Purchasing Specialist

Company: Northeastern University
Location: Boston
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

About the Opportunity The Purchasing Specialist serves as the main point person and subject matter expert on the procure-to-pay and contract processes for research in the Departments of Chemical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering, including but not limited to navigating the contract process and understanding the requirements for different payment types and requests for Chemical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty. The Purchasing Specialist will be responsible for managing the process, facilitating, and executing research purchases with a high level of accuracy and customer service. They will partner with the post-award management team to ensure purchases are compliant with the proposed funding source and create documentation to capture existing and new workflows, provide reports and statistics as directed, and perform other duties as required. This person will be trained in grant compliance and be able to advise faculty to ensure purchases are compliant with sponsor and university policies. This person will negotiate quotes and manage the contract process for the faculty member. This person will be asked to analyze purchasing data and identify trends to make processes more efficient. This position will be split evenly between the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The home department will be Chemical Engineering. This position is hybrid with the understanding that the person is in-person at least 4 days a week – two of those with each department. Qualifications: Associate's degree required, Bachelor’s degree preferred. Excellent organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills. Aptitude for accuracy and detailed work is essential. Ability to prioritize work and multitask with ease and efficiency. Must be process-oriented and have the ability to work both independently and in a team environment. Successful candidates must stay current with all new and existing regulatory requirements and institutional policies/procedures and keep faculty PIs and department leadership informed of changes. Due to the amount of personal and financial information involved, this person must have the aptitude for treating sensitive information related to salaries in a confidential and professional manner. High level of customer service and boutique support. Desktop software application skills required for the following: web browsers, Adobe, Microsoft Teams, Excel, and Outlook. Experience working with Smartsheet and Airtable desired. Responsibilities: I. Manage P2P - Research Purchases 45% The Purchasing Specialist will be responsible for managing the process, facilitating, and executing research purchases with a high level of accuracy and customer service. They will partner with the post-award team to ensure purchases are compliant with the proposed funding source and create documentation to capture existing and new workflows, provide reports and statistics as directed, and perform other duties as required. This person will be trained in grant compliance and be able to problem solve within grant regulations. Use Workday Finance; IntelliBUY for supplier management, contract submissions, and catalog purchasing; and Concur. II. Manage Purchase Orders & Contracts 45% The Purchasing Specialist will manage the PO and contract process for research items from beginning to end. Serve as liaison between OGC and faculty, tracking and filing all contracts in an organized and timely manner. Be the expert on the contract and payment processes along with proactively managing contract and payment processes. Negotiate directly with vendors to answer questions, problem solve, set expectations, request and organize required documentation, etc. Educate department faculty, staff colleagues and vendors on our processes and timelines and communicate regularly throughout the process to maintain strong working relationships between the university and external vendors. Continuously aim to improve existing processes to shorten processing timelines and increase overall efficiency. III. Project Assistance 10% Work with university, college and department staff and faculty on purchasing projects, including business process improvements, workflow documentation, and development of department specific training materials. Seek improvements to optimize procurement workflow and best practices. Continue to research initiatives for cost reduction. Performs other miscellaneous tasks as assigned. Position Type Finance Additional Information Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 106H Expected Hiring Range: $23.37 - $32.14 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

Keywords: Northeastern University, Boston , Purchasing Specialist, Administration, Clerical , Boston, Massachusetts