Procurement Specialist

Education First•Boston, MA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Procurement Specialist is responsible for sourcing cost-effective, quality accommodation solutions for the North American region, from hostels and National Park lodges to four-star hotels, in ways that align with each product’s identity. The role negotiates contracts, manages supplier relationships, contributes to strategy and itinerary development, and manages budgets. It requires strong analytical skills and the ability to use negotiations to advance strategic objectives. The position requires applicants to live in or relocate to Massachusetts, or be within commuting distance of the Cambridge, MA office. The work arrangement is in-office Monday through Thursday and work from home on Fridays. Travel is expected to learn the market and cultivate supplier relationships.

Requirements

Strong written and verbal English communication skills; full fluency in English is required.
Confidence using AI tools to streamline research, analyze data, and draft communications, with sound judgment to validate outputs.
Willingness to travel to learn the market and cultivate relationships.
Strong communication, relationship-building, organization, time-management, analytical, and negotiation capabilities.

Nice To Haves

One to two or more years of relevant work experience.
Previous procurement or negotiation experience.
Strong interest in the tourism industry.
Passion for travel.

Responsibilities

Develop North American market expertise through networking, research, competition awareness, and industry insights.
Identify, acquire, contract, and allocate services and suppliers for groups in the North American market.
Maintain positive and constructive relationships with existing and potential suppliers in line with cross-product sourcing strategy.
Coordinate with Inventory and relevant operations teams to connect operational needs with product volume, itinerary strategy, and product development priorities.
Balance cost and customer experience while meeting cross-product requirements.
Develop, monitor, and adhere to budgets.
Analyze market and industry trends and competition; build a robust, scalable supplier portfolio, maximize chain relationships, and collaborate across tour departments.
Ensure suppliers meet safety and quality criteria.
Manage contracts, allocations, and supplier updates, ensure safety and cost guidelines are followed, and hand over information smoothly to Production specialists and Tour Directors.

Benefits

Monthly trainings and workshops supporting professional growth.
Four weeks of paid vacation in the first year, ten paid holidays, and two floating holidays.
Business travel opportunities.
25% company match on 401(k) contributions.
Medical, dental, and vision coverage, with options for life and disability insurance, accident and hospital insurance, legal insurance, and pet insurance.
Dependent care, healthcare, and commuter Flexible Spending Accounts.
Fertility care and family-building support.
Wellness benefits, including yearly fitness reimbursement.
Social and learning events and access to employee-run resource groups.
Employee Assistance Program.
Tenure-based sabbatical eligibility.
EF product discounts on travel, international language schools, the Au Pair program, and more.
Discounts at local venues and businesses.
Offices designed for employees and the flexibility to work from home on Fridays.