Procurement Specialist

At Alaska Communications, we're committed to putting our team first, always being customer focused, having a can-do attitude, owning our results and always acting with integrity. This is what we hire for and what our team members exhibit each day. Want to make an impact with us? We are unable to support remote international applicants or routinely sponsor work visas. The compensation range for this job is: $66,517.00 - $87,523.00 POSITION SUMMARY The Procurement Specialist supports the endtoend sourcing and contracting lifecycle for construction, engineering, and professional services. This role leads the development of RFPs, drafts Statements of Work (SOWs), coordinates crossfunctional reviews, and ensures timely execution of procurement activities that directly impact project delivery. The Specialist partners closely with Engineering, Legal, and the Purchasing team to ensure procurement decisions are compliant, competitive, and aligned with organizational goals. This role also leverages AIenabled tools to improve sourcing visibility, expand vendor pools, and accelerate document development. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Reasonable Accommodations Statement To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Examples of Job Duties Sourcing & RFP Management Lead the development, issuance, and management of RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs for construction and professional services. Facilitate vendor Q&A, scoring, evaluation, and award recommendations. Conduct market research and expand the competitive bidding pool, including outreach to new and diverse suppliers. Use AI tools to support vendor analysis, document drafting, and sourcing insights. Contracting & SOW Development Draft, refine, and coordinate input on SOWs in partnership with Engineering, Legal, and Finance. Ensure SOWs clearly define deliverables, timelines, acceptance criteria, and performance metrics. Support timesensitive procurement activities for service delivery projects involving government-funded customers, including schools, healthcare clinics, and grant-funded broadband expansion. Track contract lifecycle milestones and ensure timely execution, development of change orders, and enforcement of contract milestones. CrossFunctional Collaboration with Purchasing Partner closely with the Purchasing team throughout the RFP lifecycle to ensure alignment with procurement policies, competitive bidding requirements, and award procedures. Coordinate with Buyers on solicitation strategy, vendor outreach, and evaluation processes to maintain consistency across procurement activities. Prepare draft RFPs, SOWs, evaluation tools, and supporting documentation for Purchasing to formally issue. Maintain clear handoffs between Purchasing (policy, compliance, award execution) and the Specialist (RFP/SOW development, stakeholder coordination, vendor engagement). Collaborate with Purchasing to ensure timely processing of contracts, purchase orders, and award recommendations. Stakeholder Support Serve as a procurement advisor to Engineering, providing guidance on sourcing strategy, vendor selection, and risk mitigation. Support project teams in navigating procurement processes to avoid delays. Assist in onboarding and transitioning responsibilities from the retiring Senior Buyer to ensure continuity. Process Improvement & AIEnabled Procurement Implement AIassisted tools to streamline RFP drafting, SOW templates, vendor research, and compliance checks. Improve procurement visibility through dashboards, reporting, and standardized workflows. Contribute to the development of a broader procurement strategy and roadmap. Compliance & Governance Ensure all procurement activities follow internal policies, legal requirements, and regulatory standards. Maintain documentation, audit trails, and procurement records. Support Legal in contract review coordination. Other duties as assigned Support additional procurement or crossfunctional needs as they arise. Competency Statements Communication Skills - Successful candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills. Position will require frequent preparation and delivery of detailed plans and proposals. Strong communication/interpersonal skills with emphasis on decision-making, conflict management, and team building and teamwork. Must have ability to develop work plans, work effectively as a member of a team, report on status of projects, and represent the team in meetings and/or with the client, and can coordinate issues identification and resolution between clients and the development team. Accountability - Ability to plan, organize, measure and coordinate multiple tasks to deliver the budget for product line, revenue and profit. Accountability - Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/her actions. Active Listening - Ability to actively attend to, convey, and understand the comments and questions of others. Analytical Skills - Ability to use thinking and reasoning to solve a problem. Business Acumen - Ability to grasp and understand business concepts and issues. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education Required Bachelor's degree in business or related field. Equivalent education, experience, and training may be substituted for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Experience Required Two (2) years' progressive experience in purchasing. Advanced education in business or related fields may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required experience. Preferred Accredited Purchasing Professional (APP) or equivalent certification. Computer Skills Demonstrated working knowledge of purchasing software applications. Demonstrated proficiency working with the Microsoft Office suite, to include Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook. Additional Requirements Demonstrated understanding of basic accounting principles. Strong attention to detail and follow-through skills. Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills. We hope you'll join us as we change lives through technology. For more than 120 years, our team has served Alaskans with critical telecommunication services. As technology becomes increasingly woven into our lives, we're focused on delivering world-class connectivity solutions to our customers, from family homes to statewide enterprises. With career opportunities across the Last Frontier, our team takes pride in serving customers and giving back to our local communities. Exciting challenges are in front of us. We're actively building Alaska's fastest internet with fiber to the home. In rural Alaska, we're building a state-of-the-art network to bridge the digital divide for communities that have gone unserved for too long.