Capital & Engineering Procurement Manager

Role Overview

The Capital & Engineering Procurement Manager is a key member of USG’s Strategic Sourcing team, serving as the primary procurement lead for corporate engineering projects & capital investments across the North American manufacturing network. This role is designed for an experienced, highly collaborative practitioner who engages & communicates effectively with internal stakeholders with a strong focus on solid execution. This role manages a team of 3-4 capital category buyers, ensuring effective resource allocation, project assignments and high-quality outcomes in line with stakeholder expectations.

The role drives the full end‑to‑end procurement lifecycle for strategic capital projects: from early engagement with Engineering, through RFP execution and commercial negotiations, to contract finalization and issuance of clear, enforceable, and execution-ready purchase orders. This manager acts as a frontline commercial leader, ensuring rigor, speed, and risk discipline in every transaction.

Why This Role: This role offers the opportunity to personally shape and execute some of USG’s most important capital investments in a collaborate environment. It is ideal for a procurement leader who enjoys being “in the work,” values commercial rigor, and wants direct accountability for outcomes—not just strategy. The position offers high visibility, meaningful impact, and deep engagement with engineering and operations leaders across the enterprise.

What Success Looks Like

• Capital projects are sourced and executed with speed, clarity, and strong commercial discipline.

• Contracts and purchase orders are clear, enforceable, and execution-ready—minimizing downstream disputes and change exposure.

• Engineering and Project teams rely on Procurement as a hands-on commercial partner.

• Risks are identified early and managed proactively, not discovered during execution.

• Procurement measurably improves capital efficiency, predictability, and value delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

Capital Project Execution

• Lead and execute sourcing activities for major capital projects, including capital equipment, engineered systems, construction-related scopes, and technical services.

• Drive end‑to‑end RFP/RFQ processes: scope development, supplier prequalification, bid evaluations, alignment discussions, and award recommendations.

• Remain actively involved through ordering, change management, and commercial closeout—ensuring continuity from sourcing through execution.

Negotiation, Contracting & Purchase Orders

• Lead direct, hands-on negotiations with suppliers on pricing, commercial terms, risk allocation, warranties, schedule, liquidated damages, and long-term service provisions.

• Draft, negotiate, and finalize contracts in close collaboration with Legal, Risk, Finance, and project stakeholders.

• Issue well-structured, unambiguous, and “waterproof” purchase orders that clearly reflect negotiated commercial and contractual terms and protect project and company interests.

• Ensure all procurement actions comply with sourcing policies, Delegation of Authority, and internal governance requirements.

Commercial & Risk Leadership

• Act as the commercial owner for assigned capital projects, proactively identifying and mitigating financial, contractual, and execution risks.

• Apply strong total cost of ownership thinking, balancing price, risk, schedule, and long‑term value.

• Support disciplined change-order evaluation and negotiations during project execution.

Supplier & Market Engagement

• Maintain a strong understanding of global capital equipment and EPC supplier markets, cost drivers, and capacity constraints.

• Build effective relationships with strategic OEMs, contractors, and service providers while maintaining commercial objectivity.

• Contribute to supplier performance reviews, lessons learned, and opportunities for standardization and leverage.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as the day-to-day procurement partner to Engineering and Project Management teams.

• Enable early procurement involvement during project definition to influence scope, commercial structure, and sourcing approach.

• Coordinate closely with Finance, Legal, Risk Management, and Operations to align commercial outcomes with enterprise priorities.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or a related discipline (advanced degree a plus).

• 8+ years of progressive experience in procurement, sourcing, or commercial roles with direct responsibility for capital projects and engineered equipment.

• Proven track record with complex sourcing events and hands-on negotiations.

• Strong experience with contract language & structure development.

• Strong working knowledge of capital project delivery models (EPC, EPCM, OEM-direct, design‑bid‑build).

• Demonstrated ability to operate independently, manage complexity, and drive outcomes in a matrixed manufacturing environment.

Willingness to travel to project sites and key suppliers as required.

Rate of pay may be adjusted based on the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

USG employees enjoy a number of benefit options for themselves and their families. These include two medical insurance options, as well as vision and dental coverage. The cost of these optional programs varies based on coverage level - employees generally pay 25% of the monthly premium cost, USG pays the rest. These coverage options are offered on the first day of employment with no waiting period.

Additionally, USG employees enjoy both a 401(k) Investment Plan with company match and a pension plan. Beyond these main features, employees may also choose from a number of additional programs like life insurance, accident insurance, legal insurance, even pet insurance, just to name a few. USG also offers Quarterly (hourly) / Annual (salary) bonus potential for all employees based on performance metrics tied to safety, quality, and productivity.  USG also provides employees with paid time off and paid holidays.

Since 1902, Chicago-based USG has been a leader in producing innovative, award-winning products and systems to build everything from major commercial developments and residential housing to home improvements. USG's employees are committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and quality in everything we do. Our steadfast commitment to the company's core business values – innovation, quality, integrity, service, diversity, efficiency and safety – have helped us become the company we are today.

 EOE including disability/veteran