Senior Substation Procurement Lead: HV Equipment & Contracts

Overview

The Substation Procurement Manager is responsible for sourcing, negotiating, purchasing, and managing the delivery of materials and equipment for utility, transmission, distribution, and renewable energy substation projects. This role will lead procurement activities for major electrical equipment, coordinate with engineering and construction teams, manage supplier relationships, and ensure timely delivery of materials to support project schedules and budgets.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience procuring high-voltage electrical equipment and a solid understanding of substation construction and utility industry supply chains.

• Lead procurement activities for substation projects including sourcing, bid solicitation, commercial evaluations, and purchase order issuance.
• Procure major electrical equipment and materials including:
• Power transformers
• Circuit breakers
• Disconnect switches
• Relay panels and protection systems
• Control houses
• Bus and conductor systems
• Steel structures
• Instrument transformers
• Cable and conduit
• SCADA and communication equipment
• Develop and execute procurement strategies aligned with project schedules and budgets.
• Identify qualified vendors and maintain strong supplier relationships.

• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, delivery schedules, warranties, and service agreements.
• Evaluate supplier performance related to cost, quality, lead times, and responsiveness.
• Manage supplier contracts, purchase orders, change orders, and claims resolution.
• Coordinate factory acceptance testing (FAT) schedules and supplier inspections as required.
• Support legal and risk management review of procurement agreements.

• Work closely with engineering, project management, and construction teams to ensure equipment specifications and procurement requirements are clearly defined.
• Track long-lead equipment and proactively mitigate supply chain risks and schedule impacts.
• Coordinate logistics, expediting, and delivery schedules to project sites.
• Support project forecasting, budgeting, and cost control activities.
• Participate in project meetings and provide procurement status updates.

• Monitor market trends, pricing fluctuations, and supply chain constraints impacting electrical equipment.
• Develop procurement schedules and maintain accurate tracking reports.
• Assist with inventory management and material planning for multiple concurrent projects.
• Implement procurement best practices and continuous improvement initiatives.

• Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, client requirements, and industry standards.
• Maintain procurement documentation including bids, contracts, submittals, and vendor records.
• Support quality requirements and coordinate with QA/QC teams on supplier compliance.

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of procurement or supply chain experience supporting substation, utility, transmission & distribution, renewable energy, or heavy industrial projects.
• Strong knowledge of high-voltage electrical equipment and utility industry procurement processes.
• Experience managing large equipment packages and long-lead material procurement.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and vendor management skills.
• Ability to read and interpret technical specifications and electrical equipment documentation.
• Proficiency with ERP systems, procurement software, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.

• Experience supporting EPC contractors or utility clients.
• Knowledge of utility substation construction and commissioning processes.
• Familiarity with major OEMs and electrical equipment manufacturers.
• CPM, CPSM, or related procurement certification preferred.