School Specialty is dedicated to changing education for the better. That means working closely with educators, sharing experience, and traveling into unchartered territories together. - Are you ready to join us on the journey?

We are looking for a highly motivated professional that wants to be part of a winning team.   We give you the opportunity to work at a company where you can contribute, grow, and make your own path to success.   The rest is up to you.  

Summary of essential job functions

Coordinate strategic and national contract opportunty deadlines to provide detailed analysis in a timely and successful manner to review with assigned teams.  Increase sales by successfully implementing new bid strategies and ideas using competitive market data.  Work collaboratively with other teams and their managers to create more effective contract strategies.  The hourly wage range for this role is $25-28 per hour.

Essential Functions

• Analyze competitor pricing and trends for strategic, regional and national opportunities.
• Analyze opportunities through sales analysis and determine profitability expectations and strategic advantage for strategic, regional and national contracts
• Research and understand demographic and purchasing data available to win opportunites
• Provide Pre and Post Opportunity analysis to sales, merchandising and marketing teams for future sales opportunities
• Develop customer, vendor and product knowledge expertise to include solid working relationship and ongoing product training.
• Apply customer, vendor and product mix knowledge and how the company products meet bid and RFP requirements.
• Partners with internal and/or sales resource(s) to professionally respond to customer RFP’s and Bids that are aligned with the customer requirements and the company’s pricing strategies and goals.
• Negotiate pricing with vendors
• Create bids and RFP’s in the designated system
• Prepare all documents required for all opportunities
• Support and follow all company safety policies and procedures
• Exercises care within work environments to prevent injuries

Minimum Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED equivalent

• Computer proficiency is a must.
• Advance Microsoft Excel skills required.
• Experience in a bidding or quoting environment

Preferred Knowledge and Skills

• 4-year degree or equivalent work experience required.
• Background in and/or strong understanding of SSI product lines highly recommended.
• The ability to read and understand RFQ, RFP, Bid terminology
• High level proficiency in PC based program including spreadsheet and database programs.
  • Oracle, Excel, CPQ and Cognos
• Understanding of how Pricing influences sales and profitability
• Highly organized, attentive to detail, accurate and ability to meet tight deadlines
• Strong decision making and problem solving skills; analytical background in root-cause analysis
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with end-customers, sales and all levels of the pricing organization
• Positive and motivated team player

Corporate Core Competencies

• Business Insight - Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization’s goals.
• Customer Focus - Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Decision Quality - Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Drives Results - Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Communicates Effectively - Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Situational Adaptability - Adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.
• Being Resilient- Rebounding from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
• Manages Complexities- Making sense of complex, high quantity and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Optimizes Work Processes- Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Financial Acumen—Interpreting and applying understanding of key financial indicators to make better business decisions.
• Strategic Mindset-Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.

Physical and Mental Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, hear, use hands to type data, use a personal computer and telephone. This employee may occasionally have to operate business machines. Specific vision abilities required in this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Mental demands include problem solving, comparing, copying, computing, compiling, analyzing, coordinating, and synthesizing data.

Safety Statement

At School Specialty Inc., Safety is every employee’s first responsibility.  We expect our employees to adhere to all safety practices, have the moral courage to stop other individuals from performing unsafe acts, and immediately report unsafe conditions.

Disclaimer

• The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
• School Specialty, Inc. is a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants are subject to a drug screen and background check as a condition of employment.
• EEO/AA including Vets and Disabled
• If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at Opportunities@SchoolSpecialty.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.