Procurement Specialist

About Williams‑Sonoma DC – Olive Branch, MS

Since its founding in 1956, Williams‑Sonoma has grown from Chuck Williams’ single store into one of the largest home‑furnishings retailers, with beloved brands including Williams‑Sonoma, Pottery Barn and West Elm. The Distribution Centers serve as vital connections between factories and retail, online and mail‑order customers worldwide. The Supply Chain environment is dynamic, fast‑paced, and rapidly expanding.

The Procurement Specialist is responsible for drafting, negotiating, and managing contracts and vendor relationships to support business operations. This role partners closely with Operations, Procurement, Legal, Finance, Risk, and other departments to ensure agreements align with company standards, reduce risk, and drive cost savings.

• Deliver weekly status reporting and metrics related to contracts review and cost savings.
• Draft, review, benchmark, and negotiate a wide range of agreements (NDAs, MSAs, SLAs, SOWs, leases, order forms, amendments, and technology‑related contracts).
• Ensure contract documents reflect negotiated terms and comply with internal policies, legal requirements, and business objectives.
• Identify contractual risks and provide decision support to business partners with recommendations and mitigation strategies.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of contract law and apply it in all reviews and negotiations.
• Participate in vendor initiatives, including sourcing activities (RFx), supplier evaluations, vendor recommendations, and contract negotiation.
• Analyze vendor spend and business requirements to propose cost‑saving opportunities and optimize vendor relationships.
• Proactively monitor contract renewals, amendments, expirations, and compliance with contractual obligations.
• Manage real‑time contract review tracking through internal systems such as SharePoint, spend tools, and service management platforms.
• Act as a primary contracting point of contact for business partners and stakeholders across the supply chain.
• Collaborate with Legal, Corporate Accounting, Risk, Compliance, Operations, and Internal Audit teams on contract reviews and corporate compliance matters.
• Prepare and present updates on contract status, vendor spend, renewals, and cost savings metrics.
• Communicate with internal partners regarding contract proposals, risk considerations, litigation concerns, and other matters affecting business units.
• Lead or support the development of best‑in‑class contracting, vendor management, and procurement processes.
• Create or improve contracting procedures to balance rigor with operational efficiency and avoid bottlenecks for business units.
• Support creation and maintenance of workflows, templates, and process documentation within Procurement and the Raindrops Contract Management system.
• Educate and train business partners on contracting processes, vendor management practices, and related tools.
• Provide customer service and expert guidance to internal stakeholders throughout the contracting lifecycle.
• Assist teams participating in RFP responses by reviewing requirements, identifying risks, and guiding appropriate contractual language.
• Maintain consistent documentation and real‑time updates in systems such as SharePoint, Service Now, and procurement/spend management tools.
• Operate required office equipment and maintain clear communication channels across teams.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, Engineering or related field.
• At least 3 years of experience in indirect procurement (strategic sourcing, category/supplier/spend management), contracts, and vendor relationship management.
• Strong knowledge of contract law, contracting principles, and vendor management best practices.
• Experience partnering with Legal, Risk, Corporate Accounting, and Compliance teams.
• Working knowledge of internal audit interactions and compliance standards.
• Strong analytical ability with aptitude for numbers and financial basics.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite (including redlining Word documents) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and multitasking capability.
• Outstand…