Procurement Operations Specialist - INTERNAL POSTING FOR CURRENT KSU EMPLOYEES ONLY

Kent State University; Kent (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Kent State University on Kent Campus in Kent, OH is seeking a Procurement Operations Specialist to manage goods and services procurement, including requisitions and POs in the university's e-procurement system.

The role develops RFPs/RFQs/RFIs, supports bid processes, contract management, and reporting dashboards to enable informed university-wide decisions. Requires 3+ years' procurement experience and an associate degree.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent coursework in relevant field.
• Three years of experience in supply chain/procurement, finance, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Perform buying using the University’s e-procurement system; process requisitions and POs.
• Develop, issue, and manage RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs.
• Support development of specifications and evaluation criteria for bids.
• Review spend against standards to ensure best value.
• Engage vendors to collect pricing, quality, delivery and service data.
• Administer, maintain, and monitor contracts and documentation.
• Develop procurement dashboards and recurring reports for decisions.

Skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Interpersonal skills

Project management

Critical thinking

Deadline management

Power BI

Cognos

Education

Associate degree

Relevant coursework

Tools

Power BI

Cognos

Job description

Job Title:

Procurement Operations Specialist

Physical Location:

Kent Campus - Kent, OH

Salary:

$42,357 - $47,919

Basic Function

Assist with the administration of activities involved in the procurement of goods and services. Develop formal RFI/RFQ/RFP solicitations; evaluate and develop contracts; and ensure compliance with federal, state, and university policies, procedures, and regulations. Responsibilities also include resource development and training materials, ongoing support, and maintenance of the contract repository. Serves as the department’s primary resource for reporting, analytics, and data management. Reports to Director of Procurement.

Examples of Duties

Perform buying responsibilities within the University’s e‑procurement system as required to include processing, preparing, and monitoring requisitions and purchase orders for good and services.

Develop, issue, and manage RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs as assigned by the Director of Procurement.

Support the development of specifications, requirements, and evaluation criteria for competitive bidding processes.

Review and assess university purchasing requests and historical spend for alignment with purchasing standards and best value.

Engage vendors and suppliers to gather information on pricing, quality, delivery, and service levels.

Serve as the primary administrator of the Procurement Department’s contact repository.

Administer, maintain, and monitor existing contracts, ensuring accurate documentation and compliance.

Develop resources and training material for procurement related items.

Review and process requests for price adjustments, term extensions, amendments, and other contract modifications.

Develop, maintain, and enhance procurement dashboards, metrics, and recurring reports to support departmental and university‑wide decision‑making.

Analyze spend patterns, vendor performance, contract usage, cycle times, and category trends to identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements.

Create and manage electronic forms used within the Procurement Department, ensuring accuracy, usability, and process alignment.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Associate degree or equivalent college coursework in relevant field and three years of experience in supply chain/procurement business, finance or a related field.

Knowledge Of

• Sourcing, procurement, contracting, and supplier management processes
• Transactional and procurement best practices

Skill In

• Written, verbal and interpersonal communication
• Project management
• Critical thinking
• Adhering to scheduled deadlines and deliverables
• Microsoft Office 365 applications

Ability To

• Learn and apply new technical skills, business concepts, and development techniques
• Apply innovative solutions to make departmental improvements
• Work cross functionally in a collaborative environment
• Travel from building to building and off campus occasionally.

Preferred Qualifications – if applicable

• Professional experience in higher education procurement or related administrative operations.
• Experience with e‑procurement platforms and university financial/ERP systems such as Banner.
• Familiarity with and experience in the use of reporting tools, such as Power BI or Cognos.
• Experience with data management, reporting, and process‑automation tools to support procurement operation

Assessments

Asterisk (*) indicates knowledge, skills, abilities which require assessments

Must pass a security check.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

For official job descriptions, visit www.kent.edu/hr.

Kent State University is a Smoke-Free, Tobacco-Free University effective July 1, 2017. Smoking and tobacco use are not permitted on any of Kent State’s campuses or other locations and properties that are owned, operated, or leased by Kent State, both domestic and international. For additional details, visit www.kent.edu/smoke-free.

Disclaimer

The intent of this description is to illustrate the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and should not be interpreted to describe all the specific duties and responsibilities that may be required in any particular position. Directly related experience/education beyond the minimum stated may be substituted where appropriate at the discretion of the Appointing Authority. Kent State University reserves the right to revise or change job duties, job hours, and responsibilities.