Procurement Advisor

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Procurement Advisor is responsible for leading and supporting strategic sourcing, supplier development, contract negotiations, and procurement execution to support production and project requirements across Kurita America. This role ensures the timely and cost-effective acquisition of materials, fabricated components, equipment, and services while maintaining high standards of quality, delivery performance, and supplier accountability. This role serves as a key liaison among suppliers, engineering, project management, production, quality, logistics, accounts payable, and finance, and supports cost reduction, supply chain risk mitigation, and continuous improvement.

Title: Procurement Advisor

Location: Brooklyn Park

Travel: Up to 25%

Compensation: $90,000 to $110,000 Plus Bonus

Responsibilities:

•    Develop and execute procurement strategies aligned with production schedules, project requirements, and company objectives, while identifying, qualifying, and supporting the onboarding of suppliers to improve                 capacity, quality, delivery, and cost competitiveness.
•    Lead supplier negotiations for pricing, lead times, contracts, commercial terms, and Master Supply Agreements.
•    Review engineering drawings, specifications, and customer requirements to prepare complete RFQ packages, use RFIs and RFQs to obtain competitive, compliant proposals, and evaluate supplier quotations for                 technical scope, pricing, capacity, quality, and schedule alignment.
•    Generate and manage purchase orders in the ERP system, ensuring accuracy of pricing, quantities, milestones, costs, and contractual requirements.
•    Forecast, recognize and track expected revenue goal milestones for projects, accurately entering them into our ERP system for financial tracking and reporting.
•    Monitor procurement activities from purchase order issuance through final delivery and hold suppliers accountable to purchase order requirements.
•    Prepare and review procurement reports, including timelines, cost variances, project milestones, supplier compliance, and anticipated revenue milestones.
•    Monitor and evaluate supplier performance using scorecards, nonconformance records, and supplier corrective action requests, while resolving supplier quality, delivery, commercial, and performance issues through           corrective action or recovery plans.
•    Minimize single-source risk by qualifying alternate suppliers, implementing supply chain risk mitigation plans, and cultivating strong supplier relationships while maintaining high standards of ethics, professionalism, and       accountability.
•    Partner with engineering, project management, production, quality, inspection, logistics, accounts payable, and finance to resolve issues promptly.
•    Serve as a procurement subject matter expert by mentoring or training junior procurement team members and buyers while staying informed about relevant market conditions, labor and material rates, sources of                 supply, and procurement best practices.
•    Performs special projects/duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field preferred. 


• 7+ years of procurement, purchasing, or supply chain experience in a manufacturing, industrial, or engineered-to-order environment.


• Experience sourcing fabricated steel components, pressure vessels, water treatment equipment, or custom-manufactured products preferred.


• Demonstrated success in strategic sourcing, supplier negotiations, contract management, and cost reduction.


• Advanced knowledge of procurement processes, supplier management, market conditions, sources of supply, and the ability to interpret manufacturing drawings, specifications, and technical documentation and address supplier questions.


• Proficiency with ERP or MRP systems and Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.


• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, negotiation, written communication, and verbal communication skills.


• Ability to manage multiple priorities, adapt to change, work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, and maintain meticulous attention to detail while following established processes.


• Knowledge of quality systems and supplier quality management practices preferred.


• Physical and mental requirement: ability to sit for extended periods of time.