Specialist-Strategic Sourcing

Tallgrass was named one of the 2023 Top Workplaces USA and highlighted in Colorado's Top Workplaces for the past seven consecutive years.

Tallgrass is a leading energy infrastructure company focused on safely, reliably, and sustainably delivering the energy and services that power our nation and enable our quality of life.

At Tallgrass, we value our teams and strive to create an environment where employees feel respected, and their contributions are valued.

We aim to support employees' physical, mental, and financial well-being through a comprehensive Total Rewards Program.

• Industry competitive pay
• Health insurance package options that include Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts.
• 401(k) with up to a 6% match that vests immediately plus an employer discretionary contribution up to 4%
• Wellness Programs
• Employer-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage
• Critical Illness & Accident Insurance
• Vacation, sick days, paid caregiver leave, volunteer and bereavement paid time off
• Identity theft protection
• Annual discretionary bonus
• Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Company-paid holidays and floating holidays
• Company vehicle (if applicable)
• Employee discounts : vehicles, tires, cellular plans, and more
• Career pathing, development programs, and internship programs

Primary purpose :

Responsible for working in conjunction with the Procurement team in support of : 1) Development of the procurement strategies, 2) Execution of the service procurement plan, 3) Negotiation and execution of strategies and plans.

These activities will encompass :

• Identifying suppliers and developing strategic relationships.
• Understanding market conditions and effectively communicating trends / forecasts to stakeholders.
• Leading the RFP, RFQ, RFA and negotiation processes - with a focus on creating value.
• Working in conjunction with Legal and stakeholders to negotiate contract terms and conditions.
• Collaborating with stakeholders to effectively manage the supplier portfolio.
• Developing / executing category strategies and the service procurement plan.
• Managing supplier performance. Developing and monitoring KPIs for key suppliers.
• Ensuring contract commitments are met.
• Adhering to company policies, procedures, guidelines, record retention, and delegation of authority.

Essential duties and responsibilities :

• Primary focus will be on stakeholder engagement, market intelligence, procurement plan development / execution, strategic sourcing, category management, leading RFP / RFQ events, contract authoring and negotiation, supplier management, contract management, and the execution and delivery of ongoing service contract requirements.
• Source and negotiate agreements for the procurement of materials and services.
• Ensure that service contract commitments are met and delivered.
• Act as a subject matter expert in regard to the procurement processes.
• Participate in the development and fulfillment of contract requirements in the purchase of equipment, materials, products or services.
• Negotiate contract terms and pricing (rates) with suppliers and participate in the determination of acceptable bids.
• Interpret internal and external business issues and recommend best practices.
• Advise internal functions of contractual rights and obligations.
• Request or approve amendments to contract terms or contract extensions.
• Interface with internal functions to evaluate contract compliance.
• Act as liaison between Company department, functions and suppliers.
• Prepare bids or requests for proposals (RFPs) including specifications and requirements.
• Communicate clearly and concisely.
• Work independently to manage tasks and timelines.
• Input and maintain necessary data in company ERP system and participate in testing upgrades.
• Promote Procurement services throughout the organization.
• Support stakeholders to help achieve key organizational goals.
• Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with internal and external stakeholders.
• Engage with a broad range of stakeholders with tact, courtesy and professionalism.
• Communicate clearly, both in person and virtually, using a high level of communication and active listening skills.
• Maintain a regular, dependable attendance and a consistently high level of performance.
• Will work non-traditional hours as needed.
• Maintain a high regard for personal safety, for the safety of company assets and employees, and the general public.
• Other daily, weekly, monthly or special project duties as identified and defined.

Minimum requirements :

Education :

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Accounting or a related discipline.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant direct work experience may be considered as a substitute for a degree.

Experience / Specific Knowledge :

• A minimum of at least seven (7) years direct or active work experience in Procurement or other relevant experience.
• Must have sourcing, contracting, supplier management and / or negotiation experience.
• Solid understanding of materials and service contract law, terms and conditions.
• Familiarity with energy industry-related services and commodities.
• Intermediate proficiency level in MS Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Certifications, Licenses & Registrations :

Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and a driving record satisfactory to the company and its insurers (for travel).

Competencies, Skills & Abilities :

• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, listening and presentation skills.
• Exceptional team member.
• Must be able to prioritize and manage work requirements independently to meet various schedules and objectives.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills, including the ability to resolve complex issues and to identify value generating opportunities.
• Self-motivated with the ability to successfully manage multiple tasks, to meet multiple deadlines, and to work with minimal direct supervision.
• Ability to organize, schedule and prioritize workload to meet various schedules and objectives on short notice.
• Ability to resolve conflict in a win-win manner.
• Must be able to work with a team, take direction from management, adhere to required work schedules, focus attention on details, and follow work rules.
• Ability to successfully perform multiple tasks with strict deadlines.
• Ability to organize and prioritize daily work.
• Must be able to perform all essential and marginal functions of the job.
• Job level commensurate with experience and skill sets; position will be filled depending on qualifications, experience and skill sets of the successful candidate.

Physical Demands :

All of the physical requirements listed below are those that may be necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Sitting; standing; walking or moving throughout facility; driving; talking; seeing (specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus);

hearing; feeling; bending or stooping; squatting or crouching; reaching; kneeling; pushing; pulling; lifting up to 25 lbs.

• Minimal safety hazards; general office working conditions.
• Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time.
• The employee is regularly required to use hands to type, touch, handle, or feel. The employee is required to talk and hear.

The employee is frequently required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to walk and climb or balance.

The employee must regularly lift and / or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and / or move up to 25 pounds.

Working Conditions :

• May be required to carry a cell phone and be available to respond during working and non-working hours.
• The successful candidate will be required to clear a drug screen and a complete background check, including credit report for certain positions, after an offer has been extended and prior to being employed.

Supervisory Responsibility :

None

PREFERRED EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, CERTIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES, SKILLS, & ABILITIES :

Above the minimum requirements; not required but advantageous in this position :

• CPSM certification preferred, but not required.
• Experience with Oracle Cloud ERP Requisition and Procurement modules.
• Experience with e-sourcing, CLM, and spend analytics applications.

Other responsibilities :

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed. This position may perform other duties as assigned.

Application Deadline : Recruiting timelines vary by position; however,all Tallgrass positions accept applications for at least five business daysfrom the posting date.

This position is open and still accepting applications.

Compensation : Compensation ranges are provided in good faith based on what we anticipate when researching wages for this position at the state and national levels.

We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This salary range may also be modified in the future.

Notice to External Search Firms : Tallgrass does not accept unsolicited resumes fromsearch firms or employment agencies.

Unsolicited referrals and resumes areconsidered Tallgrass property; therefore, Tallgrass will not pay a fee for anyplacement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited referral.

Approvedvendors may be invited to refer talent for specific positions at Tallgrass'srequest only. A fully executed agreement with Tallgrass must be in place andcurrent in these cases.

EEO Statement : Tallgrass complies with all Equal EmploymentOpportunity (EEO) affirmative action laws and regulations. Tallgrass does notdiscriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin,marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity andexpression, disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, or other statusprotected by law.