Specialist - Strategic Sourcing

Company Description

Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done.

There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works.

Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations.

Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Job Description

The Procurement Operations Specialist will support the day-to-day procurement activities across all business units with a strong emphasis on indirect spend categories. This role is critical to ensuring a streamlined source-to-pay (S2P) process, compliance with procurement policies, supplier onboarding, PO management, and operational excellence. You will work closely with cross-functional stakeholders, including strategic sourcing, finance, IT, legal, and internal business partners, to execute purchasing requests, maintain procurement data integrity, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Procure-to-Pay (P2P) Execution
  • Process purchasing requests and convert them into Purchase Orders (POs) accurately and promptly.
  • Ensure compliance with procurement policies, approval hierarchies, and budget validations.
  • Manage PO lifecycle, including changes, closures, and confirmations.
• Operational Procurement Support
  • Support sourcing and procurement activities for all indirect categories such as IT, marketing, professional services, facilities, and HR services.
  • Collaborate with internal stakeholders to clarify requirements and ensure smooth ordering processes.
  • Provide guidance on procurement processes and systems to end users.
• Supplier Management & Enablement
  • Assist with new supplier onboarding, including due diligence, documentation, and system set-up.
  • Maintain accurate supplier records and support vendor master data management.
  • Serve as a liaison between stakeholders and suppliers to resolve operational issues (invoices, delivery, system-related queries).
• Process Improvement & Compliance
  • Identify opportunities to streamline procurement workflows and reduce cycle times.
  • Support automation initiatives and tool implementations (e.g., NetSuite, Graphite, Coupa).
  • Ensure adherence to ethical sourcing practices, internal controls, legal and external (SOX, SEC reporting) obligations.
• Data Management & Reporting
  • Maintain accurate procurement data, including spend analytics, compliance metrics, and PO tracking.
  • Generate reports and dashboards to monitor procurement KPIs and drive insights for optimization.
  • Support audit and compliance requirements with appropriate documentation and process records.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in procurement operations, preferably in indirect spend.
• Working knowledge of P2P processes, ERP tools (e.g., NetSuite), and procurement systems (e.g. Graphite).
• Strong organizational and multitasking skills with attention to detail.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, including stakeholder and vendor interaction.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently and effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong ethical standards and commitment to integrity.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting global business units or shared service centers.
• Familiarity with spend analytics and reporting tools.
• Exposure to supplier due diligence, risk mitigation, and compliance requirements.
• Prior experience in technology, SaaS, or high-growth environments.

Key Competencies:

• Customer-focused mindset with a drive for operational efficiency.
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving ability.
• Agility to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• High ethical standards and strong integrity.

Additional Information

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.