Application Guide
How to Apply for Procurement Specialist 2 (Sourcing and Purchasing)
at Woodard & Curran
🏢 About Woodard & Curran
Woodard & Curran is a purpose-driven environmental engineering and consulting firm dedicated to sustainable water and environmental solutions. Their mission to create a healthier planet means you'll work on projects that have tangible positive impacts on communities and ecosystems. As a remote-friendly employer with a collaborative culture, they offer flexibility while tackling complex environmental challenges.
About This Role
As a Procurement Specialist 2, you'll be the linchpin between internal project teams and external suppliers, ensuring that sourcing and purchasing activities align with both project needs and regulatory standards. Your work directly supports the successful delivery of environmental projects, from negotiating contracts to tracking orders, making you essential to operational efficiency and project profitability.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start by checking emails and prioritizing urgent purchase requests from project managers. You'll then review and process purchase orders, ensuring they match contract terms, and follow up with suppliers on order status or expedite shipments. Afternoon could involve negotiating a change order with a vendor or collaborating with the corporate compliance team to ensure regulatory adherence.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Woodard & Curran Is Looking For
- You have 3+ years of procurement experience in an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) environment, ideally with exposure to water or environmental projects.
- You're skilled in the full procurement cycle—from bid solicitation and evaluation to contract award, negotiation, and change order management—and can handle complex purchase orders with multiple line items and compliance requirements.
- You communicate clearly and professionally, both in writing and verbally, and can coordinate across diverse teams (project managers, corporate departments, suppliers) to keep everyone aligned.
- You are highly organized and detail-oriented, able to prioritize multiple tasks and expedite orders under tight deadlines without sacrificing accuracy.
📝 Tips for Applying to Woodard & Curran
Tailor your resume to highlight procurement experience specifically in EPC or environmental sectors; use keywords like 'change orders', 'contract negotiation', 'supplier performance', and 'compliance' from the job description.
In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience to Woodard & Curran's mission of sustainability—mention any work with environmental regulations, green procurement, or sustainable sourcing.
Since the role is remote, emphasize your ability to work independently and communicate effectively across time zones; provide examples of successful remote collaboration.
Quantify your achievements: e.g., 'Managed 50+ purchase orders annually with a 98% on-time delivery rate' or 'Negotiated contracts saving 15% on average.'
Research Woodard & Curran's recent projects (e.g., water treatment, PFAS remediation) and reference them in your application to show genuine interest.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Highlight your experience with the bid-award cycle and contract negotiations in an EPC environment, and how it directly applies to procurement for environmental projects.', 'Emphasize your ability to ensure compliance with company policies and regulatory standards, as this is a key responsibility.', 'Showcase your organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities, especially in a remote setting.', "Express enthusiasm for Woodard & Curran's mission and mention how your values align with creating sustainable solutions."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore Woodard & Curran's project portfolio, especially in water treatment, PFAS remediation, and sustainable infrastructure, to understand the types of procurement needs you'd support.
- → Read about their company culture and values, particularly their commitment to 'healthier planet' and employee ownership (they are an ESOP company).
- → Look up any recent news or press releases about their contracts or innovations in environmental services to discuss in the interview.
- → Understand their remote work policies and tools they use for collaboration (e.g., Microsoft Teams, ERP systems) to show you're prepared for a virtual environment.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to highlight specific EPC procurement experience—generic procurement roles without mention of construction or engineering projects may not stand out.
- Ignoring the remote aspect: don't apply without addressing how you'll manage remote coordination and self-discipline.
- Overlooking the environmental mission: Woodard & Curran is purpose-driven; a cover letter that doesn't mention their focus on sustainability could seem tone-deaf.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Woodard & Curran!