Senior Sourcing Specialist

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. What You’ll Do 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 What You’ll Bring 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 Bonus Points Experience applying category management strategies Knowledge of SLA and KPI development and management Advanced experience structuring and leading complex negotiations Minimum Qualifications Bachelor’s Degree 6 years of procurement or other supply chain experience Preferred Qualifications Master’s Degree CPSM Professional Certification Experience in Lieu of Education 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. Work Location This is a full-time, in-office position at WGU’s office in Raleigh, NC. Visa Sponsorship While we welcome applicants from all backgrounds, WGU is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this role. Job Description Disclaimer: This position description provides the major duties/responsibilities, requirements and working conditions for the position. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current position, however management reserves the right to revise or change as necessary to meet organizational needs. Other responsibilities may be assigned when circumstances require. This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements. Position & Application Details Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for 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; and 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, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave. How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday. Additional Information Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at View email address on click.appcast.io. Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law. In 1997, a coalition of 19 U.S. governors founded Western Governors University with a singular vision: to make higher education more accessible by offering full degree programs online. Starting small, we quickly expanded. 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