Specialist - Strategic Sourcing
Freshworks
Bengaluru, , IndiaPosted 1 month ago
Skill Required
related fieldanalyticalAIFulltime
Key highlights
- 5+ years of experience in procurement operations required
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field required
- Experience with ERP tools (e.g., NetSuite) and procurement systems (e.g., Graphite) required
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
Role overview
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.
Responsibilities
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
Requirements
- 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.
Nice to have
- 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.
Benefits
- 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.
Additional details
- 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 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.