Commodity Solutions Specialist

Full-time

Full-time

Description

Key Responsibilities

Market-facing Title: Commodity Solutions Specialist

Official Title: Recycling Solutions Specialist

As a Recycling Solutions Specialist, you will develop and maintain relationships with the recycling outlets that purchase materials from our client’s manufacturing facilities.

This role blends commodity sales, procurement strategy, cost analysis, and vendor relationship management to maximize financial return, mitigate risk, and strengthen Northstar’s downstream recycling network.

The ideal candidate brings strong commercial acumen, data-driven decision-making skills, and the ability to elevate the team’s collective expertise in pricing strategy, vendor development, and market intelligence.

Primary Responsibilities

• Procure recycling services for our client locations.
• Negotiate monthly pricing and long-term contracts.
• Identify new outlets and recycling solutions for materials.
• Assist with national implementations.
• Keep current with industry trends and commodity pricing.
• Maintain relationships with general recyclers, mills, and end users.
• Act as a point of escalation when needed and work with internal teams as needed.
• Conduct detailed cost and margin analysis to evaluate outlet performance, freight economics, rebate structures, and total net return.
• Develop and execute pricing strategies aligned with commodity market fluctuations and client contract structures.
• Build and expand strategic vendor relationships across mixed recycling streams.
• Source and onboard new downstream outlets to improve pricing leverage.
• Partner cross-functionally with Client Success, Operations, and Sales to align downstream strategies with client growth initiatives.
• Support RFP processes and large-scale procurement initiatives, including bid comparison, financial modeling, and contract evaluation.

Requirements

Technical Job Requirements

• Demonstrates a strong mind for logistics as well as excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong existing relationships with outlets.
• 2 years of experience in the recycling industry preferred (selling most of the following grades: Cardboard, Paper, Plastic, Metal, Pallets, and Drums).
• Ability to conduct negotiations via phone, email, and in-person.
• Ability to manage a large volume of tasks while prioritizing and managing multiple projects.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including experience evaluating commodity pricing trends, freight costs, rebate structures, and gross profit impact.
• Experience in purchasing, procurement, commodity trading, mixed recycling buying, or outside recycling sales preferred.
• Ability to analyze contracts, payment terms, risk exposure, and service-level agreements.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel or comparable financial modeling tools.
• Demonstrated ability to build long-term vendor partnerships and negotiate complex pricing agreements.
• Understanding of domestic and export recycling markets, mill operations, and end-user demand drivers is a strong plus.
• Travel throughout North America 3 – 5 times per year as needed to complete on-site visits with vendors (This position requires a valid driver’s license and clean driving record as a condition of employment).

Core Qualifications

Ownership

• You welcome new challenges, are inquisitive, act and respond with purpose, and are solution oriented when receiving constrictive feedback.
• Continuously work towards the alignment of individual, team, and company goals.
• You take ownership of financial outcomes and proactively identify opportunities to improve margin, reduce risk, and strengthen vendor partnerships.

Professionalism

• You are polished, proactive, and effective in your communication (in all formats).
• You contribute and engage meaningfully in your work and in meetings.
• You practice patience, excellent time management skills and exhibit high emotional intelligence.
• You communicate market insights clearly and confidently to internal and external stakeholders, translating complex pricing and cost structures into actionable recommendations.

Empathy

• You consistently portray a positive attitude.
• You are approachable by all stakeholders and can quickly build a strong rapport.
• You are a strong team player and are passionate about our industry and company.
• You balance strong negotiation skills with relationship-centered partnership development.

This position is available as a remote position. This is a full-time, benefits eligible, exempt role. Our business hours are Monday – Friday, from 8:00am – 5:00pm EST.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment Visa (including STEM OPT) at this time.

DEIB Statement & Commitment

At Northstar Recycling, our company’s intention behind Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) is to create a more inclusive and equitable culture, business practices and methods of operation. As an organization, we are continuing the work that allows for unlearning, accountability, and acceptance. We are incorporating DEIB thinking in all our interactions including hiring, promotion, and retention efforts.

To hold ourselves accountable, Northstar utilizes a DEIB scorecard to measure the following performance metrics: Employee Education and Participation; Leadership Support and Investment; Data Practices, and Retention, Hiring and Promotion. Each metric is evaluated on a quarterly basis and Northstar’s progress is reviewed annually with our leadership team to drive accountability organizationally.

Northstar takes many actions to promote DEIB practices, especially as they relate to recruitment, retention, and promotion. We support our employees through educational resources and training, professional development opportunities, and formal Mentorship programs. We also offer several Affinity Groups and our DEIB Employee Resource Group (ERG).

Employee Benefits

Northstar offers a comprehensive benefits package, and provides a generous employee contribution to our health, dental, and vision insurance premiums. We offer a 401(k)-retirement plan and match 100% of your first 4% of pay contribution to the plan; this matching contribution is 100% immediately vested. We also provide company sponsored short-term, long-term, and life coverage, as well as a multitude of supplemental and voluntary benefit programs.

Northstar promotes a healthy work-life balance. In that spirit, we offer a competitive PTO package that includes vacation time, sick time, 7 observed federal holidays, 3 floating holidays, and additional time off each year for volunteer efforts.

Northstar is a remote-first organization! We offer a fully remote working environment with virtual culture and teambuilding events to create and maintain a sense of belonging, connection, and inclusivity between our team members. We also take great pride in our coaching culture! Northstar fosters professional development for employees within their roles and works to create opportunities for promotion to cultivate meaningful growth for Northstar employees.

EEOC Statement

Northstar Recycling adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding equal employment opportunity that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age (40 or older), handicap or disability, genetic information, or military status. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit.

Northstar Recycling is committed to fully complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which ensures equal opportunity for qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation is available to all disabled employees, where their disability affects the performance of job functions. All employment decisions are based on the merits of the situation in accordance with defined criteria, and not on the disability of the individual. The Company will follow any state or local law that provides individuals with disabilities greater protection than the federal ADA law.