Important Application Submission InformationIn order to ensure your application is successfully received before the job posting expires, please submit your application by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, September 23, 2026
This Senior Sourcing Specialist position is the third level of the Nuclear Sourcing classification hierarchy and is responsible for developing and executing strategic sourcing plans in support of evaluating potential new nuclear generation. The role supports high-value, complex, and risk-sensitive procurement of nuclear materials, equipment, long-lead items, engineering, construction, fabrication, testing, logistics, warehousing, and services needed to support evaluation of potential new nuclear project development and execution.
This position leads opportunity assessment, internal supply chain analysis, supply-market assessment, sourcing strategy development, bid execution, negotiation, supplier readiness and performance support, and institutionalization of sourcing strategies. The role requires a proven track record in sourcing and negotiating extremely complex, high-value categories of spend while minimizing risk and protecting Duke Energy's technical, commercial, regulatory, financial, schedule, and reputational interests.
A successful candidate will operate with an enterprise mindset, work proactively with the Nuclear Business Unit, Project Management & Construction (PMC), Nuclear Operations, Engineering, Project Controls, Legal, Finance, Treasury/Tax, Cybersecurity, Credit Risk, Insurance, Quality/Nuclear Oversight, and supplier stakeholders, and build alignment across silos. Success requires strong judgment, nuclear contract process discipline, data-driven decision making, executive-ready communication, commercial acumen, and the ability to deliver actionable results with minimal oversight.
The individual is expected to challenge assumptions, improve sourcing governance, support supplier readiness, drive value through competition and negotiation, and ensure all sourcing actions comply with applicable nuclear procurement, quality, regulatory, and commercial requirements. Employees at this level are fully competent in applicable concepts and procedures, work independently on most assignments, identify problems, develop solutions, and escalate unusual or complex issues appropriately.
Responsibilities- Pipeline and Category Management: Develop, maintain, and actively manage a forward-looking sourcing pipeline, including forecasted, and long-lead equipment/material/service needs. Develop new nuclear plant category plans, assess potential spend, demand, supplier capacity, market dynamics, technical constraints, and long-term risks. Maintain potential new plant category plans and sourcing records in approved procurement and document-retention systems.
- Sourcing Strategy Development: Develop fit-for-purpose sourcing strategies for complex, high-value, high-risk materials, equipment, engineering, construction, fabrication, testing, transportation, warehousing, and professional services. Align sourcing strategies with project delivery milestones, engineering readiness, supplier qualification status, quality requirements, risk posture, tax/credit requirements, and enterprise value objectives.
- Strategy Execution and Governance: Lead RFIs, RFPs, bid events, objective criteria-based evaluations, award recommendations, commercial governance reviews, contract releases, purchase order releases, and supplier onboarding. Ensure appropriate decision gates, approvals, documentation, and records are completed before award or release. Drive disciplined handoffs from sourcing to contract management, supplier performance management, project controls, and business unit execution teams.
- Negotiation and Commercial Value Delivery: Lead negotiations with supplier management on pricing, escalation, payment terms, schedule commitments, milestone structure, warranty, remedies, change management, intellectual property, confidentiality, audit rights, flow-down obligations, and other commercial value drivers. Develop should-cost models, market and index analyses, historical benchmarks, and total-cost-of-ownership alternatives to drive defensible cost savings, cost avoidance, and value protection.
- Risk, Compliance and Quality Requirements: Identify, document, and escalate technical, regulatory, contractual, financial, credit, insurance, cybersecurity, domestic content, FEOC, IRA, prevailing wage/apprenticeship, logistics, quality, and supplier capacity risks. Coordinate with Legal, Tax/Treasury, Credit Risk, Insurance, Cybersecurity, Engineering, Nuclear Oversight/Quality, and other SMEs to ensure sourcing decisions protect Duke Energy and comply with applicable nuclear procurement requirements.
- Supplier Qualification, Performance, and Corrective Action: Evaluate suppliers and sub-suppliers for nuclear-grade capability, quality program maturity, delivery history, financial stability, capacity, workforce readiness, geopolitical exposure, documentation/traceability, and ability to support project milestones. Monitor supplier commitments and performance, support corrective actions, resolve escalated issues, and communicate recurring risks through appropriate performance metrics and governance forums.
- Business Partner, Project, and Stakeholder Management: Serve as a strategic supply chain partner to Nuclear Business Unit, Project Management & Construction (PMC), Nuclear Operations, Engineering, Project Controls, Legal, Finance, Tax, and project execution teams. Translate technical and project needs into sourcing requirements, educate stakeholders on nuclear sourcing requirements, and build alignment across business units and suppliers to achieve optimal technical, commercial, schedule, and risk outcomes.
- Change Management and Continuous Improvement: Identify how sourcing decisions affect stakeholders, processes, project controls, schedules, supplier readiness, and long-term operations. Support implementation plans, lessons learned, digital visibility, status reporting, and continuous improvement of sourcing processes, supplier readiness reviews, templates, and governance tools.
- Leadership and Knowledge Sharing: Provide cross-training, coaching, and guidance to sourcing personnel and business partners. Develop job aids, sourcing templates, evaluation criteria, negotiation playbooks, and procedural guidance to strengthen New Nuclear Generation sourcing capability and nuclear procedural compliance.
Required/Basic Qualifications - Bachelor's degree
- 5 years related work experience
- In lieu of Bachelor's degree(s) AND 5 year(s) related work experience listed above, High School/GED AND 9 year(s) related work experience
- Must possess, or obtain within 3 months of start, Position Specific Guide qualifications for both materials and services sourcing: NSCD-285A Nuclear Sourcing Purchase Order PSG and NSCD-284B Nuclear Sourcing Contract PSG.
- Working knowledge of nuclear procurement and quality requirements for safety-related and non-safety-related materials, equipment, and services, including NRC, NUPIC, ASME NQA-1, 10 CFR Part 21, and 10 CFR Part 50 Appendix B concepts.
Preferred Qualifications- Graduate Degree
- C.P.M. (Certified Purchasing Manager), CPSM (Certified Professional in Supply Management) certification, or CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional)
- Demonstrated experience leading sourcing events, evaluating supplier proposals, negotiating complex commercial terms, developing total-cost-of-ownership analyses, and resolving supplier/contract issues.
- Ability to identify and coordinate mitigation of legal, credit, insurance, tax, cybersecurity, quality, regulatory, domestic content, FEOC, IRA, prevailing wage/apprenticeship, logistics, and supplier performance risks.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to influence across business units, engineering, project controls, legal, finance, suppliers, and leadership while operating with minimal supervision.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook/Teams, CoPilot AI, and applicable procurement, contract, ERP, document retention, sourcing, and reporting tools used by Duke Energy.
- Demonstrated sourcing experience supporting new nuclear construction, major capital projects, long-lead item procurement, EPC/constructor interfaces, supplier readiness reviews, modular construction, or nuclear-grade manufacturing supply chains.
- Demonstrated capability to develop supplier evaluation criteria, readiness review tools, should-cost models, risk registers, governance materials, and executive-ready sourcing recommendations.
- Strong working knowledge of nuclear electric utility operations, nuclear quality assurance, nuclear safety culture, supplier surveillance, documentation/traceability, CFSI prevention, and source inspection practices.
- Experience negotiating high-value contracts with complex pricing, schedule, quality, warranty, audit, change management, and risk allocation provisions.
- Graduate degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Finance, Construction Management, Project Management, or related field.
- C.P.M., CPSM, CSCP, CPIM, PMP, or similar sourcing, supply chain, project management, or technical certification.
- Completion of the EPRI Nuclear Utility Procurement Course or comparable nuclear procurement/quality training.
Working Conditions- Hybrid Mobility Classification - Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. However, hybrid employees must live within a reasonable commute to their designated Duke Energy facility, not greater than 50 miles one way. Employees are expected to report to their assigned Duke Energy facility as required and directed by their manager, on average 3 full workdays per regular workweek.
- Office setting
- Periodic meetings at Duke Energy facilities, project sites, supplier locations, fabrication/manufacturing facilities, and industry conferences.
- 25-50% travel required for plant/site visits, supplier readiness reviews, audits, source inspections, commercial negotiations, logistics planning, project reviews, and vendor performance meetings.
- Work may involve time-sensitive sourcing decisions, supplier escalations, regulatory/quality requirements, executive review materials, and coordination across multiple internal and external stakeholders.
Specific Requirements - Bachelor's degree + 5 years work experience OR
- Associate's degree + 7 years work experience OR
- HS/GED + 9 years work experience
Travel Requirements25-50%
Relocation Assistance Provided (as applicable)No
Represented/Union PositionNo
Visa Sponsored PositionNo. This is not a Visa Sponsored Position. This role requires the ability to work lawfully in the U.S. without employment-based immigration sponsorship, now or in the future.
Please note that in order to be considered for this position, you must possess all of the basic/required qualifications. 
