Nicole Figueroa
Charlotte,NC
Summary
Procurement professional with 10+ years of experience in purchasing, vendor management, and cost optimization across multiple industries.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Lead Purchasing Agent
Charlotte Mechanical
07.2025 - Current
- Oversee purchasing operations to ensure timely and cost effective procurement of materials and equipment.
- Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms with vendors and suppliers to secure best pricing.
- Develop and maintain vendor relationships, evaluating supplier performance for quality, delivery, and reliability.
- Analyze inventory levels to forecast purchasing needs.
- Approve purchase orders while ensuring compliance with company policies and budget guidelines.
- Train, mentor, and supervise junior buyers and provide guidance on procurement processes and strategies.
- Review market trends and pricing to identify cost saving opportunities and alternative sourcing options.
- Prepare and present purchasing reports including spend analysis, supplier performance, and cost reduction initiatives.
Food and Beverage Purchasing Agent
Carnival Cruise Line
08.2023 - 07.2025
- Process and create manual purchase orders based on vessel requests.
- Request vendor quotes to ensure cost effective procurement.
- Monitor CrunchTime reports to verify that all orders are accurately placed and fulfilled.
- Collaborate with Accounts Payable to resolve invoice discrepancies and ensure timely vendor payments.
- Coordinate with vendors for on time delivery of goods.
Lead Procurement Analyst
ChenMed
01.2022 - 03.2023
- Oversee and supervise the procurement team to ensure timely processing and release of all purchase orders.
- Evaluate employee performance, providing coaching, mentoring, and motivation to maximize productivity and effectiveness.
- Manage catalog system, process bulk orders, and develop solutions for delayed or backordered items.
- Administer the corporate P-Card program for Travel & Entertainment (T&E) and Goods & Services purchases, ensuring adherence to company policies.
- Review and approve business expenses for legitimacy, accuracy in expense coding, proper documentation, and compliance with internal guidelines.
- Troubleshoot backend issues within the procurement system to ensure smooth and uninterrupted operations.
- Resolve corporate credit card holder issues efficiently to maintain employee satisfaction and compliance.
- Generate and analyze monthly reports for P-Card activity and procurement system spend to identify trends and cost saving opportunities.
- Upload and maintain EIBs (Enterprise Interface Builder files) in the Workday system to support data integrity and workflow accuracy.
Procurement Specialist
ChenMed
04.2021 - 01.2022
- Review requisitions from requestors to ensure accuracy, compliance, and completeness.
- Communicate shortages, delays, and supply chain risks to the Procurement Manager to support timely corrective actions.
- Coordinate with suppliers to confirm delivery schedules and ensure timely receipt of goods.
- Resolve discrepancies related to goods receipt and payment issues in collaboration with internal departments.
- Reconcile procurement card (P-Card) transactions to ensure accurate expense tracking and policy compliance.
- Work with Accounts Payable to resolve invoice disputes and facilitate timely vendor payments.
Senior Buyer
Optical Telecommunications
07.2020 - 04.2021
- Process all construction related requisitions efficiently to ensure timely purchasing and project support.
- Negotiate vendor pricing and terms to secure the lowest possible cost while maintaining company quality standards.
- Conduct ongoing market research to identify alternative suppliers and ensure access to competitive pricing and reliable sources.
- Verify purchase requisitions by cross referencing requested items against master lists and clarifying specifications with requestors.
Digital Coordinator
Royal Caribbean Group
09.2018 - 05.2020
- Assisted in managing operations for the Digital Offsite location, ensuring smooth day-to-day facility and administrative functions.
- Partnered with directors and executive leadership on key administrative initiatives, including maintaining the employee master list, onboarding, and offboarding processes.
- Collaborated with the administrative team to identify and address workplace concerns, improving communication and efficiency.
- Oversaw office logistics including badge access, parking pass requests, workspace assignments, floor plans, mail distribution, shipping, and supply management.
- Coordinated with the IT department to ensure proper setup, maintenance, and functionality of all office equipment and systems.
- Supported planning and execution of team building and innovation events such as Hackathons, PI Planning, and DLT sessions, fostering collaboration and engagement across teams.
Workplace Solutions Coordinator
Royal Caribbean Group
04.2016 - 09.2018
- Assist with scheduling, tracking, and following up on maintenance, repairs, inspections, and vendor services.
- Create, process, and close work orders; communicate with technicians and vendors to ensure timely completion.
- Coordinate onsite visits, obtain quotes, maintain vendor records, and ensure compliance with building policies.
- Oversee office supplies, equipment, room reservations, and workspace assignments.
- Handle filing, data entry, facility reports, purchase orders, invoices, and department communications.
- Help coordinate office moves, furniture setups, and workspace organization.
- Respond to facility-related inquiries, troubleshoot minor building issues, and maintain a positive service-oriented environment.
Buyer II
Royal Caribbean Group
03.2014 - 04.2016
- Processed purchase requisitions accurately and in accordance with company procedures.
- Worked with MLS to ensure voyage schedules aligned with planned purchase order deliveries.
- Communicated with suppliers to track all POs and ensure timely shipment and arrival to designated ports.
- Resolved issues related to failed or delayed deliveries to maintain supply chain continuity.
- Worked with Accounts Payable and utilized the Tungsten system to ensure suppliers received timely payments.
- Resolved invoice discrepancies and disputes to maintain accurate financial records.
Skills
- Microsoft excel
- Supply Chain
- Procurement
- Data Analysis
- VLOOKUP
- Pivot Tables
Certification
- Data Analytics
- Change Management for Projects
- Project Management Fundamentals and Beyond
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Timeline
Lead Purchasing Agent
Charlotte Mechanical
07.2025 - Current
Food and Beverage Purchasing Agent
Carnival Cruise Line
08.2023 - 07.2025
Lead Procurement Analyst
ChenMed
01.2022 - 03.2023
Procurement Specialist
ChenMed
04.2021 - 01.2022
Senior Buyer
Optical Telecommunications
07.2020 - 04.2021
Digital Coordinator
Royal Caribbean Group
09.2018 - 05.2020
Workplace Solutions Coordinator
Royal Caribbean Group
04.2016 - 09.2018
Buyer II
Royal Caribbean Group
03.2014 - 04.2016