Strategic Sourcing Specialist

Role Overview

• Partner with internal teams to match project needs with the right external resources.
• Assess partner availability, budget, and suitability for each request.
• Coordinate timelines and handoffs with Project Managers.
• Support both direct project execution and broader capacity planning.
• Take ownership of complex or high-volume sourcing requests.
• Collaborate with sales teams to propose tailored solutions using our network.
• Deliver fast, accurate cost estimates and feasibility checks.
• Oversee end-to-end partner onboarding: contracts, legal documentation, tool access, and training.
• Build and maintain a central library of partner services, capabilities, and rate cards for reuse in proposals.
• Develop and nurture strong relationships with research-enabling suppliers.
• Proactively identify and vet new partners via LinkedIn, industry networks, and referrals.
• Monitor partner performance and consolidate feedback from internal stakeholders.
• Spot capability gaps in the current network and onboard new partners to address them.
• Educate partners on key requirements, including data privacy and operational expectations.
• Train and support new team members on how to effectively engage with the network.
• Create scalable sales enablement materials (e.g., partner profiles, capability overviews, rate guides).
• Anticipate future business needs and build network capacity in advance.
• Own reporting and performance tracking for your assigned network.
• Ensure purchase orders are raised, approved, and tracked correctly.
• Partner with Finance to improve cost visibility and reporting processes.
• Proactively identify opportunities for rate negotiations and cost efficiencies.

Requirements

• 6+ years in a relevant role, ideally within an agency, research, or marketing services environment.
• Bachelor's degree in marketing, Languages, Mathematics, or related field.
• Deep knowledge of the tools and platforms required to execute key responsibilities, with a proven ability to translate that expertise into scalable best practices and team standards.
• Skilled at making complex technical concepts simple and accessible; able to transfer knowledge clearly and comprehensively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Possesses the technical grounding to constructively challenge experts and engage in informed, solution-oriented discussions across relevant domains.
• Solid grasp of core market research principles, particularly as they relate to this role’s day-to-day responsibilities.
• Understands how market research drives business value and can articulate its strategic role in organizational decision-making.
• Up to date on common research methodologies and marketing activation solutions; knows what’s available, what works, and how to apply it.