The Mission

Our client is a global biopharmaceutical leader with a fast-moving R&D engine and the infrastructure demands to match. They're not looking for someone to just push paper through a purchasing system—they need a Procurement Operations Associate who can keep the gears turning across capital equipment purchases, lab supply sourcing, invoicing, and vendor coordination.

This is the role that makes sure scientists have what they need, when they need it. You'll sit at the intersection of Lab Operations, Finance, Facilities, and external vendors—ensuring that every requisition is clean, every PO is tracked, and every invoice reconciles. If you thrive on organization, take pride in airtight documentation, and want to learn the procurement side of drug development from the inside, this is your seat.

You'll have the freedom of a hybrid work schedule for the duration of this 12-month engagement, with the added benefit of joining the team in the office roughly 50% of the time.

Schedule: Monday–Friday, normal business hours

Location: Seattle, WA

What You'll Be Doing

Keeping the Equipment Pipeline Moving

• Coordinate capital equipment purchase requests end-to-end—gathering specs, collecting supplier quotations, routing approvals, and creating requisitions and POs in accordance with internal procedures.
• Track order status, delivery schedules, and installation milestones so nothing falls through the cracks.
• Serve as the coordination point between Lab Operations, Facilities, and vendors to ensure equipment arrives ready to go.
• Ensure all procurement documentation aligns with capital approval and compliance processes.

Running the Lab Supply Chain

• Review lab supply requests for completeness and accuracy, then execute purchase orders through approved suppliers and sourcing channels.
• Track fulfillment, follow up with vendors on delivery timelines, and maintain clean records of orders, confirmations, and receipts.
• Escalate discrepancies, fulfillment issues, or non-standard requests to senior team members.

Closing the Loop on Invoicing

• Track invoice status and flag discrepancies related to pricing, quantities, or proof of receipt.
• Support invoice reconciliation within Procure-to-Pay (P2P) systems and maintain invoice logs and supporting documentation.
• Escalate unresolved issues to procurement or finance partners for resolution.

Keeping the House in Order

• Maintain organized procurement documentation to support audit readiness and compliance at all times.
• Follow defined SOPs and escalation paths, and assist senior procurement staff with special projects as needed.

What You Bring

• The Foundation: Bachelor's degree in business administration, a scientific discipline, or equivalent.  Up to 3 years of experience (open to those more slightly more experience) supporting procurement-related activities or comparable operational roles.
• Procurement Instincts: Foundational experience or strong interest in procurement, operations, or supply chain. Exposure to purchasing, invoicing, or financial processes preferred.
• Systems Comfort: Familiarity with ERP platforms like SAP and Ariba is a plus. You'll also work across Icertis for contract tracking, SharePoint for documentation, and the Microsoft Office suite (especially Excel and Access) for tracking and reporting. Training is provided.
• Detail Obsession: You manage multiple priorities without dropping threads, adapt to shifting deadlines, and take pride in documentation that's always audit-ready.
• Cross-Functional Communication: You're comfortable engaging with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and can coordinate effectively across teams.

Compensation: $50–$55 per hour

The final hourly rate will be determined based on the engagement model (W2 vs. C2C), as well as the candidate's specific experience, skills, and qualifications. Please specify your preferred tax terms during the initial screening.

About the Search

This search is being managed by Summit Strategic Search on behalf of our client. This is a contract-based assignment where we manage the recruitment and employment administration. While you will be engaged through our firm, the end client retains final authority over the selection of personnel.

Onboarding Requirements

Due to the regulated nature of our client's industry and the requirement for on-site presence in Seattle, WA, all candidates must successfully complete the end client's onboarding protocols (background check and drug screening).

Equal Opportunity Commitment

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. For assistance or accommodations, please contact us at [email protected].