Strategic Sourcing Specialist - F&B

We are seeking a motivated Strategic Sourcing Specialist to support our sourcing strategies and optimize our supply chain. You will conduct market research, analyze spend data, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify cost-savings opportunities. In this role, you will assist in managing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, and monitoring supplier performance. Your insights will help maintain supply chain stability and support strategic decision-making through detailed reporting on sourcing activities and performance metrics.

As Strategic Sourcing Specialist your daily responsibilities include:

• Support the development and execution of strategic sourcing plans to meet company objectives
• Assist in identifying and evaluating potential suppliers, and support contract negotiations
• Conduct market research to provide insights on industry trends and best practices
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand and support their sourcing needs and requirements
• Analyze spend data to identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements
• Monitor supplier performance and ensure compliance with contractual terms and conditions
• Assist in managing risk and ensuring continuity of supply
• Prepare and present reports on sourcing activities and performance metrics to senior management

Essential Functions:

• Development of an effective long-term strategic sourcing plan for highly complex categories and projects that create long term value while meeting brand objectives, including value creation, supply continuity, risk mitigation, and innovation. Effective collaboration on strategic sourcing categories and projects within the organization and stakeholders; Developing relationships to become a trusted sourcing partner. Ensuring cross-functional engagement and support of category projects and initiatives
• Apply category management best practices, tools and techniques in the development and implementation of an integrated strategic sourcing strategy to assess the overall opportunity within the categories for projects. Serving as a subject matter expert on strategic sourcing categories with the stakeholders and fostering effective relationships.
• Maintain focus on project timelines and deliverables to ensure business goals and objectives are met. Strong partnership with Finance team to accurately forecast impacts of category strategy, including scenario modeling.
• Researching best practices and conducting baseline due diligence to best understand opportunities for savings, reducing TCO, improve efficiencies, quality improvement and service of the sourcing teams. Lead supplier qualification, segmentation and certification programs
• Effective supplier relationship management; leveraging data, metrics, and internal feedback. Providing and reviewing score cards to improve supplier results. Developing early supplier involvement to ensure suppliers are utilized to their full capabilities and proactively providing input to provide low cost, efficient, and quality goods and services. Effectively influencing change and buy-in across the stakeholder group and leadership.
• Implement gold-standard contracts across strategic supplier base. Negotiate strategic supplier contracts, develop innovative pricing models and agreements to deliver value to brands
• Document activities to share results, best practices and develop a playbook within the sourcing teams. 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree-Master’s degree preferred.
• 3-5 years of experience in procurement, strategic sourcing, supply chain, and/or category management
• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent years’ experience) in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field
• Food, beverage, hotel category sourcing experience and/or cruise, hospitality, foodservice industry experience (required)
• CPSM, CPM, APICS preferred
• Basic negotiation and contract management skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Basic knowledge of specific categories and/or ability to develop knowledge of new categories
• Ability to perform analysis and interpret results into actional steps
• Strong attention to detail and process orientation
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives and priorities at once
• Excellent written/verbal communication and presentation skills
• Identify and resolve problems efficiently and effectively

Physical Demands:  Must be able to remain in a stationary position at a desk and/or computer for extended periods of time. 

Travel: Less than 25% with Shipboard and non-shipboard likely partnering with Shipboard personnel and collaborating with both Shoreside and Shipb