Procurement Administrator

Traverse City is a destination town located in beautiful Northern Lower Michigan along the shores of East Grand Traverse Bay and West Grand Traverse Bay, both of which flow into Lake Michigan. This area is known for its beaches and extensive outdoor recreational opportunities and has been featured in publications such as Midwest Living, The New York Times, Forbes Magazine, National Geographic and also on Good Morning America.

Become One of Our Valued Team Members:

Under the general supervision of the Chief Financial Officer, the Procurement Administrator manages the procurement of goods and services for Traverse City Light & Power (TCLP) and TCLPfiber. This role ensures compliance with purchasing regulations and TCLP’s Purchasing Policy, focusing on sustainability, vendor relationships, and efficiency.

Key responsibilities include enhancing procurement management, enhancing sustainable purchasing policies, overseeing vendor partnerships, and tracking performance metrics to align with budget and strategic goals. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong analytical skills, strategic planning, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively to support effective procurement operations.

Essential Job Functions:
An employee in this position may be called upon to do any or all of the following essential functions. These examples do not include all of the duties which the employee may be expected to perform. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily.

• Process purchase and service orders for stock and non-stock materials in accordance with TCLP’s Purchasing Policy.
• Work with departments, managers, and staff to coordinate formal purchase requests, ensuring compliance with state and local purchasing regulations.
• Oversee sustainable procurement initiatives, ensuring purchasing decisions align with TCLP’s sustainability goals.
• Identify, validate, and maintain vendor relationships, ensuring all vendors meet TCLP’s qualification standards.
• Manage and validate sole-source procurements, ensuring appropriate justification, budget alignment, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and implement performance metrics for procurement efficiency, vendor performance, and cost savings tracking.
• Plan and forecast procurement needs by attending department meetings, assessing project needs, and ensuring proactive purchasing strategies.
• Develop and draft contract documents and amendments in coordination with legal counsel and department managers.
• Maintain procurement records and documentation, including vendor approvals, purchase authorizations, and contract compliance.
• Administer and track contract expiration dates and renewals, notifying relevant personnel in a timely manner.
• Ensure vendors and contractors comply with insurance requirements before starting and during the performance of work.
• Manage insurance documentation, payment and performance bonds, and ensure transactions comply with the Purchasing Policy.
• Assist in pre-bid meetings, bid openings, and vendor conferences while ensuring compliance with applicable public meeting laws.
• Negotiate favorable terms and conditions with vendors and suppliers.
• Maintain and update TCLP’s vendor list quarterly, ensuring inclusion of local and minority vendors.
• Serve as a liaison between TCLP and vendors, fostering strong working relationships to improve procurement efficiency and supplier engagement.
• Oversee budget alignment for procurement transactions, ensuring purchases comply with approved budget allocations.
• Ensure alignment of purchase orders with financial reporting and track expenditures for compliance with organizational goals.
• Validate purchases and procurement requests to ensure alignment with TCLP’s financial planning and sustainability policies.
• Enter and process accounts payable transactions, ensuring accurate coding of invoices and approvals in financial systems.
• Ensure procurement policies are followed to maximize cost-effectiveness and economies of scale.
• Prepare and analyze competitive bids, proposals, and quotations to determine the best value for TCLP.
• Identify opportunities to streamline and standardize procurement and vendor selection processes.
• Maintain knowledge of best practices, industry regulations, and evolving procurement trends through professional development and participation in procurement and utility industry organizations.
• Provide regular reporting on procurement performance metrics, vendor compliance, and purchasing trends to support strategic decision-making.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Minimum Qualifications:
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities and minimum qualifications necessary to perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the job.

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, supply chain management, or a related field. A combination of education and relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• One of the following certifications is required (or must be obtained within two (2) years of employment): Certified Purchasing Professional (CPP); Certified Professional Purchasing Manager (CPPM); or National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP).
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in procurement, purchasing, contract administration, or supply chain management.
• Experience in competitive bidding processes, specification development, and contract negotiations is required.
• Knowledge of public procurement regulations, contract administration, and vendor management best practices.
• Strategic Planning & Financial Oversight: Ability to plan, forecast, and manage procurement needs to support TCLP’s operational and sustainability goals.
• Strong financial acumen to analyze procurement expenditures and align purchases with the approved budget.
• Vendor and Contract Management: Ability to establish and maintain vendor relationships, ensuring compliance with TCLP standards.
• Experience in negotiating contract terms, managing renewals, and ensuring adherence to procurement policies.
• Analytical and Problem-Solving: Strong ability to analyze information, assess risks, and develop solutions using critical thinking and logical reasoning.
• Ability to validate sole-source procurements and ensure justification aligns with TCLP’s financial and operational priorities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams, SharePoint, and procurement software.
• Experience in financial systems and invoice processing, including the ability to code and enter accounts payable transactions accurately.
• Excellent communication skills: present information clearly and effectively in both written and verbal presentations to a variety of stakeholders internally and externally.
• Ethical conduct: demonstrated ability to handle matters of confidentiality discreetly on issues requiring varying degrees of sensitivity.
• Ability to explain technical procurement and contract information to non-technical personnel.
• Strong negotiation skills to secure cost-effective agreements.
• Organizational and Time Management: Ability to work under deadlines, manage multiple priorities, and adapt to changing work demands.
• Regulatory Compliance: Understanding of local, state, and federal procurement laws and governmental purchasing policies.
• In addition to the above-mentioned requirements, this position requires the ability to read, write, speak, and understand the English language as necessary for the position; the ability to follow written and oral instruction; and be physically and mentally able to perform the essential duties of their position. Regular, consistent, and predictable attendance is also required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Governmental or utility procurement experience.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands and fingers, talk and hear. The employee must be able to squat, stoop or kneel. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items of light to moderate weight. The employee is regularly required to communicate in person and by telephone, read regular and small print, sit, use limited mobility in an office setting, use manual dexterity to type and enter data, and use sight to read and prepare documents and reports.

The typical work environment of this job is a business office setting where the noise level is quiet and sometimes moderate.

Employees shall maintain a permanent and bona fide residence in a location that allows for a response time to the Service Center within no more than 60 minutes under normal driving circumstances within 6 months of employment.

TCL&P is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
A diverse team makes a strong team. As an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, we are strongly committed to creating a dynamic and equitable workforce that mirrors the community and world that we serve. TCL&P encourages people from all backgrounds to apply.

Ideal Candidate - Supply Chain Management - Purchasing - Purchasing Professional - Procurement - Energy - utility - Contract Management - Financial

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $64,209.00 - $96,313.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• On-site gym
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Traverse City, MI 49686 (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Traverse City, MI 49686: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $64,209 - $96,313