Strategic Sourcing Lead - Professional Services

cohere; United States; Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly lunch stipend

Full health and dental benefits

RRSP matching / 401K

Parental Leave top-up

Vacation & enrichment benefits

Home office stipend

Job summary

Cohere seeks a Strategic Sourcing Specialist to manage our Professional Services Procurement function. In this hands-on role you will collaborate with FP&A, Accounting, Legal, and multiple business stakeholders to develop and execute sourcing strategies, own end-to-end procurement lifecycle, and build category plans that optimize cost and service quality.

This is a 12‑month fixed-term contract with potential conversion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Finance, Business or related field.
• 8-10 years of progressive procurement experience.
• Proven experience leading Procurement for Professional Services categories.
• Strong Strategic Sourcing and negotiation skills.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and contracts.
• Demonstrated experience in category management and strategic sourcing methodologies.
• Strong risk assessment and mitigation skills for supplier selection.
• Ability to conduct market research, benchmarking, RFPs, and competitive analysis.
• Experience with supplier evaluation, selection, and performance management.
• Proven track record of cost optimization and savings achievement.
• Proficiency in procurement software and ERP systems (Omnea preferred).
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive procurement initiatives.
• Experience with P2P (procure to pay) processes.
• Professional certification in procurement or supply chain (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Manage Procurement & Sourcing activities for Professional Services categories including Consulting, Marketing (events, media, services), Legal, Communications and other external services.
• Develop and execute strategic sourcing initiatives to optimize costs and service quality.
• Own the end-to-end Procurement lifecycle from needs assessment to contract execution.
• Lead and manage the complete RFP/RFQ process from development through vendor evaluation and selection.
• Develop and implement category management strategies across Professional Services.
• Conduct comprehensive market research, competitive analysis, and supplier benchmarking.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives and track savings realization.
• Analyze spending patterns and identify opportunities for cost savings and process improvements.
• Manage contract lifecycle including renewals, amendments, and terminations.
• Manage vendor relationships and negotiations for Professional Services providers.
• Evaluate vendor performance and conduct strategic sourcing initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with Procurement policy and regulations.
• Bridge the gap between Procurement and Accounting to ensure proper PO management and payment processes.
• Maintain robust documentation and internal controls.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (FP&A, Accounting, Legal, business stakeholders) to align Procurement strategies with Business objectives.
• Prepare reports on Procurement performance, savings, and Vendor Management

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Negotiation

Vendor management

Category management

Market research

Cost optimization

Analytics

Stakeholder influence

P2P processes

Procurement software

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Procurement, Finance, Business or related field

Tools

Omnea

Job description

Cohere seeks a Strategic Sourcing Specialist to manage our Professional Services Procurement function. In this hands-on role you will collaborate with FP&A, Accounting, Legal, and multiple business stakeholders to develop and execute sourcing strategies, own end-to-end procurement lifecycle, and build category plans that optimize cost and service quality.

This is a 12‑month fixed-term contract with potential conversion.