Hybrid Associate Director, Strategic Sourcing – Marketing and Professional Services

at The College Board

• Job title: Associate Director, Strategic Sourcing – Marketing and Professional Services
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Senior
• Salary: $60,000 - $100,000 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Tech skills: ERP, PMP
• Location requirements: Hybrid, United States

About the role

• Associate Director leading strategic sourcing for Marketing & Professional Services at College Board. Focusing on supplier management, contract negotiations, and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of sourcing strategies to optimize spend, reduce risk, and enhance value in alignment with organizational objectives
• Identify, evaluate, and make recommendations on selection of suppliers and Marketing & Professional Services related products and services
• Understand the current supplier landscape and identify opportunities to consolidate demand and drive cost savings while maintaining service quality
• Proactively update sourcing strategies based on market analysis and risk assessment, aligning with organizational goals and industry trends
• Lead supplier selection, performance management, and relationship development in partnership with internal stakeholders
• Lead negotiations of commercial terms, service-level agreements (SLAs), and licensing models to achieve favorable cost, risk, and performance outcomes
• Partner with Legal, GRC and Information Security teams to ensure all security and business term requirements are included in contracts
• Manage ongoing supplier relationships, performance reviews, and escalation processes
• Gather and analyze spend data to benchmark and identify opportunities for savings and efficiency
• Create category specific cost models, including TCO analyses, to support data driven sourcing recommendations and track impact against organizational goals and metrics
• Adopt and leverage existing Procurement tools and platforms, as well as enterprise AI tools, to deliver value driven insights and recommendations
• Proactively engage with stakeholders to understand their goals and planned initiatives, translating insights into category sourcing strategies that anticipate needs, align with enterprise objectives, and deliver strategic value
• Serve as a trusted advisor to business units on category related procurement and sourcing matters, delivering market insights, improving supplier performance, and ensuring contract and policy compliance

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 4+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, or supplier management, with at least 2 years focused on Marketing & Professional Services category
• Demonstrated experience negotiating high-value, complex technology contracts
• Familiarity with ERP systems, supplier management systems, and contract lifecycle management tools
• CPSM, PMP, Lean/Six Sigma, or ISM certification preferred
• Strong knowledge of Marketing & Professional Services sourcing categories including suppliers, market trends, and regulatory landscape
• Strong analytical, financial, and strategic problem-solving skills, including ability to deliver data-based insights to support strategic recommendations
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities, with experience influencing senior stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships across diverse teams
• High level of integrity, initiative, curiosity, and organization.

Benefits

• Annual bonuses and opportunities for merit-based raises and promotions
• A mission-driven workplace where your impact matters
• A team that invests in your development and success