Procurement Specialist

Procurement Specialist

The Buyer II (Level 2 Buyer) is responsible for the safe, high-quality, and cost-effective procurement of materials, equipment, and services for Odfjell Terminals (Houston) Inc., Odfjell USA (Houston) Inc., and Odfjell Terminals (Charleston) LLC. This includes responsibility for supplier management, contract negotiation, sourcing strategy execution, and ensuring compliance with company policies and site regulatory requirements.

This role requires strong procurement expertise, including the ability to negotiate general Terms & Conditions, manage supplier performance, and support cross-functional teams. Daily presence may be required in both the Seabrook Admin Offices (SCB) and the OTH terminal. Warehouse knowledge or experience is considered a strong plus.

Sourcing, Bidding & Vendor Selection

• Support sourcing activities for assigned categories by preparing RFQs and evaluating supplier quotes for accuracy, competitiveness, and compliance with scope.
• Perform vendor analysis based on pricing, delivery performance, safety history, and service quality.
• Conduct basic negotiation of pricing, delivery terms, and commercial conditions within approved guidelines.
• Recommend suppliers to the Purchasing Manager for final approval on complex or high-value contracts.
• Assist in identifying new suppliers to support cost savings, improved service levels, and business continuity.

Contract Support

• Assist with drafting and reviewing contract renewals, extensions, pricing updates, and basic commercial terms.
• Coordinate contract documentation, ensuring complete and accurate files.
• Escalate complex contract terms or redline negotiations to the Purchasing Manager.
• Lead contract drafting, redlining, revisions, and negotiations with minimal supervision.
• Manage contract lifecycle activities, including renewals, benchmarking, performance tracking, and compliance adherence.
• Ensure contracts include clear KPIs, SLA requirements, safety expectations, and cost-control mechanisms.

Procurement Operations

• Oversee daily procurement activities executed by Junior Buyers or requesters, ensuring accuracy in requisitions, scopes, and purchase orders.
• Provide guidance on complex PO issues, escalation management, past due orders, and delivery challenges.
• Ensure that PO confirmations, acknowledgements, and changes are aligned with negotiated terms.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for recurring operational issues in the supply chain.

Supplier & Contractor Compliance

• Verify contractor compliance and site access requirements, ensuring appropriate safety documentation, insurance, and Avetta enrollment for recurring onsite contractors.
• Maintain supplier and contractor documentation within the Compliance Management System (Vendor Access List).
• Assist Security with contractor entry approvals.

Sourcing, Bidding & Negotiation

• Prepare and manage RFQs, bid packages, and competitive sourcing events in alignment with Purchasing, Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, and QHSE teams.
• Evaluate vendor proposals based on pricing, schedule, safety performance, financial stability, and scope alignment.
• Independently negotiate commercial terms, pricing structures, and general Terms & Conditions for short-term agreements
• Conduct quarterly reviews of existing supplier contracts and pricing to ensure best overall value.

Contract & Data Management

• Manage contract documentation for assigned categories, including office equipment, office supplies, car rentals, vending services, and other operational agreements.
• Maintain accurate contract data and support renewals, benchmarking, extensions, or renegotiations.
• Manage Master Data including part numbers, new vendor setup, and data updates.

Cross-Functional Support

• Act as procurement liaison for strategic categories shared across Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, and QHSE.
• Support Accounting, suppliers, and internal stakeholders in resolving blocked invoices, price discrepancies, and billing issues.

System Expertise

• Serve as a Super User for Coupa P2P, supporting upgrades, training, troubleshooting, and best practices across all departments.
• Support SAP MM Module processes and assist with CMMS-related functions for Engineering, Maintenance, Operations, and QHSE.

General Responsibilities

• Ensure adherence to all company policies and regulatory requirements.
• Communicate effectively with internal departments, management, and suppliers.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Other Functions:

• In case of absence, the employee's supervisor will assume and/or assign responsibility for this position's duties.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• College degree preferred.
• Minimum 5+ years of experience as a Buyer, with demonstrated Level 2 Buyer capability. Experience in maintenance, engineering support, or industrial operations is preferred.
• Experience negotiating general Terms & Conditions required.
• Coupa P2P experience required.
• SAP experience preferred.
• Knowledge of procurement processes, cost estimation, taxes, and contract fundamentals required.
• Warehouse experience or inventory support experience is a strong plus.

Physical/Mental Requirements:

• Sits at desk
• Reads, writes, works alone
• Frequent communication with internal departments and external suppliers.
• Must be able to work at both Seabrook Admin Offices (SCB) and OTH Terminal as needed.

Working Conditions:

• Close proximity to hazardous petrochemicals
• Air conditioned office environment
• Will need to be able to work from SCB (Admin Offices) and OTH (Terminal) as required

Tools and Equipment Utilized:

• IBM compatible PC
• SAP / Coupa
• Microsoft Windows
• Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams