Senior Procurement Specialist

Valid8 Financial, Inc.; Schaumburg (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

RapidAir is seeking a highly organized Senior Procurement Specialist to join a fast-paced, growth-oriented team. This role focuses on executing procurement and inventory planning to ensure material availability, optimize inventory turns, and support uninterrupted operations.

The ideal candidate will have strong analytical skills, experience with POs, demand planning, supplier communication, and performance monitoring.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain or related field.
• Minimum 4–6 years of purchasing/procurement experience.
• Experience with ERP systems (Business Central or similar).
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint).

Responsibilities

• Manage full-cycle purchasing activities including PO creation and tracking.
• Monitor inventory levels, replenishment, excess inventory, and slow-moving stock.
• Develop KPIs and implement processes to improve performance.
• Forecast demand and develop purchasing plans using historical data and forecasts.
• Proactively manage supplier deliveries and expedite materials as needed.
• Identify and mitigate supply chain risks with cross-functional teams.
• Coordinate with Operations, Warehouse, Logistics, Sales, and Finance to align purchasing with priorities.
• Build and maintain strong supplier relationships and monitor performance.

Skills

Procurement

Inventory planning

PO management

Demand forecasting

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Supplier relations

Supplier performance

Problem solving

Urgency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain

Tools

ERP systems

Microsoft Excel

Job description

RapidAir is a leading designer and manufacturer of branded compressed air solutions—including piping, fittings, filtration, and accessories—serving transportation, manufacturing, industrial, energy, agricultural, and consumer markets.

In 2024, Gryphon Investorsacquireda controlling interest inRapidAirthrough the Heritage Fund, positioning the company for significant growth. Together,we’reexpanding into new markets, strengthening customer relationships, andleveragingmacro industrial trends to scaleRapidAir’sleadership in the compressed air space.

Job Summary:

We areseekinga highly organized, detail-oriented, and driven Senior Procurement Specialist to join our fast-paced, growing organization. This roleis responsible forexecuting procurement and inventory planning activities that ensure material availability,optimizeinventory levels, and support uninterrupted operations. The ideal candidatepossessesstrong analytical and technical skills, excels at managing multiple priorities, anddemonstratesa sense of urgency in a dynamic environment. Responsibilities include purchase order management, demand planning, inventory analysis, supplier communication, delivery management, and supplier performance monitoring. The Senior Procurement Specialist will work closely with Operations, Sales, Finance,Marketing,andsuppliers to drive execution, improve supply chain performance, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Manage full-cyclepurchasingactivities, including purchase order creation, supplier acknowledgements, order tracking, and invoice reconciliation.

Monitor inventory levels, replenishment requirements, excess inventory, and slow-moving stock to ensure material availability while optimizing inventory turns and working capital.

DevelopKPI’s and investigate /implement processesto improveincluding: root cause analysis, action plans, and monitoring / verification to ensureresults.

Forecast demand and develop purchasing, replenishment, and supplier delivery plans using historical sales data, inventory trends, lead times, and business forecasts.

Proactively manage supplier deliveries,monitoropen orders, and expedite materials as needed to support customer commitments and production schedules.

Identifyand communicate potential supply chain risks, including supplier capacity constraints, material shortages, and lead time changes, while developing mitigation plansfor use by cross-functional teams.

Coordinate with Operations, Warehouse, Logistics, Sales, and Finance teams to alignpurchasingactivities with business priorities.

Build andmaintainstrong supplier relationships while monitoring supplier performance related to cost, quality, delivery, responsiveness, and service.

Investigate and resolve supplier quality issues, shipment discrepancies, delivery challenges, and other vendor-related concerns.

Obtain and evaluate domestic and international freight quotes, including parcel, LTL, FTL, LCL, and FCL shipments.

Maintainaccuratepurchasing, supplier, and inventory data within ERP systems and supporting tools.

Develop andmaintainprocurement reports, KPIs, and performance metrics to support decision-making and continuous improvement initiatives.

Identifyopportunities to improve procurement processes, inventory management practices, and overall supply chain efficiency.

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, or related field preferred

Minimum of 4-6 years of relevant purchasing/procurement experiencerequired

Experience using Business Central or similar ERP systems

Strongproficiencyin Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote)

Skills & Abilities

Strong communicationand relationship-building skills with the ability to effectively collaborate across suppliers and internal teams.

Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data,identifytrends, and make informed decisions.

Proactive, self-motivated mindset with a strong sense of urgency and ownership.

Ability to prioritize competing demands and consistently meet deadlines.

Proficient in ERP systems, Microsoft Excel, and data analysis tools.

Continuous improvement mindset focused on driving efficiency, accuracy, and process improvements.

Physical Requirements

Primarily office-based, requiring the ability to sit or stand for extended periods while using a computer and phone

Ability to communicate clearly and receive direction in a fast-paced environment

Occasional light physical activity, such as moving product samples or reference materials

Travel Requirements: 10%-15%

Travel isrequiredto support operational, supplier, and cross-functional business activities. This includes onsite visits to the Auburndale, WI facility, as well as occasional supplier visits as business needs require.

RapidAir Products offers the opportunity to join a growing, market-leading platform backed by a premier private equity sponsor. This role provides meaningful ownership, visibility, and the opportunity to directlyimpactthe company’s success.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, and sexual orientation, and ancestry, marital or veteran status. Diversity isvaluedand we will not tolerate discrimination or harassment in any form. Candidates for the positionstatedabove are hired on an "at will" basis. Nothinghereinis intended to create a contract.

Disclaimer

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or skillsrequired. Employees maybe requiredto perform other related duties as needed.