IT, Strategic Sourcing Specialist

IT, Strategic Sourcing Specialist

We are seeking a motivated and developing Strategic Sourcing Specialist with a growing understanding of IT procurement and vendor relationship management. The Strategic Sourcing Specialist of IT will support the procurement of IT products and services from external vendors, contributing to the organization's efforts to obtain good value while maintaining quality standards and adhering to contractual agreements. The ideal candidate should possess excellent time management skills, a foundational understanding of IT technologies and trends, and a willingness to learn and grow in vendor management, especially around contract negotiation.

Responsibilities:

• Vendor Identification and Support: Conduct research to identify potential IT vendors that align with the organization's basic needs and objectives, with guidance from senior team members.
• Proposal Evaluation Support: Assist in the evaluation of vendor proposals, product offerings, and capabilities to contribute to informed decision-making.
• Contract Assistance: Support the development and negotiation of IT vendor contracts in collaboration with legal and procurement teams, learning about favorable terms, service level agreements (SLAs), and cost structures.
• Contract Monitoring Support: Assist in monitoring contract compliance and escalate any potential discrepancies or issues to senior team members.
• Performance Monitoring Support: Support the establishment of key performance indicators (KPIs) to help measure vendor performance and service quality.
• Performance Assessment Assistance: Assist in the regular assessment of vendor performance against established KPIs and escalate any concerns to senior team members.
• Relationship Support: Foster positive working relationships with IT vendors and IT stakeholders, acting as a point of contact for basic inquiries and escalating issues as needed.
• Meeting Participation: Participate in vendor meetings, performance reviews, and business updates to learn about communication and collaboration.
• Risk Awareness: Identify potential risks related to IT vendors and escalate them to senior team members for mitigation strategy development.
• Budget and Cost Awareness: Work with finance and procurement teams to understand and support IT vendor budgets. Support efforts to optimize vendor spending while maintaining quality, under the guidance of senior team members.
• Technology Awareness: Develop an understanding of the latest IT trends, innovations, and emerging technologies to support informed vendor selection and decision-making processes.
• Vendor Diversity Awareness: Support diversity and inclusion efforts by learning about and identifying potential vendors from underrepresented groups in the IT industry.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, IT, or a related field.
• 2+ years related experience in a procurement, vendor management, or IT-related role is a plus.
• Basic understanding of IT products, services, and solutions, with a willingness to learn complex technical concepts.
• Demonstrated development of negotiation and communication skills.
• Ability to support the management of multiple vendors and contracts with guidance.
• Demonstrated development of analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Understanding of contract management principles.
• Awareness of risk assessment concepts in vendor management.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including IT, finance, legal, and operations, with guidance.