Senior Sourcing Specialist

Western Governors University • Raleigh, NC

2d • $97,100 - $145,600 • Onsite

About The Position

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Professional 311 Pay Range: $97,100.00 - $145,600.00 Job Description The Senior Sourcing Specialist is responsible for the procurement of a wide variety of commodities, materials, supplies, and services for WGU, many of which are highly technical and require the application of complex procurement standards and procedures, including negotiation. The Senior Sourcing Specialist employs advanced critical thinking and writing skills in the development and evaluation of the more complex requests for proposals for commodities and services. The Senior Sourcing Specialist identifies varied sources of commodities and services, evaluates bids, awards contracts, and purchase orders, develops standards for new products or services, maintains contact with vendors, and maintains comprehensive descriptions of available products and current prices. The Senior Buyer expedites the ordering and delivery process for commodities or services using automated procurement systems and effective negotiations with vendors. At WGU, our mission is to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity. As a Senior Sourcing Specialist, you will play a critical role in driving value through strategic sourcing, supplier partnerships, and contract negotiations that support enterprise-wide operations.

Requirements

• Strong knowledge of procurement principles, purchasing ethics, and sourcing best practices
• Experience managing RFx processes, contracts, and purchase orders
• Ability to analyze pricing and cost structures to inform sourcing decisions
• Strong negotiation and organizational skills with the ability to influence stakeholders
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with purchasing systems
• Ability to lead cross-functional sourcing initiatives and manage competing priorities
• Strong decision-making skills with a high level of accountability
• Bachelor’s Degree
• 6 years of procurement or other supply chain experience

Nice To Haves

• Experience applying category management strategies
• Knowledge of SLA and KPI development and management
• Advanced experience structuring and leading complex negotiations
• Master’s Degree
• CPSM Professional Certification
• Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education requirements. Generally, one year of experience is considered equivalent to one year of education, at the discretion of the hiring manager.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sourcing events across a variety of spend categories to achieve cost savings and operational efficiencies
• Manage requisitions, purchase orders, and sourcing requests from intake through completion
• Partner with cross-functional teams, including finance and legal, to support contract negotiations and implementation
• Develop and review sourcing specifications for external audiences, ensuring clarity and compliance
• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and terms to secure best value and service levels
• Monitor market conditions and supplier trends to maintain competitive positioning
• Lead forecasting, trend analysis, and sourcing strategies to anticipate business needs

Benefits

• bonuses
• medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare
• health savings account and flexible spending account
• basic and voluntary life insurance
• disability coverage
• accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages
• legal and identity theft coverage
• retirement savings plan
• wellbeing program
• discounted WGU tuition
• flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual
• flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual
• 11 paid holidays
• other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior