About the Opportunity
Job Summary
The Purchasing Specialist serves as the main point person and subject matter expert on the procure-to-pay and contract processes for research in the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering, including but not limited to navigating the contract process and understanding the requirements for different payment types and requests for Chemical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty. The Purchasing Specialist will be responsible for managing the process, facilitating, and executing research purchases with a high level of accuracy and customer service. They will partner with the post-award management team to ensure purchases are compliant with the proposed funding source and create documentation to capture existing and new workflows, provide reports and statistics as directed, and perform other duties as required. This person will be trained in grant compliance and be able to advise faculty to ensure purchases are compliant with sponsor and university policies. This person will negotiate quotes and manage the contract process for the faculty member. This person will be asked to analyze purchasing data and identify trends to make processes more efficient. This position will be split evenly between the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The home department will be Chemical Engineering. This position is hybrid with the understanding that the person is in-person at least 4 days a week — two of those with each department. Key
Responsibilities
& Accountabilities Manage P2P – Research Purchases Manage the process, facilitate, and execute research purchases with a high level of accuracy and customer service Partner with the post-award team to ensure purchases are compliant with the proposed funding source Create documentation to capture existing and new workflows, provide reports and statistics as directed, and perform other duties as required Maintain training in grant compliance and problem solve within grant regulations Use Workday Finance, IntelliBUY+ (for supplier management, contract submissions, and catalog purchasing), and Concur Manage Purchase Orders & Contracts Manage the purchase order and contract process for research items from beginning to end Serve as liaison between the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and faculty, tracking and filing all contracts in an organized and timely manner Serve as the expert on the contract and payment processes and proactively manage contract and payment processes Negotiate directly with vendors to answer questions, problem solve, set expectations, and request and organize required documentation Educate department faculty, staff colleagues, and vendors on processes and timelines and communicate regularly throughout the process to maintain strong working relationships between the university and external vendors Continuously aim to improve existing processes to shorten processing timelines and increase overall efficiency Project Assistance Work with university, college, and department staff and faculty on purchasing projects, including business process improvements, workflow documentation, and development of department-specific training materials Seek improvements to optimize procurement workflow and best practices Research initiatives for cost reduction Perform other miscellaneous tasks as assigned Minimum
Qualifications
Required Associate's degree Desktop software application skills in web browsers, Adobe, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Outlook Excellent organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills Aptitude for accuracy and detailed work Ability to prioritize work and multitask with ease and efficiency Process-oriented, with the ability to work both independently and in a team environment Ability to stay current with all new and existing regulatory requirements and institutional policies and procedures, and to keep faculty Principal Investigators (PIs) and department leadership informed of changes Aptitude for treating sensitive information related to salaries in a confidential and professional manner, given the amount of personal and financial information involved High level of customer service and boutique support Preferred Bachelor's degree
Experience
working with Smartsheet and Airtable Position Type Finance Additional Information Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 106H Expected Hiring Range: $23.37 - $32.14 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change. Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—which includes 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.