Lead Procurement Specialist​/Procurement Manager

Position: Lead Procurement Specialist / Procurement Manager
Location: Aurora

Description

Cen Core is seeking an experienced Lead Procurement Specialist / Procurement Manager to support procurement, supply chain, and manufacturing logistics operations. This role is responsible for sourcing, purchasing, shipping coordination, receiving, material tracking, vendor management, and procurement documentation in accordance with contract requirements and operational timelines.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on procurement professional who can manage vendor relationships, support material planning, monitor lead times, and maintain accurate purchasing records while partnering closely with operations, logistics, finance, contracts, and program teams. Experience supporting government manufacturing contracts, logistics, or federal contract environments is strongly preferred. The successful candidate should also have experience using procurement software and be able to incorporate AI tools and automation to improve efficiency, accuracy, reporting, and workflow management.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end procurement activities, including sourcing, pricing, purchasing, shipping coordination, receiving, material tracking, and procurement documentation.
• Support material planning and procurement execution to ensure equipment, supplies, and services are delivered in alignment with program schedules and operational requirements.
• Develop, review, and process purchase requests, purchase orders, vendor quotes, invoices, receiving reports, and related procurement records.
• Coordinate with operations, logistics, warehouse, finance, contracts, and program management teams to align procurement actions with business and contract requirements.
• Maintain accurate records of procurement activity, supplier performance, order status, delivery timelines, and material availability.
• Monitor vendor performance and resolve issues related to pricing, quality, substitutions, incomplete shipments, and delivery delays.
• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, procurement standards, and applicable contract requirements.
• Support shipping, receiving, and inventory coordination activities, including receipt verification and discrepancy resolution.
• Use procurement or ERP systems to manage purchasing workflows, reporting, supplier records, and documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve procurement efficiency through process improvements, automation, reporting enhancements, and workflow optimization.
• Assist with cost analysis, vendor comparisons, procurement forecasting, and supply chain risk mitigation efforts.
• Support audits, compliance reviews, customer reporting, and internal procurement process improvement initiatives.
• Serve as a lead procurement point of contact for assigned programs, contracts, or operational support activities.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in procurement, purchasing, supply chain, logistics, materials management, or a related field.
• Experience sourcing, ordering, shipping, receiving, and tracking materials in a manufacturing, logistics, warehouse, or operations environment.
• Knowledge of procurement principles, vendor management, purchasing workflows, and supply chain best practices.
• Experience using procurement, ERP, inventory, or supply chain management systems.
• Ability to manage multiple vendors, purchase actions, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Strong understanding of material tracking, purchase orders, vendor quotes, receiving processes, and documentation control.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with operations, finance, contracts, logistics, and program management teams.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to maintain accurate procurement records.
• Ability to identify process gaps and recommend practical improvements.
• Ability to meet background check, customer suitability, or contract-specific requirements as applicable.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance or higher.
• Experience supporting government contracts, especially manufacturing, logistics, defense, or federal supply chain programs.
• Knowledge of FAR, DFARS, government purchasing requirements, or federal contract compliance.
• Experience in a lead, senior specialist, supervisor, or procurement manager role.
• Experience with automation, dashboards, workflow improvements, or AI-enabled process enhancements in procurement or supply chain operations.
• Experience with systems such as Deltek, Costpoint, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Net Suite, Coupa, Unanet, UKG, or similar platforms.
• Experience supporting material planning, inventory management, warehouse coordination, shipping and receiving, or manufacturing production schedules.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Logistics, Operations Management, or a related field.
• Professional certifications such as CPSM, CPP, CPIM, CSCP, PMP, or similar.

Core Skills

• Procurement and purchasing management
• Vendor sourcing and supplier coordination
• Supply chain and manufacturing…