Procurement Strategist

Location:

The Procurement Strategist is an individual contributor role reporting to a category or support function manager within Key’s Corporate Procurement group.  This position acts as a strategic and collaborative partner to assigned line of business (LOB) by developing and implementing procurement strategies that drive cost savings, meet business needs and optimize Key’s spend in that category.  Responsibilities include: defining and “owning” the procurement strategy for assigned area, establishing and growing critical relationships with business partners both internal and external to Corporate Procurement and Key, conducting vendor negotiations and ensuring proper administration and execution of contracts and mitigating risk through adherence to and monitoring of established performance metrics, defined internal processes and management routines.  Success criteria include: proven track record of solid relationship-building and effective collaboration, ability to analyze critical data, business acumen, ability to manage multiple projects in fast-paced environment and reputation as an accessible, approachable and responsive team member.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Develop, implement and “own” procurement strategies for assigned areas that drive cost savings, meet business needs and optimize Key’s spend in that category

• Provide innovative and strategic sourcing strategies that support the needs of the business and contribute to Procurement’s overall savings target
• Know the business/area assigned; stay up to date on relevant changes, trends, etc.
• Recommend strategies that support achievement of Supplier Diversity spend
• Act as primary point of contact for Procurement with senior management of assigned LOB/assigned area; understand their spend, identify solutions, etc.
• Conduct and/or oversee business-as-usual (BAU) work related to assigned engagements
• Keep abreast of best-practices in the industry; makes recommendation for adoption by Key
• Identifies opportunities for continuous improvement across procurement practices

• Savings targets are achieved; execution of Procurement strategies that impact Key’s bottom line

• Strategist is viewed by LOB as knowledgeable member of the team

• Supplier Diversity spend targets are realized

• BAU activity is completed in a thorough and timely fashion

Develop strategic and collaborative relationships

• Maintain and grow relationships with both internal and external business partners: LOB/assigned area, Finance, TPM, Vendors, etc. with a keen focus on client satisfaction
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with Category Managers, Strategists and Analysts within and outside assigned functional area
• Demonstrate strong ability to partner with Procurement Support teams including: Legal, Solutions, Third-Party Risk Mgmt., etc.

• Act as team player open to participating on project teams and supporting other areas of the business as needed

• LOB views Strategist as a true partner; seeks out advice and support

• Internal client satisfaction remains high; targets are achieved

• Strategist has collegial and professional relationships across all functions within Corporate Procurement

Conduct vendor negotiations and oversee administration of contracts with a focus on risk mitigation for Key

• Manage the contract execution process, involving, Legal, Risk, Procurement Operations and other partners as needed
• Monitor and manage contract renewal and expiration to ensure sufficient time for renegotiation, termination, etc.
• Adhere to internal policies and processes; identify and escalate material issues in a timely manner

• Vendor negotiation process runs smoothly

• Partnerships with Key and external vendors remain strong

• Risk to Key is mitigated and reduced

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree; 4 years minimum relevant, professional experience
• Proven relationship-building skills working with mid to senior management and cross-functional teams
• Strong written and oral communication ability; demonstrated presentation skills
• Demonstrated organizational and project management skills
• Ability to handle multiple priorities, to work independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated strong client focus; is efficient and delivers in a timely manner
• Analytic skills and strong financial acumen; understands client’s strategy and priorities
• Ability to draw insights from analysis and then set strategy based on insights
• Demonstrated ability to solve basic problems; escalates as necessary
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite, strong Excel and PowerPoint skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• MBA Preferred

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES

• Accountability:  Keeps promises and honors commitments; Accepts responsibility for mistakes and failures and learns from them; Honors commitments and demonstrates open, honest communication.
• Effective Collaboration:  Identifies and involves the right stakeholders to make decisions and maximize results; Readily shares information, knowledge, best practices, and ideas with teammates; Leverages opportunities and capabilities across the team to accomplish goals; Attentive and active listener; has the patience to hear people out; can accurately restate the opinion of others even when he/she disagrees.
• Client Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external clients; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with and gains their trust and respect.
• Developing Self:  Take ownership of your personal development plan and seek opportunities to further develop your professional effectiveness. 
• Business Acumen:  Knowledgeable about industry and current, possibly future policies, practices, trends and information affecting her/his business and organization; possess institutional knowledge and technical savvy
• Problem Solving:  Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answers
• Drives for Results:  Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; relentless focus on execution; steadfastly pushes self and others for results.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position is eligible to earn a base salary in the range of $80,000 to $95,000 annually depending on location and job-related factors such as level of experience. Compensation for this role also includes eligibility for short-term incentive compensation and deferred incentive compensation subject to individual and company performance.

Please click here for a list of benefits for which this position is eligible.

Key has implemented a role-based Mobile by Design approach to our employee workspaces, dedicating space to those whose roles require specific workspaces, while providing flexible options for roles which are less dependent on assigned workspaces and can be performed effectively in a mobile environment. As a result, this role may be Mobile or Home-based, which means you may work primarily either at a home office or in a Key facility to perform your job duties.

KeyCorp is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other protected category.

Qualified individuals with disabilities or disabled veterans who are unable or limited in their ability to apply on this site may request reasonable accommodations by emailing HR_Compliance@keybank.com.

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