Senior Sourcing Specialist/Sourcing Specialist

Application deadline: 11:59 PM on Thursday, September 3, 2026.

About the Role

This is the third level of the Sourcing classification hierarchy. The Senior Sourcing Specialist develops and implements strategic sourcing plans for assigned categories of spend, driving transformational or strategic company initiatives. This role leads the assessment of opportunities, internal supply chain, and supply market to develop, execute, and institutionalize sourcing strategies. The successful candidate will pilot strategic initiatives, bridge operations and economic thinking, and communicate insights to drive optimal decisions. This role serves as an internal consultant for procurement and strategic sourcing needs, leading teams and larger project efforts to deliver cost savings.

Keys to success include prioritizing effectively, navigating ambiguous situations, building consensus across silos, and delivering actionable results with minimal oversight. The individual must challenge the status quo, foster idea development, and implement transformative solutions while operating with an enterprise mindset. Strong understanding of business operations, legal concepts, and risk evaluation is essential to lead a total cost of ownership approach.

Employees at this level manage work with minimal supervision, develop proficient skills, and work independently with guidance limited to complex or unusual projects. They identify problems, develop solutions, and take action to resolve them.

Responsibilities

• Category Management: Develop and enhance category management through strategic analysis of assigned categories. Identify and anticipate business unit demand, needs, issues, and cost reduction opportunities. Create and analyze SWOT for each category, including spend identification and total cost of ownership. Identify and assess short- and long-term risks. Ensure alignment with internal subject matter experts (SMEs) to control risk through collaboration with Legal, Security, Tax, and Credit departments. Maintain knowledge of commodities, supply sources, corporate responsibility opportunities, industry best practices, and market conditions. Utilize procurement tools and systems for documentation and retention of category plans.
• Strategy Development: Develop sourcing strategies for complex, high-value materials, equipment, or services alongside key business unit partners and cross-functional teams. Execute regional and/or enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Strategy Execution: Create strategies and utilize supply chain processes to lead competitive bidding, objective criteria-based bid evaluations, and recommendations for awards to Supply Chain and Business Unit Leadership. Develop appropriate terms and conditions, negotiate strategic contracts, integrate contracts with internal systems, and manage ongoing supplier/contract management. Resolve day-to-day issues such as billing or shipment mismatches.
• Negotiation: Utilize data-driven decision-making to implement effective sourcing strategies, enabling better supplier terms and cost-saving opportunities. Develop "should cost models" to estimate pricing by researching material costs, labor, overhead, and profit margins. Analyze historical spending patterns, pricing fluctuations, and market trends. Calculate impacts to net working capital and use outcomes to structure deals. Negotiate with middle and upper-level supplier management. Drive cost avoidance and savings through supplier negotiations and process efficiencies.
• Risk and Financial Analysis: Communicate risks related to transactions and potential mitigation opportunities to business units and executive leadership. Review financial statements to assess supplier viability. Identify risks in contractual terms and deal structures and communicate them appropriately to business partners.
• Legal Terms and Conditions: Apply knowledge of legal concepts, redline contracts, and negotiate complex legal and commercial issues to deliver favorable contractual outcomes. Engage legal counsel for advanced issues.
• Change Management: Develop change management strategies alongside business unit partners and cross-functional teams to ensure successful implementation of sourcing strategies.
• Relationship Management: Manage supplier relationships at a strategic level. Maintain effective interfaces with internal business partners, external customers, and suppliers. Oversee post-award supplier activities, settlements, claims, or disputes. Perform purchase order and agreement maintenance, including resolving invoice mismatches, price changes, amendments, and change orders. Collaborate with business unit partners to ensure contract terms are met and supplier performance is monitored. Resolve escalated issues between business units and suppliers.
• Leadership: Provide assistance and cross-training to sourcing personnel on procurement tasks.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and five (5) years of related work experience, or
• High School Diploma/GED and nine (9) years of related work experience.
• For the Sourcing Specialist level: Bachelor’s degree and two (2) years of related work experience, or High School Diploma/GED and six (6) years of related work experience.

Qualifications

• Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) and/or Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) (desired).
• Graduate degree (preferred).
• Demonstrated business and financial expertise.
• Excellent negotiating, contract management, and planning/organizational skills.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication abilities.
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate leadership and team-building skills.
• Cost and financial analysis skills with strong business acumen.
• Knowledge of electric utility plant operations (preferred).
• Previous sourcing and contracting experience.
• Project management experience.
• Experience with e-sourcing tools (e.g., PowerAdvocate) and ERP systems (e.g., CAS, Maximo).

Working Conditions

• Hybrid Mobility Classification: Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. Hybrid employees should live within a reasonable daily commute to a Duke Energy facility. Mobility classification to be determined by manager.
• Primarily office setting with some travel for plant and vendor visits, conferences, and visits to other Duke facilities and territories.
• Travel Requirements: 15-25%.