Amber Lam
Wake Forest ,NC
Summary
Versatile procurement and financial operations professional with a strong record of improving costs, streamlining processes, and supporting multimillion-dollar purchasing and grant programs. Experienced in navigating complex ERP systems, strengthening vendor partnerships, and coordinating across departments to meet budget and timeline goals. Known for bringing clarity, consistency, and efficiency to fast-moving environments.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Purchasing Agent
Meritage Homes Corp
Raleigh, North Carolina
12.2024 - 01.2026
- Negotiated with trade partners to prevent price increases and secure cost reductions, including over $1,000 in savings in key categories.
- Managed the division’s lumber lock, generating significant cost savings and protecting margins during volatile market conditions.
- Oversaw quarterly rebate programs, tracking national vendors and negotiating higher volume‑based rebates to increase division savings.
- Utilized E1/JD Edwards, Salesforce, and BuildPro to manage bids, pricing updates, vendor performance, and purchasing data accuracy.
- Closed open POs on completed homes and ensured all invoices were processed prior to home close.
- Prepared monthly financial reports to support budget accuracy and leadership decision‑making.
- Led subcontractor bid events, conducted bid analysis, and produced contract confirmations and audit‑ready documentation.
- Partnered with Land Development, Construction, Marketing, Finance, and Design to align budgets, product changes, and build timelines.
- Supported pricing strategy through base cost reviews, option price analysis, and verification of accurate house budgets and margins.
- Communicated product changes to Sales, Construction, and subcontractors to ensure smooth implementation across all builds.
Cost Control Specialist Level IV/Grant Admin
Mott Macdonald
Raleigh, NC
08.2023 - 12.2024
- Embedded member of the NC Department of Aviation Grants Team supporting 72 public airports statewide.
- Tracked and summarized monthly Board of Governors meeting activity via Smartsheet.
- Managed grants across six federal and four state aviation funding programs, including BIL/AIG, NPE, Apportionment, Discretionary, Supplemental, Airport Terminal Program, State Aid, Safety Enhancement, STIP, and Economic Development.
- Documented end‑to‑end grant processes in the Grants Manual to support training and future team transitions.
- Processed state and federal grants, modifications, and transmittals, including DocuSign workflows.
- Conducted annual risk assessments and audits for state and federal funding programs.
- Maintained the State Aviation website with accurate, timely program updates.
- Processed change requests, grant extensions, and reimbursement claims through the state’s EBS system.
- Developed and issued award letters to airports and senior state leadership, including the Deputy Secretary of Multimodal Transportation, and the Governor.
- Issued federal grant agreements and supported AIP funding management in alignment with FAA requirements.
Senior Procurement Coordinator
Pulte Homes
Cary , NC
06.2022 - 08.2023
- Processed all budget updates, vendor swaps, and purchasing adjustments for 33 active communities, ensuring alignment with construction schedules and financial targets.
- Supported procurement leadership with pricing analysis, contract updates, and cross-department coordination to maintain production flow.
- Ensured full insurance compliance for all trade partners through Ebix, maintaining accurate documentation, and reducing onboarding delays.
- Reviewed, validated, and approved vendor payment inquiries through Lawson, improving payment accuracy and reducing delays.
- Trained vendors on Build With Pulte, enabling them to research payments, manage schedules, and navigate project requirements independently — reducing internal workload and improving vendor self‑service.
- Trained and onboarded new coordinators, standardizing processes and improving team efficiency across the division.
- Investigated and resolved complex billing discrepancies, preventing recurring issues and protecting division budgets.
- Audited monthly rebate reports and led quarterly reconciliation meetings to ensure accurate rebate capture and reporting.
National Contracts Analyst
CBUSA/Buildertrend
Raleigh , NC
03.2021 - 04.2022
- Managed national contracting for a network of 560+ custom home builders.
- Developed training guides to streamline National Contract Quarterly Reporting processes.
- Coordinated directly with vendors to gather quarterly data and support financial reporting.
- Assisted Regional Managers with financial data requests and contract analysis.
- Created vendor files, reviewed invoices, and identified potential financial risks.
- Led builder training calls to guide reporting requirements.
- Created company‑wide commodity tracking Excel tool to enhance pricing visibility.
- Built relationships with manufacturer reps and sales executives to manage contracts and rebates.
- Supported National Strategic Sourcing with quarterly manufacturer/distributor reports.
- Tracked rebates and processed incentives while resolving vendor payment discrepancies.
- Served as Site Administrator, training divisions on rebate software and document uploads.
Procurement/Contracts Administrator
Brookfield Residential
Costa Mesa, California
02.2017 - 05.2020
- Created, tracked, and distributed all committing documents for onsite trades, including contracts, variance purchase orders, field work authorizations, and sequence sheets for trade contractors, and site managers.
- Confirmed, routed, and tracked invoices for approval and payment in accordance with contract terms.
- Assisted National Strategic Sourcing with quarterly reports for each manufacturer and distributor, ensuring accurate rebate and contract data.
- Tracked and reported on outstanding rebates to support financial visibility and forecasting.
- Coded checks and collected payments from vendors, maintaining accurate financial records.
- Resolved vendor inquiries and payment discrepancies to maintain smooth operations and strong vendor relationships.
- Trained all divisions across the United States on how to use Rebate Pros to track rebates and contracts, improving national consistency and reporting accuracy.
- Worked with all divisions to ensure the accurate collection of model incentives.
Education
MBA - Project Management
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina, NC01-2027
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
East Carolina University
Greenville, North Carolina, NCSkills
Procurement & Sourcing
Strategic sourcing Vendor negotiation Contract management
Financial & Operational
Cost control Budget analysis Accounts payable Financial reporting ERP‑based financial processes
Systems
Microsoft Office Excel Smartsheet E1/JD Edwards Lawson Salesforce BuildPro SAP Grants Management
Professional Strengths
Problem‑solving Conflict resolution Communication Leadership Team collaboration Document management Relationship building
Military Service
US Army National Guard Veteran — MOS 74D, CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) Specialist
Timeline
Purchasing Agent
Meritage Homes Corp
12.2024 - 01.2026
Cost Control Specialist Level IV/Grant Admin
Mott Macdonald
08.2023 - 12.2024
Senior Procurement Coordinator
Pulte Homes
06.2022 - 08.2023
National Contracts Analyst
CBUSA/Buildertrend
03.2021 - 04.2022
Procurement/Contracts Administrator
Brookfield Residential
02.2017 - 05.2020
MBA - Project Management
East Carolina University
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
East Carolina University