Procurement Specialist

Procurement Specialist

Are you ready to take your procurement skills to the next level? As a Procurement Specialist in the dynamic world of the paper industry, you will be at the heart of operations\u2014driving cost savings, optimizing inventory levels, and improving working capital performance.

In this role, you will leverage technology and data analytics to manage procurement activities, develop sourcing strategies, execute RFPs in Ariba, negotiate supplier agreements, and convert requisitions into purchase orders efficiently and effectively. Your work will directly contribute to operational excellence, cost competitiveness, and supply continuity.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support mill priorities for Safety, Environment, Quality, and Operational Excellence

• Lead procurement for assigned categories (chemicals, MRO, parts, services)

• Drive cost savings through sourcing, negotiations, and supplier optimization

• Execute RFPs, analyze bids, and award business based on best value

• Optimize inventory levels using VMI, consignment, and demand planning strategies

• Reduce excess and obsolete inventory while ensuring supply continuity

• Manage supplier relationships, contracts, and performance

• Resolve supplier issues and mitigate supply risks, including alternate sourcing

• Process and manage requisitions, purchase orders, and change orders

• Use data analytics to identify savings opportunities and improve procurement performance

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across cost, process, and supply chain efficiency

Career Opportunity:

The Procurement Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring supply continuity while balancing cost efficiency and inventory optimization. This role partners closely with mill personnel, suppliers, and corporate procurement teams to deliver both operational reliability and financial performance improvements.

The Procurement Specialist submits requests for quotes, reviews & evaluates bids, schedules meetings with prospective bidders & negotiations, processes and monitors blanket service purchase orders/purchase orders. Orders are awarded based on either corporate procurement contracts/agreements or mill purchasing agreements. Work within mill and corporate directives and follow guidelines in the management services above. Performs functions needed for dispute resolution/problem solving. Pre-qualifies "new" contractors with WestRock requirements for on-site support establishing agreements.

How you will impact WestRock:

• Monitor and work with operations to ensure chemical inventories and purchase orders support production needs

• Work with primary and alternate suppliers to ensure delivery, expedite and solve supply chain challenges

• Lead Request For Proposals (RFP) and review of competitive proposals from suppliers for award decisions

• Read, analyze and uphold supplier contracts - including payment terms, warranty, freight terms and other terms as needed.

• Manage MRO vendors to include our Vendor Managed Inventory, Consignment Programs and onsite vending services

• Point of contact for escalation and primary negotiator to resolve mill issues with service providers

• Lead continuous improvement to drive meaningful changes in process, supplier or material to deliver value beyond price

• Process purchase requisitions, purchase orders and change orders to secure products and/or services as required. Evaluate, and implement orders where needed.

• Coordinate and consult with internal and external customers regarding purchase requirements following corporate procurement guidelines.

• Compiles data for mill and corporate reports as requested.

What you Need to Succeed:

• Bachelor\u2019s Degree preferred; 2-5 years of procurement or supply chain experience

• Proven ability to drive cost savings and manage supplier negotiations

• Strong understanding of inventory management and supply chain principles

• Excellent analytical skills with ability to interpret data and make decisions

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and execute independently

• Experience with sourcing tools (e.g., Ariba) and ERP systems

• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook) and data tools (Power BI); familiarity with AI tools is a plus

• Strong project management and execution capabilities

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.