that influence their relevant non-merchandise contracts. 
• Identifies and implements system and process efficiencies to optimize ways of working.
• Researches and stays informed on market pricing and conditions, supplier opportunities, and evolving technologies pertaining to relevant non-merchandise contracts. 
• Collaborates with team members and communicates relevant information to leadership.
• Complies with ALDI privacy and security requirements and policies if job responsibilities include possible access to confidential and/or sensitive information.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job-specific Competencies:
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Consistently demonstrates the Mindsets, ALDI Acts Competencies and Professional Skills (M.A.P.) as outlined for the role.
• Gives attention to detail and follows instruction.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective time management; maximizes productivity.
• Prepares written materials to meet purpose and audience.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with internal and external parties.
• Ability to analyze data sources to create forecast, optimal cost analysis, and contract
decisions and recommendations. 
• Drives projects and tasks to completion through effective prioritization, work planning, time management, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Demonstrates clear rationale when making sourcing decisions, in consideration of cost, quality, delivery, and service. 
• Ability to lead meetings and negotiations.
• Negotiation skills. 
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite with Advanced MS Excel proficiency.
• Proficient in SAP ARIBA.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business or a related field required. 
• A minimum of 3 years of progressive experience in Supply Chain Management, Business, Procurement and/or Retail Operations required. 
• Or, a combination of education and experience providing equivalent knowledge. 

Physical Requirements:

• Work may be performed in an office environment, remote office or a combination of both where a computer and office equipment may be used as needed to perform duties.
• Regularly required to sit, reach, grasp, stand and move from one area to another.
• Constantly and repeatedly use keyboard/mouse.
• Occasionally required to push, pull, bend, lift and move up to 25 lbs. 

Travel:

• International & Domestic travel required.
• Up to 25%.