Temp Non-Student Purchasing Specialist

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Vision

Dental

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Wellness & life

Retirement benefits

Commuting & transportation

Job summary

Northeastern University seeks a Purchasing Specialist to serve as a department buyer, handling procure-to-pay and contract processes for research and department purchases.

The role negotiates with vendors, processes purchase orders and contracts from initiation to completion, and collaborates with NU-RES and the Office of General Counsel on compliance and contract tracking.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required (Associate's degree with significant relevant experience acceptable).
• 2+ years of financial operations and purchasing experience; grant compliance knowledge preferred.
• Experience as primary point of contact in a multi-constituent environment (students, faculty, vendors).

Responsibilities

• Manage procure-to-pay and contract processes for research and department purchases.
• Negotiate with vendors and coordinate contracts from start to finish.
• Provide financial operations support and employment support for students and research staff.

Skills

Vendor negotiation

Procurement experience

Grant compliance

Primary contact duties

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Tools

Workday Finance

IntelliBUY+

Concur

Smartsheet

Airtable

Job description

About the Opportunity

Job Description: The Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE) seeks a Purchasing Specialist to serve as a department buyer, managing procure-to-pay and contract processes for research and department purchases. This position negotiates with vendors, processes purchase orders and contracts from initiation to completion, and partners with the post-award management team, NU-RES, and the Office of General Counsel on compliance and contract tracking. The role also provides financial operations support and student/research staff employment support for the department. Reporting to the Business Manager, this role requires strong attention to detail, discretion in handling sensitive financial and personnel information, and the ability to work independently within established university procurement and financial policies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree required (Associate's degree considered with significant relevant experience).
• Minimum of two years of financial operations and purchasing experience; strong knowledge of procurement processes and grant compliance preferred.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a primary point of contact in a multi-constituent environment (students, faculty, visitors, vendors).

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) required.
• Experience with Workday Finance, IntelliBUY+, Concur, Smartsheet, and Airtable desired.
• Experience with purchasing card (p-card) programs and reconciliation processes desired.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate with vendors, manage quotes, and coordinate contract processes.

Position Type

Temporary

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation.

Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

This job is for a current or anticipated job vacancy.

Pay Rate: $30/hr.

About Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—including 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.