Procurement Specialist

Smurfit Westrock; Spanish Fork (UT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Smurfit Westrock is seeking a Procurement Specialist to optimize purchasing across multiple sites. You will handle complex sourcing, support planning with plant teams, and drive strategic supplier alignment to maximize value and minimize cost.

This role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, process improvement, and robustERP/SAP Ariba and Coupa usage to ensure supply continuity and compliance.

Qualifications

• 1 to 3 years of experience in procurement or supply chain.
• Understanding of procurement practices, ERP systems, and purchasing workflows.
• Proven ability to independently manage supplier relationships and resolve operational procurement issues.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with systems like SAP, JDE, SAP Ariba, or Coupa.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex or high value purchasing requests, including validating requirements, sourcing options, competitive bidding process, and overseeing the procure to pay process.
• Support procurement planning for recurring and non-routine goods, materials and/or services, working proactively with plant teams and suppliers to define best strategy to achieve the highest value at the lowest cost.
• Analyze spend trends, supplier usage, and market conditions across sites to recommend consolidation opportunities, preferred supplier optimization, and/or contract alignment.
• Serve as an escalation point for supplier issues, delivery challenges, or invoice discrepancies, working closely with the appropriate stakeholders to achieve resolution.
• Maintain strong knowledge of procurement policies, provide training or clarification to stakeholders, and ensure compliance across supported locations.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and mitigate supply risks.
• Partner with Category Management teams to support contract rollouts, supplier transitions, monitor supplier performance, and ensure successful implementation of strategic initiatives.

Skills

Procurement

Supply chain

Vendor management

Analytical skills

Communication

ERP systems

Excel

SAP

SAP Ariba

Coupa

JDE

Tools

Excel

SAP

JDE

SAP Ariba

Coupa

Job description

The Procurement Specialist plays a key role in managing and optimizing procurement activities across a group of manufacturing facilities. This role combines transactional execution with tactical decision-making, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration to support plant-level operations and ensure supply continuity. The Procurement Specialist will serve as a key partner to the Area Manager and/or Regional Director for the assigned region.

This is a great opportunity for a procurement professional ready to take on broader responsibilities and contribute to operational efficiency and strategic sourcing alignment.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage complex or high value purchasing requests, including validating requirements, sourcing options, competitive bidding process, and overseeing the procure to pay process.
• Support procurement planning for recurring and non-routine goods, materials and/or services, working proactively with plant teams and suppliers to define best strategy to achieve the highest value at the lowest cost.
• Analyze spend trends, supplier usage, and market conditions across sites to recommend consolidation opportunities, preferred supplier optimization, and/or contract alignment.
• Serve as an escalation point for supplier issues, delivery challenges, or invoice discrepancies, working closely with the appropriate stakeholders to achieve resolution.
• Maintain strong knowledge of procurement policies, provide training or clarification to stakeholders, and ensure compliance across supported locations.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and mitigate supply risks.
• Partner with Category Management teams to support contract rollouts, supplier transitions, monitor supplier performance, and ensure successful implementation of strategic initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 1 to 3 years of experience in procurement or supply chain, ideally supporting multi-site manufacturing environments.
• Understanding of procurement practices, ERP systems, and purchasing workflows.
• Proven ability to independently manage supplier relationships and resolve operational procurement issues.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience with systems like SAP, JDE, SAP Ariba, or Coupa.

Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment.