Sourcing Specialist

Sourcing Specialist – Facilities and Operations

Since its founding in 1923, The Walt Disney Company and its affiliated companies have remained faithful to their commitment to produce unparalleled entertainment experiences based on the rich legacy of quality creative content and exceptional storytelling. The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment, Consumer Products and Interactive.

The mission of the Strategic Sourcing team, is “to passionately enable maximum supply chain value for our Disney stakeholders.” This mission is accomplished by a combination of segment, category, and geographic teams working collaboratively with stakeholders across every business segment around the world, utilizing a systematic approach to managing the acquisition of goods and services aimed at matching stakeholders’ needs with marketplace capabilities while achieving the lowest total cost of ownership. Strategic Sourcing’s operational goals include enabling achievement of The Walt Disney Company’s strategic priorities through effective sourcing and procurement execution, supporting margin improvement by helping deliver bottom-line financial benefits, and delivering additional business value through initiatives focused on operational excellence.

The Sourcing Specialist will be accountable individually, as a team member, and as a lead of projects and assignments involving goods and services broadly defined as Facilities & Operation Services.  The Sourcing Specialist will be expected to lead cross-functional teams to successfully execute strategic sourcing initiatives that meet or exceed operational and financial goals. This position will interface with multiple levels of leadership and contributors primarily, but not exclusively, within the Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products segment.

The Sourcing Specialist priorities include:

• Contribution to profitability (increasing revenues, reducing total cost of ownership)
• Driving innovation (developing ideas, partnering with supplier base, leveraging technology)
• Protecting/Enhancing the Brand (managing risk, improving supply chain visibility and driving safety)
• Create and maintain an inclusive environment that attracts, educates, cultivates, recognizes, retains, and listens to a diverse and high performing team of Cast Members.
• Supplier Management (Relationship, Performance, Compliance, Conduct, Risk, Knowledge, Technology, and Development)
• Compliance to policies and procedures designed to mitigate risk, improve performance and protect/enhance the reputation of the Disney Company.
• Drive the company’s supplier inclusion strategy of broader utilization and increased spend with Certified Minority, Women Veteran, Disabled and LGBTQ suppliers.
• Develop/Implement a Supplier Sustainability program that identifies and implements sustainability-oriented business practices, evaluates our supply bases for sustainability and delivers products and services whose life cycles have been taken into consideration.
• Continuous improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of our procedures and processes, with additional focus on workload simplification and workload elimination.

Job Responsibilities

         Develop and drive effective strategies by:

• Leading cross-functional sourcing projects that meet internal client’s requirements while adhering to Strategic Sourcing’s guiding principles.
• Communicating and reporting to leadership the status of any critical external relationships that could affect planning and decision-making.
• Understanding, analyzing, assessing, and communicating market industry trends and conditions that affect pricing, availability, lead-time, quality, etc.
• Evaluate supplier fit based on pre-determined selection criteria; prepare and execute clear, structured negotiations following pre-defined Strategic Sourcing methodology
• Ensure compliance with Strategic Sourcing best practices

• Understand and assist in the development and execution of supplier performance and relationship management programs that focus on quality, service responsiveness, financial benefit, and innovation. 
  • Assist with AOP development; forecast and track AOP
  • Demonstrate exemplary integrity and ethics in all instances
• Evaluate total cost / supply analysis to identify opportunities to achieve optimal value and financial benefit
  • Participate in professional development activities to keep abreast of current industry best practices
  • Continually assess market conditions and develop sourcing strategies that maximize value to the Company
• Develop, implement, monitor, and report status, performance measures that demonstrate value and ensure supplier performance

Job Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, or other quantitative discipline; or equivalent job experience

• 1-3 years’ experience in strategic sourcing, supply chain, or related disciplines.
• Preferred professional experience supporting various categories under FOS, including MRO & General Industrial supplies, Transportation, Facility Services, Engineering Services, and/or Leases & Rentals.
• Preferred work experience within Hospitality, Entertainment, Manufacturing, or similar industries
• Proven ability to build relationships/partnerships, acting as a conduit between Sourcing stakeholders, Disney legal teams, vendors & various lines of business.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead cross-functional teams through strategic sourcing engagements that include complex analysis, strategy development, well-structured negotiations, and strategy implementations.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills customizable to meet multiple audience needs (e.g., peers, clients, executives, and suppliers)
• Demonstrated and consistent success in contract negotiations, with the proven ability to identify and utilize various leverage points to obtain and deliver the best solutions the market has to offer.
• Able to appropriately review, edit, and comment on redlines prior to engaging Legal.
• Candidate will require minimal guidance and oversight and will act as an experienced and trusted advisor for the FOS Sourcing team.

Job Competencies

• Strong relationship building skills to effectively engage stakeholders
• Ability to effectively communicate, both written and orally, and can tailor messages appropriately to the intended audience, including executive leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to provide relevant information to influence and guide clients to decision points.
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to formulate calculations in support of recommendations.
• Strong negotiation skills
• Ability to collaborate in a team environment
• Internal customer focus – ability to identify/solicit key stakeholder needs and develop solutions to address their needs
• Ability / desire to work in diverse environment
• Ability to deal with ambiguity in a fast-paced environment.
• Organizational and time management skills to manage multiple projects
• Competent in Microsoft Office Suite (esp. Word, Excel, and Powerpoint), SAP, Ariba, etc.