Procurement Professional [AQ-13916]
Aquent · Chicago, IL · 1 wk ago
RemoteRemoteManagementContract
About the role
Join a leading organization at the forefront of shaping future operational landscapes, directly influencing efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and long-term strategic growth through expert sourcing and negotiation. This pivotal role offers the opportunity to operate independently while coordinating across diverse internal teams, directly supporting executive decision-making from strategy to execution. Your contributions will deliver measurable cost and operational improvements, mitigate risks, and set the foundation for sustained success.
Responsibilities
- Develop and manage comprehensive Request for Information (RFI), Request for Proposal (RFP), and Best and Final Offer (BAFO) processes, building sourcing project plans and workstreams.
- Create clear supplier instructions and response requirements, managing bidder communications and clarification processes.
- Coordinate proposal evaluations, facilitate supplier presentations and solution workshops, and lead reference checks and due diligence activities.
- Manage the supplier down-selection process and maintain procurement project governance and reporting, delivering supplier pricing templates, evaluation scorecards, governance materials, executive recommendations, and supplier comparison analyses.
- Provide analytical support for outsourcing opportunities, including baselining current-state labor and operating costs, conducting Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis, and developing outsourcing business cases.
- Analyze supplier financial proposals, evaluate transformation investments and one-time costs, model transition costs, and quantify cost savings opportunities.
- Assess productivity improvements and service enhancements, develop Return on Investment (ROI) and payback analyses, and create executive-level financial summaries.
- Serve as the primary commercial negotiator, defining negotiation strategies, leading pricing negotiations, and negotiating rate cards, fee structures, service credits, performance mechanisms, and benchmarking provisions.
- Negotiate gain-share and incentive structures, address transition and transformation commitments, and manage renewal and termination provisions, supporting contract redlining and issue resolution.
- Operate confidently with senior executives, build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups, facilitate steering committee meetings, and present findings and recommendations.
- Manage disagreements, drive decisions, influence stakeholders through data-driven analyses, and provide regular status updates and executive communications.
- Establish sourcing governance structures, maintain project plans and milestones, manage risks, issues, and dependencies, and coordinate cross-functional workstreams.
- Facilitate decision-making forums, maintain action logs and executive reporting, and drive accountability across internal stakeholders.
- Support transition readiness activities, including planning assumptions, knowledge transfer requirements, service migration planning, risk mitigation, resource transition considerations, separation and change management impacts, and future-state governance recommendations.
Requirements
- 4+ years of professional services procurement experience with a minimum of 2+ years focused on outsourcing.
- Demonstrated experience running end-to-end sourcing events (RFXs), conducting financial analysis for business case proposals, and negotiating with suppliers.
- Proven experience leading large-scale outsourcing, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), or workforce services sourcing initiatives.
- Experience negotiating multi-million-dollar outsourcing agreements.
- Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, including assertiveness, courage, confidence, and the ability to influence others.
- Strong business analysis and relationship management skills to drive and implement sourcing programs and services aligned with business partner strategies.
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment, collating and acting upon feedback from all levels within the business and sourcing environments.
Skills
- Strategic Sourcing
- Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
- Financial Modeling
- Commercial Negotiation
- Supplier Management
- Business Case Development
- Executive Communication
- Stakeholder Management
- Project Management
- Risk Management
- Exceptional executive presence and confidence
- High degree of assertiveness and influence
- Courage to challenge assumptions and drive decisions
- Strong relationship management capabilities
- Excellent facilitation skills
- Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Benefits
Eligible talent get access to amazing benefits, including:
- Subsidized health, vision, and dental plans
- Paid sick leave
- Retirement plans with a match
- Free online training through Aquent Gymnasium