Procurement Analyst

Position Summary:

As a Procurement Analyst - Cost Operations, you will play a critical role in advancing Vallen's enterprise sourcing and cost management strategy. This role sits at the intersection of Category Management, Pricing, and Supplier Strategy, with primary ownership of supplier cost increase management and a mandate to modernize Cost Operations.

You will lead the intake, validation, and execution of supplier cost changes while delivering data-driven insights and governance that protect margin and enable informed decision-making. In addition to supporting sourcing and negotiation efforts, this role will be instrumental in transforming current cost processes into a standardized, scalable, and highly efficient operating model.

This position is pivotal to reshaping how the organization manages supplier cost changes-bringing structure, visibility, and strategic control to Cost Operations. This role will drive improved efficiency, strengthen supplier accountability, and establish a data-driven framework that enhances decision-making and safeguards company profitability in a dynamic cost environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Cost Increase Management & Validation
• Own the end-to-end process for supplier cost increase files, including intake, validation, analysis, and implementation readiness.
• Review supplier-submitted pricing updates (e.g., price lists, tariffs, surcharges) to ensure accuracy, completeness, and alignment with contractual agreements.
• Coordinate timing and execution of approved cost changes to ensure alignment with internal pricing strategies and system updates.
• Cost Validation & Supplier Challenge
• Identify discrepancies, unsupported increases, or non-compliant submissions and escalate with data-backed insights
• Support Category Management in developing negotiation strategies to challenge or mitigate unjustified cost increases.
• Build and maintain cost intelligence, including supplier cost histories and increase patterns.
• Cost Operations Transformation
• Play central role in modernizing Cost Operations by identifying gaps, inefficiencies, and inconsistencies in current cost management processes
• Design and implement scalable workflows, governance models, and automation opportunities to streamline cost intake and approval processes
• Partner with Pricing, IT, and Category Management to enhance systems and tools supporting cost updates and visibility.
• Drive standardization of cost data structures, naming conventions, and business rules across suppliers and systems.
• Analytics & Reporting
• Deliver actionable insights through advanced data analysis, financial modeling, and reporting.
• Develop dashboards and tracking tools to monitor:
• Cost increase pipeline and approval status
• Cycle times and process efficiency
• Supplier compliance and exception trends
• Other duties assigned by manager.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Economics; equivalent experience considered
• 2-4 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain, or related analytical function.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills, with the ability to interpret large complex data sets; Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; Excel proficiency (e.g., pivot tables, lookups, formulas) required.
• Effective communicator with the ability to influence stakeholders through clear, data-backed recommendations and teamwork.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and a proactive, process-improvement mindset.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results in a fast-paced, dynamic enterprise environment.

Preferred Attributes:

• Experience using SQL and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) is a plus.
• International sourcing or understanding of global trade dynamics (tariffs, duties, etc.)
• Familiarity with industrial distribution, manufacturing, or wholesale environments.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and price file structures; Managing high volumes of supplier cost change data

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

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

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee may be required to occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

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