Indirect Procurement Specialist

Indirect Procurement Specialist

The Indirect Procurement Specialist supports ADTRAN's global procurement organization by managing and optimizing sourcing, purchasing, and supplier relationships across a broad portfolio of indirect spend categories, including travel, utilities, test & measurement equipment, IT, facilities, professional services, marketing, and other corporate goods and services.

This role plays a key part in driving spend ownership, transparency, and analytics across indirect categories, supporting data-driven sourcing decisions and effective cost governance. The position partners closely with internal stakeholders to align procurement strategies with business requirements, deliver strong commercial outcomes, and enhance compliance, efficiency, and visibility across regions.

The role combines hands-on operational execution with analytical and strategic capabilities, contributing to ADTRAN's broader cost management, risk mitigation, and operational excellence objectives.

The Indirect Procurement Specialist supports the procurement function for ADTRAN by managing purchasing activities, supplier relationships, and sourcing strategies for indirect goods and services such as IT, facilities, professional services, marketing, and corporate operations. This role ensures timely, cost-effective, and compliant procurement processes while contributing to efficiency improvements and strategic sourcing initiatives. It partners closely with internal stakeholders to understand indirect needs and secure optimal commercial outcomes. In addition, some minimal assistance with travel questions may be asked of this resource.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Supports procurement activities involving indirect categories, including sourcing, quoting, supplier evaluation, and purchase order management.
• Assists in negotiating favorable contractual terms and conditions with suppliers supporting ADTRAN's business objectives.
• Act as a procurement partner to cross-functional stakeholders (IT, Finance, HR, Facilities, Operations, Marketing, and Engineering) to understand demand and deliver fit-for-purpose sourcing solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with indirect suppliers and internal business partners to foster collaboration and improve service delivery.
• The ability to drive changes across all levels of organization and geographical boundaries.
• Contributes to cost-reduction initiatives by identifying savings opportunities and supporting execution of strategic sourcing efforts.
• Supports development and implementation of procurement efficiencies, standardized tools, practices, and procedures that shorten quotation, RFP, and decision-making timelines.
• Assists with indirect supplier performance management by coordinating reviews, tracking metrics, and preparing reports.
• Ensures compliance with procurement policies and recommends updates to maintain relevance, alignment with best practices, and regulatory adherence.
• Implements and supports Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) practices, including benchmarking, RFP participation, and supplier performance measurement.
• Partners with business units such as IT, HR, Finance, Facilities, and Marketing to understand indirect purchasing needs and deliver procurement support.
• Performs additional tasks and projects assigned to support departmental and company needs.
• Responding to and support minimal travel support as needed, phone calls, emails and contract support in travel area as required.
• Proven ability to be hands on within a heavy workload environment.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in business, supply chain, procurement, or a related field, or equivalent work experience. Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5+ years of procurement or supply chain experience, preferably with exposure to indirect purchasing categories.

• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret spend data and support data-driven decisions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, including analytical and presentation use cases; experience with ERP or procurement systems required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across functions and geographies.

• Self-starter with excellent business/financial acumen.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting contract negotiations and supplier discussions for indirect categories.
• Familiarity with sourcing methodologies, supplier evaluation models, and cost analysis techniques.
• Prior experience in corporate services procurement (e.g., IT, facilities, professional services, travel, utilities).
• Experience with spend analytics, reporting, or procurement data governance tools and processes.