Procurement Operations Manager

Ascendhire; Oak Brook (IL); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascendhire is seeking a Procurement Operations Specialist to help develop and strengthen procurement and supply chain operations for a growing organization focused on advanced nuclear technology.

Reporting to the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain, you will oversee day-to-day purchasing activities, establish policies, and support the expansion of procurement capabilities across cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of 4 years in procurement, purchasing, or contract administration in regulated industries.
• Experience managing purchase orders and competitive sourcing (RFI/RFQ/RFP).
• Understanding of contract terms, NDAs, payment structures, change orders, and controls.
• Familiarity with ERP and procurement systems (SAP, Oracle, Dynamics, Coupa).
• Strong Excel capabilities and ability to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Procurement Management: Oversee requisitions, PO issuance, order fulfillment, receipt, invoice matching, and closeout.
• Supplier Sourcing & Contract Support: Coordinate RFIs/RFQs/RFPs, bid comparisons, NDAs, contract negotiations, and documentation.
• Documentation & Regulatory Compliance: Maintain supplier qualification files, purchasing records, regulatory requirements, and export controls; support audits.
• Process Development: Establish procurement policies, SOPs, approvals, templates, and supplier onboarding.
• Systems & Technology: Participate in ERP procurement platform evaluations and implementations.
• Reporting & Process Improvement: Monitor procurement activity, commitments, supplier performance, and metrics; seek workflow automation.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Work with Engineering, Quality, Legal, Finance, and Corporate Development to meet needs.

Skills

Procurement management

Supplier relationships

Contract administration

Regulatory compliance

Excel proficiency

Cross-functional coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or related

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Microsoft Dynamics

Coupa

Job description

Location: Oak Brook, IL or Washington, DC (Hybrid)

Compensation: $120,000–$135,000 Base Salary + Bonus and Excellent Benefits

Position Overview

We are seeking a Procurement Operations Specialist to help develop and strengthen the procurement and supply chain operations of a growing organization focused on advanced nuclear technology.

Reporting to the Director of Procurement & Supply Chain, this individual will oversee day-to-day purchasing activities while helping establish the policies, procedures, systems, and internal controls necessary to support the company's continued expansion.

This is an excellent opportunity for a procurement professional who enjoys working in a dynamic environment, taking initiative, and creating efficient processes. The role offers significant interaction with senior leadership and cross-functional departments, along with the potential to assume greater responsibility as the procurement function grows.

Key Responsibilities

• Procurement Management: Oversee purchasing activities from initial requisitions and purchase order issuance through order fulfillment, receipt of goods, invoice matching, and final closeout.
• Supplier Sourcing & Contract Support: Coordinate with Supply Chain Engineers on supplier outreach, RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, bid comparisons, NDAs, contract negotiations, and commercial documentation.
• Documentation & Regulatory Compliance: Maintain accurate supplier qualification files, purchasing records, regulatory requirements, and export control documentation. Support audit preparation, including DOE/NRC reviews and federal reporting obligations.
• Process Development: Establish and maintain procurement policies, standard operating procedures, approval processes, templates, and supplier qualification and onboarding practices.
• Systems & Technology: Participate in the evaluation, selection, implementation, and optimization of ERP and procurement management platforms.
• Reporting & Process Improvement: Monitor procurement activity, purchase commitments, contract deliverables, supplier performance, and operational metrics. Identify opportunities to streamline workflows and introduce automation.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Work closely with Engineering, Quality, Legal, Finance/Accounting, and Corporate Development to address purchasing needs, resolve supplier issues, and ensure timely execution of procurement activities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Finance, or a related discipline; equivalent professional experience will also be considered.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in procurement, purchasing, or contract administration, preferably within nuclear, energy, aerospace, defense, or another regulated industry.
• Demonstrated experience managing purchase orders, competitive sourcing processes (RFI/RFQ/RFP), supplier relationships, and contract documentation.
• Understanding of commercial contract terms, NDAs, payment structures, change orders, and procurement policies and controls.
• Familiarity with ERP and procurement systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or Coupa.
• Strong Excel capabilities, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to independently manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.