Procurement Specialist
About The Position
The Procurement Specialist for the North American region ensures cost-effective, high-quality accommodation solutions that fit each product’s identity, ranging from hostels and National Park lodges to four-star hotels. The role negotiates contracts, manages supplier relationships, contributes to strategy and itinerary development, and manages budgets. It requires strong analytical skills and a focus on using negotiations to support strategic objectives. The position is based around the Cambridge, Massachusetts office. Applicants must live in or relocate to Massachusetts, or live within commuting distance. The work arrangement is in-office Monday through Thursday and work-from-home on Fridays. The role involves travel to learn the market and build 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 interest in the tourism industry.
- Passion for travel.
Nice To Haves
- 1–2+ years of relevant work experience preferred.
- Previous procurement or negotiation experience preferred.
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 constructive relationships with existing and potential suppliers in line with cross-product sourcing strategy.
- Work with Inventory and operations teams to connect operational needs with product volume, itinerary strategy, and product development priorities.
- Balance cost and customer experience while achieving cross-product requirements.
- Create, monitor, and adhere to budgets.
- Analyze market and industry trends and competitors; build a scalable supplier portfolio, maximize chain relationships, and collaborate across tours departments.
- Ensure suppliers meet safety and quality criteria.
- Manage contracts, allocations, and supplier updates, ensure compliance with safety and cost guidelines, and hand over information smoothly to Production specialists and Tour Directors.
Benefits
- Professional growth through a robust monthly calendar of trainings and workshops.
- 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, plus 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, including employee-run resource groups.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Tenure-based sabbatical eligibility.
- EF product discounts, including on travel, international language schools, and the Au Pair program.
- Discounts at local venues and businesses.
- Offices designed for employees, with the flexibility to work from home on Fridays.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
