Senior Procurement Specialist

Title: Senior Procurement Specialist – Electrical / EPC & Marketplace Category Lead
Company: Ready To Hire
Location: Austin, TX preferred (US‑based remote with regular visits to Texas)
Type: Senior independent contractor (1099), part‑time or full‑time, with potential equity

Ready To Hire  is building a procurement‑first platform for EPC and industrial firms, focused on electrical and materials‑heavy projects such as data centers and substations in the United States. We combine independent procurement specialists and engineers with a curated marketplace of electrical solutions and suppliers.

We are looking for two Senior Procurement Specialists who will:

• Lead sourcing and negotiation of electrical solutions for EPC firms in the US
  , and
• Act as category and vendor‑onboarding leads to structure and list these solutions on our platform.

You will directly influence how our procurement engine and marketplace work and may earn equity in Ready To Hire  based on your involvement and performance.

1) Senior EPC procurement & sourcing

• Own end‑to‑end sourcing for electrical and EPC‑style material packages (e.g., switch gear, MV/HV equipment, transformers, substations, industrial electrical gear).
• Use your existing list of approved suppliers, distributors, and 3PL/logistics partners in the United States to secure competitive pricing, lead times, and commercial terms for EPC clients.
• Run RFQs/RFPs: review specs, issue RFQs, evaluate bids, negotiate pricing and terms, and make clear recommendations to clients.
• Define category strategies (preferred suppliers, alternates, surplus options, logistics approaches) for US EPC and industrial projects.

2) Marketplace category & listing leadership

• Act as Category Lead for assigned product groups: define categories, attributes, and filters that EPC buyers will use (e.g., voltage, rating, application, region, surplus vs. new).
• Translate negotiated supplier deals into structured product and bundle listings on the Ready To Hire  platform, including specs, indicative pricing bands, lead times, and commercial conditions.
• Work with suppliers and independents to keep listings accurate and up‑to‑date; de‑duplicate products, tag approved vendors, and flag high‑priority offers.
• Collaborate with the founder and product/engineering interns to define and refine workflows the platform will implement (vendor onboarding, RFQ flows, approval rules, catalog structure).

3) Supplier and 3PL relationship leadership

• Own key supplier and 3PL relationships in your categories: regular touchpoints, feedback, issue resolution, and long‑term collaboration.
• Help design supplier onboarding and qualification criteria for Ready To Hire  (documentation, compliance, performance metrics).
• Mentor junior procurement staff and interns who support supplier research, data entry, and RFQ administration.

• Senior‑level experience (7–10+ years) in procurement/sourcing for EPC firms or large electrical/industrial projects in the United States
  .
• Proven experience sourcing electrical solutions for EPC firms
  : e.g., substation equipment, MV/HV gear, switch gear, transformers, industrial electrical packages.
• An existing network/list of approved suppliers, distributors, and ideally 3PL or logistics contacts in the US that you can leverage from day one.
• Strong commercial negotiation skills; comfortable handling supplier agreements, frame agreements, and project‑specific contracts (with legal support).
• Experience with ERP/procurement tools and strong spreadsheet/analysis skills for bid comparisons, cost breakdowns, and margin analysis.
• Comfortable thinking like a category manager
  : how to group products, which attributes matter to EPC buyers, how to prioritize SKUs and vendors.
• Experience with vendor onboarding or marketplace/e‑commerce catalogs (uploading or maintaining product data, working with sellers to fix issues) is a strong plus.
• Entrepreneurial and collaborative mindset; excited to co‑design a new platform and processes, not just follow an existing system.
• Based in Austin, TX or willing to travel regularly to Texas for supplier and customer meetings.

• Senior procurement talent in Austin averages around the low‑to‑mid‑80s kUSD/year (approx.
  40–41 USD/hour
  ) with higher ranges for senior and specialized roles.
• For these founding contractor roles
  , we offer:
  • Approx. 45–65 USD/hour
    , DOE and network, with initial 15–25 hours/week and potential to scale.
  • Performance‑based bonuses tied to savings, margin, and successful EPC projects.
  • The opportunity to earn equity in Ready To Hire  (0.25–1% each), vesting and contingent on involvement and results.