Procurement Specialist

Title: Procurement Specialist
EF Division: Explore America
Location: Cambridge, MA
Start Date: August 2, 2021

*In accordance with public health guidance, all of our staff are currently working from home until September 8, 2021 at which point we look forward to returning in-person at our North American Headquarters located in Cambridge, MA. However, while we work from home, our EF culture still runs strong. From virtual happy hours, group workout classes, and collaborative technology, we'll make sure you can stay close to your colleagues - even from home.

EF Explore America is a division of EF Education First (“EF”), a diversified global education company that has been in operation for over 55 years.  EF is family-owned, has a staff of nearly 60,000 people, and operates out of 600 offices in over 100 countries around the world.  As a privately held company, EF has the advantage of being flexible and able to make decisions for the long-term success of the company.  We have certainly experienced our share of travel-related obstacles and seemingly impossible situations – but have bounced back stronger each time. 

EF Explore America organizes and leads educational trips for teachers and their students across North America.  At EF Explore America, we believe in one simple truth – that the world is better when people try to understand one another.  Our tours help students expand their knowledge of the world around them, understand new people, places, and cultures, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident and independent.  Following a year that challenged our ability to be out in the world and learning by doing, never have our teachers and their students been more ready to get back to traveling with us.

The Procurement Specialist Role
When you work in operations at EF, you play a vital role in fulfilling the company’s mission: Opening the World Through Education. As a Procurement Specialist, you will be the face of EF Explore America to our suppliers in select destinations and a key member of the passionate, high-achieving, and fun Product & Operations Team.  In this highly visible role, you are responsible for identifying new suppliers (e.g., hotels, restaurants, and attractions), managing existing supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, and strategically securing inventory with suppliers.  You are the local destination expert and will work cross-functionally with other operational teams to produce life-changing travel experiences for our students and teachers..  You will collaborate closely with the Finance team to set and manage budgets in setting budgets throughout the year.  You will report directly to a Procurement Manager.    

You’ll work with suppliers:

• Managing existing supplier partnerships to success.
• Prospecting for new suppliers to meet the needs of our growing business.
• Negotiating contracts that create win-win relationships around capacity, quality, and price.
• On-boarding new suppliers to ensure they understand and are prepared to serve our customers.
• Monitoring customer feedback on supplier quality and intervening when necessary.
• Becoming an expert on the student travel industry and crafting strategic and innovative approaches to contracting and relationship management based on that expertise.

 
You’ll work alongside your Procurement colleagues:

• Analyzing travel patterns and inventory availability to understand sourcing needs and set goals.
• Sharing travel industry knowledge and best practices around negotiation and contracting.
• Managing operational budgets.

 
You’ll work with colleagues across the Product & Operations Team:

• Creating and monitoring inventory allocation strategies to optimize supplier relationships and customer experience.
• Collaborating with cross-functional working groups on new initiatives to evolve best practices.
• Adding your ideas and expertise to the product development process.

This position requires:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Contracting and/or business development experience
• Strong skills in building and maintaining relationships
• Ability to travel (supplier visits, conferences, trips to corporate office in Boston)
• Driver’s license
• Budgeting and budget management skills
• Strategic and analytical thinking
• Creative problem-solving
• Entrepreneurial spirit and business savvy
• Curiosity and a growth mindset
• Organization and attention to detail
• The ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• A positive attitude and sense of humor

The Perks:
 As if changing teachers’ and students’ lives and making the world a better place isn’t enough, we also offer the opportunity to:

• Live Well
• 25% company match on your 401(k) contributions
• Expand your worldview with paid business travel plus three weeks of paid vacation time to start (and four weeks starting in year two)
• Highly subsidized, market-leading health and dental benefits plan
• Stay healthy with on-site fitness classes and access to Employee Assistance Programs
• Competitive fertility assistance benefits and paid parental leave programs
• Live your Truth:
• We believe our business, like our world, is better when we embrace diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Build your network by joining Explore America’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee
• Join one (or several) of our employee led clubs or affinity (we call them “EF-inity”) groups such as, LGBTQ+ @ EF, Black @ EF, and Latinos @ EF. Don’t see a resource group, affinity group or club that matches your passion? Feel free to create one!
• Live Engaged
• We work in an open environment without cubicles or private offices
• Enjoy comprehensive in-house professional development opportunities with weekly trainings and workshops
• Keep up that student mentality with free in-house language classes and an annual stipend for continued education
• Live for FUN!
• Explore the neighborhood with discounts to local gyms, businesses, concert tickets, and sporting events
• Explore the world with discounts on hotels, flights, rental cars, as well as paid travel.
• Enjoy our in-house bar, cafe, hair salon, and fitness center

About Us:
EF Explore America, a division of EF Education First, is one of the largest providers of teacher-led student tours in North America. Students and teachers from all across the USA travel with us on tours throughout North America. Tours to Washington, D.C., New York City, and Boston have been our bread and butter for years, and our travelers also expand their world-view by visiting San Francisco, Puerto Rico, Chicago, Montreal, and beyond. From sales and marketing to operations and finance, our teammates are headquartered in Boston with a regional office in Washington, D.C., and presence in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and throughout Texas.
 

About EF Education First:
At EF we believe that the world is better when people try to understand one another. Since 1965, we have helped millions of people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn new things about the world and about themselves. Our culturally immersive education programs—focused on language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics—turn dreams into international opportunities.

When you join EF, you join a multicultural and diverse community working across more than 600 schools and offices in 50 countries, all with one shared mission of opening the world through education. Whoever you are, whatever you are passionate about—we welcome you and want you to bring that to work every day. EF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, caste, parental status, identity, experience and everything else that makes you unique.

Founded in Sweden in 1965, EF has school and offices around the world, including hubs in Boston, London, Mexico City, São Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm, Zürich, and more. Learn more at https://ef.com.