Strategic Sourcing Manager

** JOB SUMMARY
** The Strategic Sourcing Manager leads complex sourcing initiatives, commercial negotiations, supplier selection, and vendor management across multiple categories. This individual contributor manages the end-to-end sourcing process, from defining business requirements and identifying suppliers through competitive sourcing, evaluation, negotiation, contracting, and ongoing supplier performance management. The role partners with stakeholders across the organization to develop sourcing strategies and recommendations that support cost optimization, risk mitigation, service improvement, and revenue-generating opportunities.

The Strategic Sourcing Manager applies market intelligence, financial and commercial analysis, and sound judgment to solve complex sourcing challenges and influence business decisions. The role also identifies opportunities to improve procurement processes, analytics, systems, and AI-enabled workflows.  
** RESPONSIBILITIES*
* * Lead complex, end-to-end sourcing initiatives across multiple vendor categories, including supplier discovery, business-requirement development, competitive sourcing, proposal evaluation, stakeholder alignment, negotiation, and contract execution.
* Develop and execute requests for information, requests for proposal, and requests for quotation that clearly communicate business requirements and enable objective supplier-selection decisions.
* Lead commercial negotiations and administer supplier agreements to achieve favorable terms, mitigate risk, and support the operational and financial priorities of Choice Hotels, its franchisees, and internal stakeholders.
* Build and manage supplier relationships that create measurable value through cost optimization, service improvement, innovation, risk mitigation, and revenue-generating partnership opportunities.
* Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to define requirements, develop sourcing strategies, evaluate supplier performance, resolve complex issues, and ensure suppliers meet contractual and operational expectations.
* Analyze supplier proposals, market intelligence, spending patterns, financial information, and business cases to develop well-supported procurement recommendations and inform leadership decisions.
* Monitor supplier performance and identify opportunities to strengthen service, commercial outcomes, governance, and long-term vendor value.
* Exercise independent judgment in developing sourcing approaches and solutions to complex procurement and supplier challenges.
* Identify and implement improvements to procurement processes, contracting workflows, analytics, systems, and AI-enabled tools that increase efficiency, consistency, and decision quality.
* Lead or contribute to strategic initiatives and special assignments supporting Procurement Services priorities.

** QUALIFICATIONS*
* * Employment Experience
* * Minimum of seven years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, contract negotiation, supplier management, category management, or a related business discipline.
* Demonstrated experience leading complex requests for information, requests for proposal, and requests for quotation from requirements development through supplier evaluation and selection.
* Demonstrated experience leading commercial negotiations and administering supplier agreements.
* Experience partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to define complex business requirements and develop sourcing strategies.
* Experience performing financial, commercial, spend, market, supplier, or business-case analysis to develop recommendations and support decision-making.
* Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple sourcing initiatives or complex negotiations with competing priorities.  
* Technical Skills
* * Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
* Proficiency in developing proposal analyses, supplier evaluations, negotiation materials, business cases, and executive-ready recommendations.
* Ability to apply AI-enabled and other productivity tools to improve research, analysis, planning, workflow efficiency, and execution.
* Working knowledge of procurement, contract-management, strategic-sourcing, or supplier-performance tools.  
* Additional Skills & Competencies
* * Strong commercial negotiation and stakeholder-influence skills.
* Strong analytical judgment and structured problem-solving capability.
* Clear written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation communication skills.
* Strong project management,…