Procurement Specialist
Ardagh GroupLocation: Chicago, IL, US, 60631 Job ID: 62241 Estimated Travel: 0 - 25% Contract Type: Employee Talent Area: Procurement Position Summary The Procurement Specialist is responsible for supporting and implementing sourcing and category management initiatives across Capital Equipment and Tooling. The role also provides procurement support for Spare Parts, MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Operations), and Consumables within the Technical Center. The position is accountable for category strategy execution, strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management, contract administration, stakeholder engagement, and procurement process excellence to deliver cost, cash, sustainability, and operational performance objectives. This position collaborates closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Finance, and Quality teams to ensure procurement strategies align with business objectives and support operational performance. The role has a direct impact on financial performance through value creation, supplier management, contract optimization, working capital improvements, and procurement process effectiveness. The Procurement Specialist reports to the Category Manager and works closely with regional and global procurement and operational leadership teams. Key Responsibilities Category Strategy & Sourcing Implement regional category strategies aligned with global procurement objectives. Support the development and execution of procurement strategies that are innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable. Drive category benchmarking, market intelligence, continuous improvement, and value engineering initiatives. Lead RFQ processes, competitive bidding events, supplier evaluations, and sourcing activities. Support capital investment projects through sourcing, supplier selection, commercial evaluations, bid analysis, and contract administration for equipment, tooling, and related services. Identify opportunities to optimize Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), reduce spending, improve working capital, and support sustainability objectives. Monitor category markets and supply chain conditions to identify supply risks, market trends, and emerging supplier opportunities. Support the development of new sourcing opportunities, technologies, and innovative procurement solutions. Supplier Relationship Management Lead Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) activities, including business reviews, scorecards, benchmarking, and performance evaluations. Monitor supplier performance related to safety, quality, service, on-time-in-full (OTIF) delivery, sustainability, pricing, and financial stability. Collaborate with suppliers to identify productivity improvements, innovation opportunities, and value-creation initiatives. Ensure timely implementation of commercial agreements, pricing adjustments, and contractual commitments. Support supplier development initiatives to strengthen the supplier base, improve Contract & Commercial Management Negotiate, develop, implement, and manage supplier contracts and commercial agreements. Partner with Legal and business stakeholders to ensure appropriate contractual protections and compliance requirements are in place. Ensure effective deployment and execution of negotiated terms and conditions. Manage commercial risk and support supplier contingency planning activities. Support commercial analyses, cost modeling, and total-cost evaluations to drive informed sourcing decisions. Stakeholder Management Build strong partnerships with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Finance, Quality, Maintenance, Storeroom, and Procurement teams. Communicate category strategies, supplier developments, market conditions, and business risks to stakeholders. Support organizational change management initiatives related to procurement transformation and process improvement. Facilitate collaboration between business units, project teams, and suppliers to achieve procurement and operational objectives. Tactical Create and maintain requisitions/p…