Procurement Specialist in Easley, South Carolina at Safe Industries

Positions Summary
The Procurement Specialist provides strategic oversight of sourcing, supplier management, and procurement activities for PPE, emergency response equipment, safety products, and other critical operational supplies. This role ensures supply continuity, cost effectiveness, vendor performance, and operational readiness in support of Safe Industries’ mission and business priorities. This role provides back up support to the Director of Operations & Supply Chain.

Essential Functions & Core Responsibilities
Lead the development and execution of procurement strategies for PPE, emergency response equipment, safety products, and other critical operational supplies.
Provide strategic oversight of sourcing activities, vendor selection, contract negotiations, and supplier performance to ensure cost effectiveness, quality, and supply continuity.
Establish and maintain strong partnerships with key suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and internal stakeholders to support long-term business objectives and operational readiness.
Evaluate market conditions, supplier capacity, pricing trends, and risk factors to inform sourcing decisions, cost forecasts, and contingency planning.
Oversee purchase order execution, inventory coordination, and fulfillment priorities to ensure timely availability of high priority emergency response and critical operations items.
Partner with sales, operations, logistics, finance, and leadership teams to align procurement plans with customer demand, business priorities, deployment timelines, and service-level expectations.
Identify, assess, and resolve supply chain disruptions, escalating critical risks and recommending mitigation strategies to leadership as appropriate.
Support the development, review, and execution of emergency procurement protocols for disaster response, critical infrastructure events, and time-sensitive operational needs.
Ensure procurement activities comply with company policies, regulatory requirements, applicable safety standards, trade compliance expectations, and contract obligations.
Develop, analyze, and present procurement metrics, cost-savings opportunities, and supplier performance insights to leadership.
Drive cross-functional initiatives related to new product launches, vendor transitions, process improvements, emergency preparedness, and supply chain optimization.

Required Qualifications
Advanced knowledge of procurement strategy, supplier management, sourcing practices, and supply chain operations.
Demonstrated ability to manage critical supply needs, vendor performance, cost effectiveness, and operational readiness in a time-sensitive environment.
Strong negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to work effectively across sales, operations, logistics, finance, and leadership teams.
Strong analytical and decision-making skills, with proficiency in procurement systems, ERP platforms, Excel, Power BI, or similar data analysis tools.
Ability to assess supplier risk, market conditions, pricing trends, and inventory needs to support sourcing decisions and contingency planning.
Working knowledge of PPE, safety equipment, emergency response products, and related compliance standards preferred.
Ability to respond quickly and effectively to emergency, high-priority, or time-critical procurement situations.
High level of accuracy, accountability, and professional judgment in managing procurement data, supplier commitments,
and business-critical decisions.

Preferred Education, Certifications, and/or Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain management, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field required.
Minimum 3–5 years of experience in procurement, purchasing, or supply chain roles.
Experience in industrial distribution, safety products, emergency response, or government/defense contracting preferred.

APICS CSCP, ISM CPSM, or equivalent professional certification preferred.

Benefits
Medical
Dental
Vision
Wellness Program
Life Insurance
Long Term Disability
PTO
Holidays
401K vested on day 1; 5% employer match