Hiring Hybrid Supply Chain Analyst in Louisville

Actalent Services, a leading national staffing and recruitment firm specializing in engineering, supply chain, and quality roles, is partnering with a top-tier manufacturing and distribution client in the Louisville, Kentucky area to fill a full-time hybrid Supply Chain Analyst position. Louisville is a critical U.S. logistics hub, home to the UPS Worldport air cargo facility and a dense network of automotive, consumer goods, and industrial distribution centers, making it an ideal location to build hands-on expertise in end-to-end supply chain operations.

This role is built for professionals with direct experience managing purchase orders from initiation to closure, paired with proven exposure to contract negotiation with domestic and international suppliers. You will work directly with the client’s supply chain leadership team to optimize procurement processes, reduce operational costs, and mitigate supply chain risks across a portfolio of 200+ active suppliers. Unlike generic entry-level supply chain roles, this position offers immediate exposure to cross-functional project leadership, with clear, defined pathways to advancement into senior supply chain management roles within 18 to 24 months for high-performing team members.

Your core day-to-day responsibilities will include:
1. Managing the full lifecycle of purchase orders (cradle-to-grave), from creation and submission to supplier confirmation, delivery tracking, and discrepancy resolution, maintaining a 95%+ on-time processing rate aligned with internal service level agreements.
2. Leading annual contract negotiations with key component suppliers, analyzing pricing structures, delivery terms, penalty clauses, and volume discount opportunities to deliver annual cost savings of 3-5% without compromising product quality or delivery timelines.
3. Analyzing supplier performance data using SAP S/4HANA and Tableau to identify recurring delays, quality issues, and cost overruns, developing and implementing corrective action plans tracked on a monthly basis.
4. Collaborating with production, logistics, and quality teams to resolve supply chain disruptions, reducing unplanned production line downtime by 10% within the first six months of employment.
5. Maintaining 100% data accuracy for the supplier master database in the company ERP, updating contact information, lead times, and performance history with an error rate below 1% to support accurate demand planning.
6. Producing weekly and monthly KPI reports for supply chain leadership, including purchase order fill rates, procurement costs, delivery performance, and cost savings, presented in clear, actionable visual formats for executive decision-making.
7. Leading continuous improvement projects for procurement processes using Lean Six Sigma methodologies, targeting a 15% reduction in purchase order processing time over a 12-month period.
8. Training new supply chain team members on purchase order management workflows and internal tools, ensuring full operational autonomy within 4 weeks of onboarding.

The work environment for this role is hybrid: you will spend 3 days per week on-site at the client’s Louisville office, located near the Louisville International Airport for easy access to supplier meetings and cross-functional team workshops, and 2 days per week working remotely to complete data analysis, reporting, and administrative tasks. The client’s supply chain team operates with a flat, collaborative structure, where input from all team members is actively solicited for process improvement initiatives. There is no rigid hierarchical barrier to sharing ideas, and successful process changes proposed by analysts are implemented within 30 to 60 days.

To qualify for this role, you must meet the following requirements:
- 2 to 4 years of professional experience in a supply chain analyst, procurement, or purchasing role, preferably within the manufacturing, automotive distribution, or consumer goods logistics sectors.
- Demonstrated hands-on experience managing purchase orders from end to end, including experience resolving supplier discrepancies, processing returns, and managing delivery dispute workflows.
- Proven track record of supporting or leading contract negotiations with suppliers, with documented examples of cost savings or improved delivery terms achieved in prior roles.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros, and data visualization) and experience using supply chain ERPs, preferably SAP S/4HANA (experience with Oracle or NetSuite is also acceptable).
- Experience with data visualization tools including Tableau or Power BI to build and maintain supply chain performance dashboards.
- Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma methodologies (Green or Yellow Belt certification is a strong plus) to support process improvement initiatives.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills to interact with internal stakeholders at all levels of the organization and external supplier partners.
- Valid U.S. driver’s license for occasional supplier site visits (less than 10% of total work hours).

The compensation package for this role is competitive and aligned with regional market standards for mid-level supply chain roles in the Louisville area:
- Base annual salary ranging from $58,000 to $72,000 USD, dependent on your years of relevant experience and technical skill set.
- Annual performance bonus of up to 10% of base salary, tied to individual KPIs and team supply chain performance targets.
- 80% employer-paid health insurance premium for you and your eligible dependents, with access to dental, vision, and life insurance plans at reduced group rates.
- 15 days of paid time off (PTO) per year, plus 10 paid sick days and 7 paid company holidays.
- Hybrid work schedule with 2 remote days per week, plus reimbursement for internet and home office expenses up to $50 per month.
- Fully funded professional development opportunities, including coverage for Lean Six Sigma certification courses, SAP training modules, and industry conference attendance.
- 401(k) retirement plan with 4% employer matching contribution, with immediate vesting.
- Quarterly team building events and annual company outings for all local employees.

Career growth opportunities for this role are clearly defined and supported by the company. After 12 months of consistent performance meeting or exceeding KPIs, you will be eligible to lead end-to-end supply chain optimization projects for the client’s entire product portfolio, with direct reporting to the supply chain director. After 24 months of strong performance, you can advance to a Procurement Team Lead role, managing a team of 2-3 junior analysts and owning responsibility for a dedicated product category’s full procurement strategy. The client also offers lateral mobility to roles in logistics coordination, demand planning, or supply chain project management based on your career interests.

The hiring process for this role is structured to be transparent and efficient, with a total timeline of 2 to 3 weeks from application to offer:
1. Application review by the Actalent Services recruitment team within 3 business days of submission.
2. 30-minute initial phone screening with Olivia Rivers, your dedicated recruiter, to discuss your background, career goals, and fit for the role.
3. 45-minute technical interview with the client’s Supply Chain Manager, including a practical case study focused on resolving a high-priority supplier delay, to assess your hands-on process knowledge and problem-solving skills.
4. 30-minute final interview with the client’s Director of Operations to evaluate cultural fit and long-term career alignment.
5. Formal offer letter extended within 48 hours of the final interview, with a flexible start date ranging from 2 to 4 weeks after offer acceptance to accommodate your current employment notice period. The application deadline for this role is October 30, 2024, and interviews will be scheduled on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

To express your interest, submit your resume and a short summary of your relevant experience with purchase order management and supplier contract negotiation to [email protected], with the subject line “Supply Chain Analyst Application – [Your Full Name]”. You are also welcome to connect with Olivia Rivers on LinkedIn to ask any questions about the role, team, or hiring timeline before submitting your application.