Supply Chain Specialist - Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

Are you looking for a fantastic career at Aqua? We have a great opportunity for a Supply Chain Specialist, under the direction of the Supply Chain Manager. The Supply Chain Specialist will be responsible for completing supply chain management functions across the Aqua footprint.  Areas of responsibility will include, but not be limited to contract management, meter management, strategic sourcing, category management, cost savings, reporting, competitive bidding, risk management, negotiations, administrative tasks, and other projects/assignments.  The Supply Chain Specialist will provide exceptional customer service to internal and external stakeholders and will display a sense of urgency and ownership of all supply chain processes and department activities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Manages the vendor contract onboarding/renewal process across the Aqua footprint.
• Works closely with the business to identify the appropriate level of Master Service Contract (MSC) required based on risk and legal requirements.
• Effectively facilitates the business requirements with our Operations and Engineering teams with our national contracts particularly the Meter Category.
• Leverages companywide purchasing power with vendors to achieve the lowest possible cost while utilizing the most efficient procurement process. Schedule reviews to ensure that contract terms are being met (pricing, quality, etc.) and service level is being maintained.
• Ensures supplier risk is properly managed through compliance with supplier on-boarding procedures.
• Ability to generate and analyze reporting related to purchase order history, payment history and vendor history to ensure contract pricing is correctly applied to all orders.  
• Involved with supplier negotiations and competitive bids. Process includes the analysis of bid documents, creation of RFPs, collection, analysis, and review of bid proposals.
• Acts as liaison with state requesters, state operators and state controllers to provide best in class customer service levels to support operations.
• Performs vendor agreement updates in SAP. Includes updating vendor price lists and new vendor items as needed in the catalog.
• Effective in promoting companywide supplier relationships to ensure supplier performance and proper utilization of supplier programs (portal, websites, controls, marketing tools, satisfaction surveys, etc.) to support supply chain efficiency.
• Partner with material management to update and maintain the item master catalog.
• Periodically meet with key suppliers to review sales history, vendor catalog and pricing to ensure item master catalog is current.
• Partner with accounts payable to streamline payment processing and to take advantage of favorable supplier terms and discounts.
• Primary liaison with state buyers monitoring service levels of vendors with states.
• Monitors compliance with all aspects of Essentials’ Expenditure Control Policy and Delegation of Authority
• In a teaming environment, provides support desk help for PO Desk and serves as back up to other purchasing personnel.
• Assists with other tasks or projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3+ years of prior experience in supply chain or related field
• Supply chain certification preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Email, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• High functionality with SAP (preferred) or similar ERP platform.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely, and professionally) with internal customers.
• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment.  
• General business acumen and understanding of procurement/sourcing and materials management practices.  Additional knowledge in the areas of accounts payables, accounting, financial analysis, logistics, business law (specifically contract law), vendor management, inventory/materials management, utility operations (construction, engineering & maintenance) and Essential policies, procedures and standards are a plus.
• General knowledge of utility operations including water and/or gas operations is preferred, but not a requirement.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.