Procurement and Contract Specialist

Procurement and Contract Specialist

Rensselaer, New York, United States

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) manages the efficient flow of electricity on more than 11,000 circuit-miles of high-voltage transmission lines, dispatching power from hundreds of generating units across the state.

The NYISO's Procurement Department invites applications for a full-time Procurement and Contracts Specialist.

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) applies cutting-edge technology to operating a reliable electricity system, managing competitive markets for wholesale electricity, and planning for the Empire State's energy future. The NYISO's Finance department invites applications for a full-time Procurement Analyst.

Position Summary

Administers and executes the NYISO's procurement policies, procedures, contracting activities, and sourcing initiatives across the full procurement lifecycle for low to moderately complex procurements. Serves as a procurement partner to departmental stakeholders by developing sourcing approaches, leading competitive bids, conducting market research, supporting contract development and negotiations, and managing vendor relationships.

Collaborates with business stakeholders, Legal, Enterprise Security Governance, Enterprise Architecture, and other subject matter experts to identify business requirements, evaluate suppliers, mitigate risk, and ensure compliance with procurement policies, internal controls, cybersecurity requirements, and NYISO tariff obligations.

Supports cost savings initiatives through strategic sourcing, competitive procurement practices, vendor management, and data-driven decision making while maintaining complete procurement documentation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Procurement Planning & Sourcing

• Collaborate with the departmental representatives in developing sourcing, contracting, and procurement strategies for low to moderate complexity procurements, ensuring alignment with NYISO procurement policies and business objectives.
• Manage end-to-end procurement lifecycle activities for tactical purchases, including goods, renewals, and service engagements, while meeting internal deadlines.
• Lead the development and administration of competitive procurement events, including Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Quotations (RFQs), and Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Partner with business stakeholders to define procurement strategies, guide development of solicitation requirements, establish evaluation methodologies, and manage the sourcing process through vendor selection and contract award.
• Perform market research on products, services, and potential suppliers to identify sourcing opportunities, foster competition, and support informed procurement decisions.

• Develop procurement recommendations, sole/single source justifications, and supporting analyses for management and executive leadership review and approval.

Contracting & Negotiation

• Collaborate with business stakeholders, Legal, and other subject matter experts in the development and refinement of Statements of Work (SOWs).
• Partner with Legal and business stakeholders to review, develop, and negotiate Master Agreements, Vendor Service Agreements, License Agreements, Amendments, Statements of Work, Non-Disclosure Agreements, and other contractual documents to ensure appropriate commercial terms, risk mitigation, and compliance with NYISO policies and standards.
• Negotiate commercial terms and conditions, including pricing, discounts, payment terms, insurance requirements, service levels, and other contractual provisions while collaborating with Legal, departmental representatives, and Procurement leadership.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Conduct supplier due diligence and risk assessments, including evaluation of financial stability, performance capability, and compliance with organizational standards.

• Identify, assess, and mitigate procurement-related risks, including supplier, contractual, and operational risks.

• Partner with Enterprise Security Governance, Legal, and business stakeholders to support cybersecurity and supply chain risk management activities associated with vendor engagements, including collecting vendor security documentation, facilitating security assessments, negotiating cybersecurity-related contractual provisions, and ensuring compliance with applicable NYISO security requirements and NERC CIP-013 obligations.

• Partner with Legal, Enterprise Security Governance, Compliance, and business stakeholders to support the evaluation of all software (including cloud applications), artificial intelligence technologies, and AI-enabled services.

Procurement Operations

• Utilize Workday Strategic Sourcing to manage procurement workflows and ensure all required milestones are completed for each project.
• Process Purchase Order Requests (PORs) and Purchase Orders (POs) within Oracle Financials, ensuring appropriate approvals are obtained and purchase orders are distributed to stakeholders and vendors in accordance with established procedures.
• Create Procurement usage reports, trend analyses, and vendor summary reports through data collection and analysis and present to internal management and committees.
• Conduct periodic meetings with department management to review respective department's procurement forecasts, sourcing strategies, trends, and other procurement event activities.
• Maintain electronic and paper records, as per records retention schedules, of all procurement documents, including Purchase Order Requests, Purchase Orders, Master Agreements, Statements of Work, and Requests for Proposals, and all other related documents.
• Ensure procurement activities adhere to internal controls, including approval authorities, segregation of duties, and established procurement policies.
• Train NYISO employees on NYISO's procurement policies, processes, practices, and procedures.

Vendor Management

• Support vendor relationship management for assigned vendors, including tracking performance metrics and facilitating scorecards for tactical vendors.
• Ensure vendor compliance with NYISO tariff requirements and Procurement policies.
• Monitor vendor certificates of insurance to ensure compliance with contractual insurance levels.

Supervisory Responsibilities

None.

Education

Bachelor's Degree (BS) in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting Economics or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Experience

Five years corporate procurement experience, including developing and collaborating on sourcing strategies, developing, and processing request for proposals and creation of statements of work. Additional experience valuable to the Procurement Analyst position is training in negotiation strategies; experience as a Business Analyst or other financial position; reasonable knowledge of power transmission and utilities industries; paralegal training or experience.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

None.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as contracts, operating instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of market participants or employees.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, and percentages.
• Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written oral or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Intermediate competency in Windows operating environment using MS Office applications (particularly MS Word and MS Excel), e-mail and internet programs.
• Knowledge of how to set up and use MS Office function to 'Track Changes' (edit and enter comments) and MS Excel function for formulas, charts, filters, and data sorting.
• Knowledge of Oracle Financials desirable.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, and use hands to perform routine office tasks. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Contact with staff and public will occur. Travel may be required to attend and/or conduct meetings, conferences, and training. This position may require work on nights, weekends, or holidays.

At the NYISO, we realize the importance of balancing the availability of remote work with the inherent value of bringing people together to attain success in the areas of maximum collaboration, relationship building and growth, teamwork, innovation and problem solving, as well as professional development and mentoring. In this role, you will be required to work onsite from our Rensselaer, NY location several days per workweek, with the option to work remotely on the remaining days. You will also be expected to respond to all business needs that may require any increase to the regular onsite requirements.

The NYISO takes pride in recruiting, developing and retaining highly talented individuals. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a comprehensive benefits package and innovative reward programs.

All offers of employment will be made contingent upon the successful